Hempfield grad Bewak named captain of prostyle wrestling team
Paul Bewak is considered the top wrestler in John Hopkins history after finishing his career in 2015 as a three-time NCAA Division III All-American with a 135-24 record.
He is the winningest wrestler in school history.
The 2011 Hempfield grad on Thursday was named team captain of the Pennsylvania Great Danes, one of eight teams competing in the newly-formed American Prostyle Wrestling LLC league based in Oshkosh, Wisc.
The team will compete out of the Menominee Nation Arena. The APW combines the three wrestling styles: Greco-Roman, freestyle and folk style into one combat.
The teams will consist of both male and female athletes competing in a dual meet format from July through February 2020.
“After college, I really wanted to keep competing, but financially it wasn’t feasible for me, and I had no interest in competing in leagues like WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) or MMA (mixed martial arts),” Bewak said in a release. “I’m excited that this summer I’ll be back competing on the mat.”
At Hempfield, Bewak was a four-time section champion and a three-time WPIAL and PIAA placewinner.
He finished second in the state in 2009 and second in the WPIAL in 2010. He finished his high school career with a 135-44 record.
Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.
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