Guest Writer, Henry Quesenberry

The 2020-2021 Emory & Henry Wasps Wrestling Team has made the decision to shorten their season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team had only competed twice up to their decision to cancel. However, safety concerns from players quickly led to the decision to not compete for the rest of the year.

“It hurts my heart, it really really does,” said head wrestling coach Pete Hansen about the season being shortened. “It was definitely a sudden decision,” he noted.

The decision to opt out comes after the team had to quarantine for two weeks after a positive COVID-19 test; however, Hansen remains positive. “I don’t think it [opting out of the season] hurts us,” he commented. “I think it continues to create that excitement that maybe we’ll be able to have fans at our first home dual meet, so I don’t think it put us down anywhere.”

While Hansen and the underclassmen on the team can look forward to next year, some members on the team were met with the end of their wrestling careers.

“I understand the reasoning, but it was just more upsetting for me because it literally ended my wrestling career as I will be graduating in the fall,” said sophomore Brian Comploier, who is set to graduate early. “My [wrestling] career is over in the blink of an eye due to this horrible pandemic.”

With the end of the current season, coach Hansen has been optimistic about the upcoming season and the move to NCAA Division II competition. “I think it’s going to be an amazing year, especially with the momentum we had,” he said.