by Taylor Cotie

From the moment Josh Wilson stepped onto the wrestling mat at Greensboro College, it was clear he was destined for greatness. As Wilson graduates, he leaves behind an unforgettable legacy that will be remembered for years to come. He has set numerous records at Greensboro College, accumulating a total of 157 career wins. As the first Greensboro College wrestler to bring home a national championship, Wilson is an absolute winner – a five-time Division III All-American, three-time regional champion, three-time ODAC champion and a Big South Conference championship all under his belt.

The Collegian had the pleasure to interview Wilson to discuss his wrestling journey. When asked about the most memorable moment of his career, Wilson stated, “Winning a national championship in 2024 and going undefeated was definitely my favorite. Every season has an unforgettable lesson and moments, but without a doubt winning the national championship was the best.”

 The Collegian also asked Wilson how being a part of the Greensboro College wrestling team shaped him as an athlete and as an overall person. Wilson replied, “Being part of Greensboro College’s wrestling team taught me how to optimize my college experience. I devoted much time to studying techniques in my journal and did extra training after practice to commit those techniques to muscle memory. I held myself accountable each day to achieve the goals I set for myself.”

GC men’s head wrestling coach, Justin Harty, has witnessed Wilson’s growth over the years. When asked how Wilson has grown since he first started coaching him, Harty said, “Wilson has grown an incredible amount since I started coaching him three years ago. When I first spoke with Wilson, I asked him what he wanted to do – and his answer was to be a national champion. We put a plan together and I asked him to trust me and trust the process. From that first year to now, we have had incredible success, and it is all Wilson. He has put in all the work and is one of the hardest working people I know. He trusted the process and our game plan and in doing so, Wilson became the first five-time All American at Greensboro College and a national champion.”

Not only does Wilson excel on the wrestling mat, but also in the classroom. Throughout his wrestling career, Wilson earned the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American award three times. He is also a two-time recipient of the Greensboro College Fred Joseph Award, which recognizes the college’s top student-athletes based on their athletic accomplishments. Additionally, in 2023, during the student academic achievement ceremony, Wilson was presented with the Olena S. Bunn Achievement Award for his outstanding achievement in the English Department.

Coach Harty remarked on the impact Wilson has made at Greensboro College, saying, “Josh Wilson has done more in his college career than just be a wrestler. He has been a student leader and a great teammate. He has earned multiple awards on campus, including being named an NCAA Scholar All-American three times. He is not just an outstanding student-athlete, but a great person overall.”

Balancing academics with the demands of athletics is not easy for everyone, but Josh Wilson was able to navigate through both with great success. When asked how he managed to be amongst the best in the country while also excelling in the classroom, he responded, “My time management skills help me balance both athletics and academics. A significant part of my time management success comes from practicing digital minimalism. I limit my use of social media and digital entertainment to make my dopamine receptors more attuned to less stimulating activities, such as reading books or writing. This approach has been effective for me.”

Josh Wilson is a Greensboro, North Carolina native. Wilson started his wrestling career at the age of 11 at Southeast Guilford Middle School. During his time at Southeast Guilford, he had over 100 career wins and was also a four-time state placer. The most outstanding achievement he had in high school was being a North Carolina High School Athletic Association state champion.

With Over a decade of his life being dedicated to the sport of wrestling, Wilson readies to embark on a new chapter of life. When asking Wilson what his plans are after graduating Greensboro College and if he plans to continue being involved in the sport, he replied, “I plan to step away from wrestling to explore my life outside of the sport. For my entire life, I have been dedicated to wrestling, which has limited my experiences in other areas. While I appreciate the skills and foundation wrestling has provided me, I know there is more to life, and I am eager to discover it. Regarding my career plan, I am still undecided on which path to pursue. I have several options in mind but will keep them private until I make a final decision.” Reflecting on his journey in wrestling and what advice he would give to his younger self if he was just being introduced to the sport, Wilson shared, “If I could give advice to my younger self, I would tell him never to cut weight. Cutting weight is a concept that plagues this sport. It is terrible for your body and negatively affects performance. Instead, I would tell my younger self to focus on nutrition, strength and conditioning.”

With this being his final season coaching Wilson, Coach Harty expressed his pride in all Wilson’s accomplishments. “I just want to tell Wilson how proud I am of him. We have faced many obstacles throughout the years and have overcome them together. I am grateful for the opportunity I had coaching him and being on this journey with him and I do not think I can think him enough on what he has done for the program and the college. He will forever be remembered as one of the greats. A special thanks to Josh’s parents for trusting me and allowing me to be a part of his growth the past few years.”

Greensboro College will greatly miss Josh Wilson’s contributions, both on and off the wrestling mat, and wishes him all the best in his future endeavors.