The Hamilton Hawkeyes wrestling program enters the 2025–26 season with a renewed sense of energy and a room full of hungry competitors ready to carry on the program’s proud tradition. With a noticeably younger roster this winter, the Hawkeyes understand the challenge ahead—yet they also recognize the opportunity in front of them.
“It’s usually pretty nerve-wracking. A lot of those younger guys got the butterflies,” senior Tyler Block admitted as the team prepared to open the season. Fourth-year head coach Trent Holyfield agrees that youth will be a defining characteristic of this year’s lineup. “Definitely have a more youthful team this year, I would say. Really lost a lot of wrestling talent last year, but we do have a tradition here at Hamilton. And we're expected to be tough. You know, no matter what situation we are in with our wrestlers’ abilities, we're going to be expected to go out and compete at a pretty high level.”
Despite graduating several all-state seniors from last season, the Hawkeyes still return plenty of talent—including four wrestlers ranked by Michigan Grappler to begin the year: Korra Kapenga, Chase Morrison, Bryce Morrison, and Tyler Block. The blend of proven upperclassmen and promising newcomers has created an atmosphere of growth inside the wrestling room.
“I think we do have a lot of younger guys,” Bryce Morrison said. “A bunch of our seniors were really good. We had a lot of all-state guys last year. But even this year we kept a lot of guys that are still very good. A lot of the young guys coming up are picking up really quickly."
That emphasis on development has resonated with the athletes. Morrison, one of the Hawkeyes’ experienced leaders and one of the state's top wrestlers in his weight class, believes consistency is the key. “I really just try and approach every match the same. No matter who the kid is, I just go out and I do whatever I'm going to do. I just try and score a bunch of points and wrestle the same every time. The outcomes kind of take care of themselves after that.” His sophomore brother Chase Morrison, along with Block, help set the tone each day. “We have a lot of opportunity,” Block said. “We have a lot of kids that want to wrestle and have a good attitude toward wrestling. And I think that’s a good step one to rebuild the team.”
Junior standout Korra Kapenga, one of the state’s top female wrestlers, echoed those sentiments. “Even though our skill level is a little different, we're still working just as hard and we can still prove to everybody else what Hamilton wrestling is by working hard and by showing—going on the mat and still using our skills that we've learned.”
Coach Holyfield credits his returning leaders for shaping the culture of this young group. “Obviously, they add a lot of firepower to our team, and just having them in the room—they’re a great example of how things should be done, work ethic. A lot of them have taken on leadership roles.”
With several freshmen and sophomores stepping into meaningful roles, the coaching staff has leaned into a simple message focused on daily improvement. “I tell our wrestlers in here, I mean, one percent every day,” Holyfield said. “If we can get 1% better and develop over the course of the season—we’ve got a lot of freshmen, sophomores—so if we can do that, in the end, we're going to have a really successful lineup, I would say.”
