Wheeling’s Smith picks Central Michigan

Winning a state wrestling title with a perfect record enhanced Luke Smith’s college options.

But Smith felt one of his best options was a school that was interested before his magical senior season at Wheeling. So, Smith verbally committed to Mid-American Conference powerhouse Central Michigan about a week ago and will sign his letter of intent Tuesday.

“I decided to wait and it opened up a few more doors,” Smith said of postseason interest that included national power Iowa. “But all of the things put together at Central Michigan made my decision to go there.”

Smith said he also had scholarship offers before the season from Northwestern and Old Dominion.

Smith went 44-0 to win the Class 3A title at 140 pounds after finishing second at 135 as a junior and third at 125 as a sophomore. He finished as Wheeling’s career leader in victories with a 156-11 record.

Central Michigan has won the last 10 MAC tourney titles and 13 during Tom Borrelli’s 20-year tenure. This year’s 13th-place finish in the NCAA tournament was its fifth in a row in the top 15.

Borrelli signed a new five-year deal before the 2010 MAC tourney.

“I really liked the way he was,” Smith said. “He’s a very passionate guy but at the same time he’s quiet. He gets respect without demanding it.”

Smith said he will need to gain some weight and get stronger to eventually wrestle at 157 pounds. Smith, who has a 4.0 grade-point average and scored 24 on the ACT, is undecided on what he wants to study.

But he isn’t indecisive on how he sees his future at a school where the combined athletic and academic scholarship money is close to 100 percent.

“It’s a program ready to make a run at a national title and I wanted to be a part of that,” Smith said. “I wanted to be in a place with top competition and I wanted to be in a place that would give me a chance to win a national title.

“This is the place where I can do it and this is the opportunity to get my goal.”