Leaving Minnesota

Tommy Owen’s days as a Golden Gopher are over.

The three-time state champion and All-America wrestler at University High School has wrestled at the University of Minnesota the past four years, redshirting one season and starting at 141 pounds the past two.

But those days are over, Owen said this week.

“I’ve been a part of one of the top programs in the country at Minnesota,” he said. “Last year I didn’t do as well as I’d expected to do and going into my final year I don’t want to be in a situation where things don’t work out and I’m not in the starting lineup.”

Owen qualified for the 2005 NCAA tournament – in fact the Golden Gophers qualified all 10 of their starters for the national tournament.

Despite battling injuries, Owen was 11-15 overall for Minnesota, 6-7 in dual meets. He placed seventh at the Big Ten Championships and wrestled two matches at the NCAA tournament.

As a sophomore Owen was 27-15, placed fifth in the Big Ten Championships and was 1-2 at the NCAAs.

At a major college wrestling power like Minnesota, last year’s Big Ten Conference runner-up to Illinois, the competition is always fierce for a starting spot.

“Every one on this team is an outstanding wrestler,” Owen said. “The No. 3 guy at my weight, for example, was a national high school champion. The No. 2 guy was a two-time junior national champion.”

Owen asked for and received a release from his Minnesota scholarship and he’s now seeking another wrestling program for his final season.

“I only have one year left, so I want to go to the place where I have the best chance to become an All-American,” he said.

That has taken him to, among other schools, Boise State, where he could end up as a teammate with University High standout Cory Fish, who will be a freshman for the Broncos next season.

“I know a bunch of the guys there and it’s a good program,” Owen said. “I’m going to take a look at a couple places and make a decision sometime in the next week or so.”

Because Owen obtained his release from Minnesota he would not have to sit out a season as a transfer under NCAA rules. He plans to use the fifth year to obtain a teaching credential to go with a degree in history.

Owen is now home to help his father, former North Idaho College and current Central Valley High coach John Owen, with the Eastern Washington Wrestling Camp.

It’s the way the Owen family does family reunions.

Not only will Owen be working with his father, his brother, Brian, who won the 101-pound state championship as a freshman last season, will be there as well.

“I followed Brian’s season as closely as I could,” he said. “I was on the phone with him after every match. And I work with him as much as I can.

“In fact, I went with him to nationals last year as his coach. I tell you, it’s a lot harder to be on the sidelines as a coach than it is to be the wrestler. You live and die on those sidelines, especially when it’s a member of your family out there.”

It’s a learning experience for both brothers, he said.

“I have to remember that Brian is his own wrestler,” he said. “I can show him the things that I’ve learned along the way.”

The brothers are following similar paths. Each won a national championship and each won state titles as freshmen. Tommy won three state titles, losing in the finals as a junior. Brian already hears predictions for a potential four straight championships.

The wrestling camp brings the far-flung Owen family together.

“I have some cousins who wrestled in college who will be flying in, too,” he said. “We all grew up together, but since we all went off to college we don’t get the chance to see each other as often.”

The chance to teach is usually a good way to recharge his wrestling batteries, Owen said.

Besides, his goal is to become a high school wrestling coach himself one day soon.

“I’m going for my teaching certification to be a high school history teacher,” he explained. “I want to be a high school coach or, maybe, a college coach if that opportunity presented itself.

“What I hope to do is come back and coach with my dad for a while, maybe do my student teaching and see what happens from there.”