The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lake Catholic’s McCrone commits to Ohio
Cougars standout aiming to return to podium at state tournament
Anyone who knows Conor McCrone knows the importance of family in his life.
So when the Lake Catholic senior wrestler was looking for a college at which to continue his wrestling career, it only made sense that he would search for one with a family atmosphere.
With that in mind, McCrone has verbally committed to Ohio University. The Bobcats won out over others such as Buffalo, Kent State, Campbell University and Bellarmine University.
“You know the culture at Lake Catholic, how tight we are and the involvement of alumni and parents,” McCrone said. “We’re like a family at Lake. At OU, I felt that right away. I could tell right away how tight of a team it was. It just felt like Lake Catholic, only bigger. I loved it.”
Between the athletic scholarship presented by Ohio and his grades, which will also account for scholarship money, the decision to go to OU was strengthened even further.
“Another big thing is location,” McCrone said. “I’m super close with my family. Some schools were like eight, 10 hours away. Only being three hours from home is really important to me. My family can come watch me wrestle, but I’m still far enough away for the college experience thing.”
McCrone plans to major in accounting and finance, with a minor in business.
McCrone is heading into his senior year at Lake Catholic, one which he hopes ends on the top step of the awards podium at the Division
II state tournament.
McCrone enters his senior season with a 102-27 career record. He placed fifth at the state tournament as a sophomore and fourth as a freshman. But his junior year ended in disappointment as McCrone did not make it to the top-8 awards podium in Columbus.
“I definitely did not finish
my junior year how I wanted,” he said. “Going into my junior year, I wanted to be committed (to college) before I was a senior. I had doubts because I had one bad tournament at the worst time possible.”
With his college decision out of the way and fueled by the motivation of last year’s missed opportunity, McCrone is ready to roll.
It’s also a special season for him, he said, because he will be in the same Lake Catholic lineup as his freshman brother Brendan.
“The goal is the same as it’s been the last three or four years,” McCrone said. “I feel I’m going to be a state champion. I don’t think I can sell myself short anymore. I want to get it done this year.”