Former Seaman state champion Bailey Kelly (right), an All-American at Maryville University, has been honored by the Kansas Wrestling Coaching Association as its NCAA Division II Senior Wrestler of the Year. [Submitted]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association (KWCA) has selected Maryville University senior Bailey Kelly, a former Seaman state champion, as its 2021 NCAA Division II Senior College Wrestler of the Year.
A 2016 Seaman graduate, Kelly was a four-time Class 5A state medalist and won a state championship his senior season after recovering from an ACL injury.
Kelly graduated from Maryville with his bachelor’s degree in December and is scheduled to finish his master’s degree in August.
He has accepted a position as a mathematics teacher at Timberland High School in Wentzville, Mo. He has also been hired as an assistant wrestling coach at Timberland.
Kelly finished his college career at Maryville University, located in St. Louis, Mo., as a two-time NCAA DII National Qualifier.
He capped his career off with an All-American performance at the 2021 national tournament, finishing in sixth place after earning a spot in the semifinals.
Kelly wrestled at 184 pounds at Marysville for four seasons and was also named to the All-Great Lakes Valley Conference (GVLC) team three times.
Additionally, Kelly was a four-year member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic team and Maryville University was named NCAA DII Academic National Champion for the past four years in a row for having the highest GPA of any team in the NCAA DII ranks.
Newton graduate Logan Treaster, now at the the U.S. Naval Academy, was named the KWCA DI Senior Wrestler of the Year and Burlington product Colby Johnson of Baker University was named the NAIA Senior Wrestler of the Year. There were no NCAA DIII candidates this year
