The 1971 Ohio Wesleyan wrestling team was recently honored as a Team of Distinction at the school’s Hall of Fame banquet. (Photo courtesy Ohio Wesleyan University)
Two Connecticut wrestlers were part of the 1970-71 Ohio Wesleyan wrestling team that was recently honored by their school with as a Team of Distinction. The award, presented at the Athletic Hall of Fame ceremonies, recognizes individual teams that have distinguished themselves and made extraordinary contributions to OWU athletics.
Greenwich High graduate Jim Murphy (Class of 1970) and Rippowam-Stamford graduate Peter Van Brunt (1969) were on that Ohio Wesleyan team in Delaware, Ohio.
In 1970-71, Ohio Wesleyan went 13-0 in dual meets, won the Great Lakes College Invitational tournament and finished second in the very competitive Ohio Athletic Conference league tournament.
Murphy was the starting varsity wrestler at 118 pounds for OWU for most of the season and went 11-5. He finished second at the Great Lakes Invitational. Van Brunt was 5-3 that season.
After college, Murphy continued with wrestling. He was co-founder and a youth wrestling coach for Ridgefield Youth Wrestling. He was a volunteer assistant coach at Westhill in Stamford (2019-20) and at Ridgefield (2023-24).
Two wrestlers on that Ohio Wesleyan team, Peter Earle (118) and Scott Votey (142) won at the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament and earned spots at the 1971 NCAA Division II national tournament. It was known as the College Division tournament at that time. The first NCAA Division III tournament was in 1974.
Ohio Wesleyan dropped varsity wrestling in 1984 but returned as a club sport a few years later. Varsity wrestling was reinstated to OWU for the 2018-19 season.
