Andrew Howe: Wisconsin’s All-World Wrestler

With all the focus Badger fans tend to place on football, basketball, and hockey — and understandably so — some incredibly athletes and athletic performances can slip through the cracks, nearly unnoticed by the Badger faithful. Most recently, one Badger who deserves more credit than we can possibly heap on him is wrestler Andrew Howe. On Tuesday, Howe finished second in his weight class at the United States Wrestling Team Trials, just one more bullet point on a laundry list of fantastic accomplishments.

Howe’s greatness was obvious as early as his freshman year of high school. He ran the table throughout the winter wrestling season up until the state finals, when his season ended with his first loss. He would not lose again, compiling a 192-1 career record in winning three straight Indiana state championships. He even added a National Junior Freestyle Wrestling championship before becoming a Wisconsin Badger in 2008.

With such a track record, there were high expectations for Howe in his initial campaign as a Badger. He lived up them all, and more. Howe finished his freshman season with a 30-5 record, winning Big Ten freshman of the year honors, a spot on the All-Big Ten team, and the Big Ten Championship at 165 pounds. Howe then went on to place second at the NCAA championships, earning All-American honors, the first UW freshman to do so in a decade. His excellent year wasn’t done, even if his play for the Badgers was. Howe would go on to finish sixth at the U.S. Senior Team Trials, earn the bronze medal at the Junior World Championships and take first at the FILA (wrestling’s international governing body) Junior World Team Trials.

Howe’s dominance of the wrestling world hasn’t stopped. Over the last two years, his list of accomplishments is staggering (as if the previous aren’t enough), all coming at the 165 pound weight class:

– Cliff Keen Invite champion, 2009
– Cliff Keen Invite champion, 2010
– Midlands Invite champion, 2009
– Midlands Invite runner-up, 2010
– 201 ASICS freestyle champion, 2009
– Big Ten Champion, 2009
– Big Ten Champion, 2010
– Undefeated record (8-0) at Big Ten championships
– NCAA All-American, 2009
– NCAA All-American, 2010
– NCAA Division I Champion, 2009
– NCAA Division I third place, 2010
– 10-1 record at NCAA Division I championships
– 64-3 overall record, including 37-0 in 2009

As Howe enters his senior season this coming winter, he’ll look to add to a list of accolades that will rival that of nearly any Badger athlete in history, perhaps including a second National Championship. For readers living in Madison, I highly recommend you find your way down to the Wisconsin Field House for a Wisconsin Badger wrestling meet. Howe’s dominance is clear from his tremendous awards, honors, and championships, but to truly appreciate it, he must be seen in person.