A second chance at glory

ARKADELPHIA -- Ouachita Baptist wrestler Tyler Mann has the opportunity to become the program's second-ever individual national champion and eighth different Tiger to earn All-America honors this weekend at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Blake Clevenger was the last Tiger wrestler to earn All-America honors after the 2016 season. Dallas Smith won the Tiger's only individual national championship in 2015.

Tyler Mann, of Little Rock, grew up as the middle child of an all-boys household. His mother, Kristi, was a former gymnast and University of Arkansas cheerleader. His father, Travis, is a longtime high school coach.

"The two of them told me at a young age that they wanted me to take part in athletics," Mann said.

It was not long until Mann came across Hulk Hogan and the World Wrestling Entertainment shows on television as a child.

"I started wrestling at the age of 10 after I saw Hulk Hogan on television and I thought that it looked like a lot of fun." Mann replied, "My mom was looking for wrestling classes and came across actual amateur wrestling. I got into the classes and loved it. I won my first tournament and from that point on I realized that I enjoyed competing in wrestling competitions.

"In the early years of competition it was all about the small victories for me," Mann added. "I started by telling myself to get one or two takedowns during a match, that lead to winning the match and that eventually lead me to winning the tournament as my goal."

Going into high school Mann realized that he had big shoes to fill because of the legacy his older brother had left behind. Mann's older brother Tanner was a three-time Arkansas State champion at Little Rock Central.

"Competing against my older brother helped me tremendously but not at the time," Mann said. "I could not stand that there might be someone better than me. Having to compete against my older brother was actually helpful though because he kept my pride in check."

The hard work paid off for the younger Mann as he won a state championship in overtime against an opponent who had beaten him on numerous occasions.

"After that win, I knew that I wanted to pursue wrestling as a serious sport," Mann said. "I felt that wrestling was my calling and purpose in life."

By the end of his prep career, Mann was a two-time All-American, the first-ever in Arkansas and a four-time Arkansas state champion. With the success also came the big-time college offers. Ouachita recruited Mann heavily coming out of Little Rock Central, but Mann felt he owed it to himself to try and compete at the Division I level.

Mann choose to wrestle at Oklahoma State coming out of high school. The Cowboys have won 34-team national championships and Mann saw the program as his next challenge.

"I quickly realized at Oklahoma State that I was at the bottom of the pole again," Mann said. "In Arkansas, I was at the top in a class of my own. At State, I was sitting in a room with 22 other guys that were as good or better than me."

"Adjusting to college life was also a struggle for me those first few years," Mann added, "I was away from home for the first time in my life and it was difficult. I made a lot of mistakes those first few years and it is kind of interesting to see how the wrongs helped me make right decisions down the road."

Mann wanted to leave Oklahoma State after just a few years on campus.

"Wrestling had been my identity throughout high school and it had been taken away from me, because of how talented Oklahoma State is at wrestling," Mann said.

"So, my mom encouraged me to come home and that summer she got me a manual labor job," Mann added, "That's when God started to speak to me, in those quiet moments during the job. The Lord was pushing me towards Ouachita.

"My parents and I both agreed that I should try out OBU. I wanted to come here and not just be a wrestler, I wanted to be a person again. Ouachita gave me an opportunity at redemption and a chance to rewrite the wrestling chapter in my life."

Mann said Ouachita offered him a second chance.

"This was a second chance that I didn't think I was going to get because I would not give it to myself," Mann said. "I'm glad that I kept my mind open to coming back to this sport. I would not have been here if it wasn't for every person that has interacted with me in my life.

"My parents keeping me positive throughout the ups and downs of life, my older brother being a good role model for me and my little brother Tucker for being my 'Hype Man.' This is my second chance and I will tell anybody that I have been to the top and the bottom and that this was my opportunity to make the most of."

After his first wrestling season at Ouachita, Mann experienced a coaching change in the summer of 2017. Kevin Crutchmer became the new head coach and Mann knew it was a change in the right direction from day one.

"I actually knew coach Crutchmer's son at Oklahoma State." Mann responded, "I knew that coach Crutchmer had a business-like mentality that he brought with him to Ouachita. The first day he showed up, he took our ping-pong table away from the locker room. Some of the guys were not happy about it, but the next day he comes in and goes, 'I just wanted to see how y'all would react to that.'

"I realized then, that we were in for a great season. He gives you the opportunities to succeed and be a champion. It's up to you to put in the work and show him that you want to be a wrestler on his team."

Mann explained wrestling is the ultimate team sport and everybody has to do their part.

"In a tournament, when it comes down to team points, everybody has to put in the work in order for the team to come away with the victory," Mann said. "When you are out on that circle, you are by yourself and wrestling teaches you no excuses."

Mann put that "no excuses" mentality to work during his junior campaign. The Little Rock native excelled under coach Crutchmer to the tune of a 23-7 regular season record. Mann defeated several Division I opponents during the season, but was seeded the lowest possible seed in the NCAA Super Regionals.

"When I got there, everybody was talking about their records and their seed in the tournament," Mann said. "I felt disrespected going into the tournament because I thought I had a great season, I was taking on not only the top competitor in the region but also the nation. I thought to myself that I can take down the best in the nation. I took that mentality with me all the way through the tournament."

Mann defeated three-time All-American JaCobi Jones of Colorado State-Pueblo. He then went on to claim the region championship in the 165-pound weight division.

"Tyler creates for me as a coach, a type of satisfaction that only comes so often," Crutchmer said. "We have been very fortunate to be a part of his journey and success this season."

"I try not to think about it too much because that excitement can turn into nerves," Mann said. "I've learned that I do better when I shut out all the distractions and focus in on the little things. I've been getting great advice from former Ouachita All-Americans and getting to see their faces on banners everyday motivates me. I want to be remembered as one of the best that came through this school."

Mann is currently an education major with the hopes of one day becoming a teacher or a coach. When asked about the opportunity at professional wrestling, he said he had not completely ruled it out.

"At the end of the day ,as long as I give it everything I got, then there is nothing that I can go home disappointed about," Mann said.

The first opponent for Mann at the National Championships will be Greg Hilliard of Belmont Abbey.

Sports on 03/09/2018

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