By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
He’s in his last season as an Elk, but Jake Stilling will soon be a Badger.
Stilling, a senior wrestler for Elkhorn Area High School, signed a Letter of Intent Nov. 14 at Elkhorn Area High School to wrestle collegiately for the University of Wisconsin.
Stilling’s mother, Jamie, accompanied her son, as did Elkhorn Area High School wrestling coach Ken Reynolds, Athletic Director Dean Wilson, Principal Tina Bosworth and Assistant Principal Bryan Frost.
“Since I’m from Wisconsin, I like it because then people can come and watch me,” Jake Stilling said. “It’s only an hour from home, and my family can come up whenever they want.”
Stilling’s scholarship offer is not a full-ride. He said UW will cover roughly 30 percent of his tuition. Stilling also considered the University of Minnesota and Northern Iowa University in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
“Since my freshman year, I’ve always wanted to wrestle at a Big 10 school,” Jake Stilling said.
Stilling, a senior, is already one of the more decorated wrestlers in Elkhorn Area High School history.
Last season, Stilling, wrestling at 170 pounds, became the first Elk to earn a state title in 25 years, since John Kelly in 1987. He finished 48-2 overall on the season.
Stilling set a season record last year with 144 takedowns and already holds the Elks career record for takedowns with 342. Stilling also set the team record for career pins with 70.
As a junior, Stilling finished fifth at state in the 160-pound weight class, and has also excelled in national-level meets.
At UW Stilling said he’ll likely wrestle in the 174-pound weight class. But wrestling isn’t the only reason Stilling picked UW.
“Academics were another big thing,” Stilling said. “When I’m done wrestling I’ll be able to go and work somewhere.”
Stilling said he expects to choose a major related to finance.
Reynolds said UW’s recent recruiting classes in wrestling are considered among the nation’s best, and both he and Stilling said within a few years the program can expect to see dramatic improvement.
“Within the next two or three years they’re supposed to be really good, especially with the recruiting class they had last year,” Stilling said.
