After years of hard work, Senior Alec McKenna has committed to wrestle at Northwestern University.
McKenna started wrestling in fifth grade at a summer camp at New Trier, sparking an instant love that has continued till today. McKenna quickly gained attention from varsity head coach Marc Tadelman. Tadelman has known McKenna for seven years and was his coach in the Trevian Wrestling Club.
Tadelman had high praise for McKenna, “He became the most accomplished in the Trevian club. Freshman year, McKenna made the varsity wrestling team. He also earned a starting spot on the team.”
Throughout his career, McKenna is a two-time state qualifier and a one-time state placer in the Illinois Kids Wrestling Federation (IKWF). McKenna has also broken the New Trier record for most individual wins and he recently won wrestler of the week.
McKenna has worked on his skills to become a smarter and technically sound wrestler. “He’s got a lot of attributes that make him great,” Tadelman said. “He is confident and has specific moves that he is good at. He has proven that these skills can work at high level competition, and has a good mental attitude.”
Senior wrestler Charlie Black, who has wrestled with McKenna since fifth grade, said that McKenna has always been a great wrestler, and that when he wrestles with him that he always learns something new.
“Alec is always in really good position, which I think is one of the things that have helped him get so good.” Tadelman added that Alec has always sought out the best competition and that he has developed into a good leader.
Tadeleman said, “Alec leads by example.” Said Taldelman. “Other wrestlers can get intimidated by going up against wrestling powerhouses, but Alec has good mental toughness.”
One of McKenna’s other qualities is that he is a very intelligent wrestler. Quick decisions always have to be made while wrestling. McKenna hates to lose and this determination helps him succeed.
Black believes that McKenna has a good shot at winning state this year, which would make him the first Trevian to do so in over 10 years. He credits his parents. “My biggest inspirations have to be my parents and coach Tadelman. My parents really kept motivating me and were really great about taking me anywhere there was a tournament with good competition or driving me far away for extra practice.”
McKenna added that Tadelman has had a great impact on his wrestling career. “Coach Tadelman was really great with helping me grow as a wrestler and kept pushing me to get better.”
Black noted some of the sacrifices that McKenna has made to get to where he is in his wrestling career. “He even stopped playing all of his other sports for wrestling. He sacrificed playing lacrosse after freshman year so he could focus fully on wrestling.”
McKenna’s top two choices were Northwestern and Michigan. However, he ultimately chose Northwestern because he “felt more comfortable with the coaches and wrestlers.
“I felt that at Northwestern I had a better chance to reach my goals in wrestling and academics,” he said. McKenna is planning to redshirt his freshman year and hopes to be in the lineup at either the 133 or 141 weight class.