MORGANTOWN, W. Va. — A lot of military families keep the tradition going through generations, and Jake Staud’s family is no different. What is different, though, is that Staud is going into the Army in a slightly different way, but more on that in a moment.
Heading into his senior wrestling season with one state title under his belt from 2017, Staud is ready to win another after surgically repairing a torn labrum in the offseason. He’ll be wrestling in the 132 weight class, six pounds heavier than his junior year. His coach, Ken Maisel, believes Staud is going to perform well this year noting that he’s a level better than everyone he’s wrestling. Maisel credits the work Staud has put in at the Quest School of Wrestling in Washington, Pa., a place where he’s “wrestling some of the best kids in Pennsylvania.”
And with his senior year coming to an end in the coming months, his coach Ken Maisel wanted to look back at how his top wrestler has progressed over the years. Knowing him since he was 5 years old, Maisel noted that Staud has grown into a young man he’s proud to have his 10-year-old son look up to.
“From a non-wrestling aspect he’s become a great young man,” Maisel said. “He’s just super respectful, does what he’s supposed to do in all aspects of his life. From a wrestling standpoint, we’ve seen him grow from a 5-year-old boy who wanted to wrestle to someone now who’s (doing it) at a high level.
“He’s gotten better every year. Last year isn’t an indication (of much) because of the injury, but you’ve got to give him credit – instead of sitting out he said, ‘I want to know what I can do.’ He basically wrestled with one arm and had just a handful of losses, so that says a lot about how good he is.”
Regardless of the outcome of the season, however, Staud is already in safe hands heading into college. The senior was granted a full-ride scholarship by the US Military Academy West Point after impressing the coach in 2018.
“I went to a national tournament last October in New York, and ended up All-American,” Staud said. “Their college coach was there and he called me so I went on a visit a month later in November. They kept in touch with me (and) I took a few more visits at N.C. State, George Mason and West Virginia. Then I talked to my parents and we decided that was the best opportunity for me, not just short-term, but long-term and in life.”
The offer also comes with the chance for Staud to start in the prep school located on campus to help his transition into Division I wrestling and build his academic profile – a major boost for a member of the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, a national mathematics honor society. Afterward, he’ll finish out his college career within West Point before serving in the Army for a minimum of five years.
“The schooling is one of the best in the country,” Staud said. “The culture, atmosphere and structure, is going to be a lot different than what I’m accustomed to. The (prep school will) make it a lot easier of a transition.”
Maisel believes it’s the best move for Staud, too.
“What can you say? You go there and get a great education, and then when you’re done you have to give them (time) of service,” Maisel said. “You’re extremely employable and you come out with no college debt. Jake would be the first to tell you: Likely at the Division I level he wasn’t going to get a full scholarship, so to come out of college with zero debt and be an officer in the United States Army I think it’s a great move for him.”
But with college graduation far in the future, Staud is trying to figure out what his academic path will be. He’s considering engineering but isn’t exactly set on that path. What Staud does know are his wrestling goals.
“I want to get an education, right now I’m leaning toward engineering but I’m not exactly sure what I want to do yet. My ultimate goal is to not just be in the starting lineup, but to become an All American and eventually win a national title at the D1 level.”
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