Takedown Report

Parkside’s James Lehman Took Unconventional Path to Collegiate Wrestling

Lehman is ranked No. 3 at 184 pounds in Division II.
If there has been one constant for Parkside’s redshirt-senior James Lehman over the past decade, it has been his drive to perform at a high level on and off the wrestling mat.  This season, Lehman is currently ranked third in the nation at 184 pounds. He completed his 2017-18 campaign posting a 27-12 overall record at 197-pounds and finishing in eighth place at the NCAA Division II National Championships.  While Nick Becker garnered most of the attention with his impressive third consecutive NCAA Championship at 174-pounds last season, Lehman flew under the radar, continuing to post solid numbers for his team. However, it is not his performance on the mats that is the most impressive aspect about Lehman, rather it is his history of how he came to be a Parkside Ranger.
Following his 2009 senior season at Kenosha Tremper where he placed sixth at 152-pounds at the WIAA Division I Championships, Lehman decided to take a different path in his eventual route to college. Lehman enlisted in the Army and went on to serve two tours in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
During the nearly five years he was in the Army, Lehman served with the 101^st Airborne Division. When he was not in Afghanistan, he was stationed at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, just over an eight-hour drive from home.
After Lehman completed his second tour in Afghanistan, he felt it was time to return home and leave the military. He knew it was time to enroll at Parkside.  Rest of the story at https://parksiderangers.com/news/2018/12/7/parksides-james-lehman-took-unconventional-path-to-collegiate-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=5b6eebbb0a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

December 9, 2018 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized