Mason Parris, Fresh Off a Gold Medal Summer, Remains Undefeated for Wolverines
1/10/2020 11:58:00 PM | Wrestling, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Mason Parris has been on a roll ever since last year's freshman season -- which began with a bang -- ended with a thud.
Parris made his collegiate debut 53 weeks ago by beating No. 1-ranked Amar Dhesi of Oregon State, but couldn't keep that great momentum going. And while he led the University of Michigan with 32 wins against nine losses and also was tops with 13 falls, Parris finished a disappointing seventh in the Big Ten Tournament and couldn't get beyond the Round of 12 at the NCAA Tournament.
Falling so short of his goals of Big Ten and national championships stoked a fire inside that burns hot to this day.
"I was disappointed with my NCAA finish last year," said Parris. "I wanted to win it. And after that, I immediately got with the coaches and said, 'All right, I never want to experience that feeling again. That was awful.' I immediately started working on my leg attack and being more versatile, putting more pressure on guys, and wrestling with more confidence.
"And a big thing for me this summer was just getting bigger and stronger. I was pretty light last year, like 230 (pounds), and I weighed in at 255 today. We have a really good strength coach who I have a really good relationship with, Mike Favre, who was a coach at the Olympic Training Center for a while. It's really great to get on his programs, and it definitely took a lot of discipline, but I love lifting. And I could see the difference in my body and how much my max lifts were improving."
The fruits of his labor produced a gold medal at the 2019 Junior World Championships and had him undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the nation at heavyweight entering Friday night's (Jan. 10) dual meet with Michigan State, which he clinched with a pin 29 seconds into his match that made the Wolverines a 22-14 winner, pushing his record to 17-0, with eight wins over nationally-ranked opponents.
Parris put away Spartan heavyweight Christian Rebottaro with one of his signature moves, the fireman's carry, which is all about creating forward movement and then using the opponent's momentum against him, eventually carrying him on your back like a fireman taking someone to safety.
"People know it's coming," said Parris, "but it's still effective. I execute it really well and I'm really good at setting it up and pulling that arm down and getting my hip through. I've run it for a long time, and it's definitely contributed to a lot of my pins."
Michigan head coach Sean Bormet said of his prowess with that move: "It's just his strength and his timing, and ability to get under guys and maintain his power. He's just unbelievable with that position and has developed a few other skills that balance out that position."
It was the same tactic that won him gold.
Parris won the 275-pound freestyle title at last summer's Junior World Championships in Tallinn, Estonia. He pinned Iran's Amir Hossein Abbas Zare at 1:20 in the gold medal match.
He not only won the title, but did so convincingly. Parris swept four matches by a combined score of 36-3 and only needed to spend 6:15 on the mat against top competition from around the world.
"It was crazy," said Parris. "The team trials were only my second time of wrestling freestyle, but by the time I got to worlds I was just super-confident in myself. I went out there and just knew I was going to win.
"I went out there and he under-hooked me hard, and I knew exactly the move I was going to hit on him. It was the fireman's carry, similar to what I hit tonight. I ended up getting him on his back, and once I had him on his back, I was just squeezing the life out of him, trying to get that pin.
"It was just so exciting to represent the U.S. and to be able to accomplish something like that for Michigan and my country. I was so excited, and it was definitely the experience of a lifetime."
Bormet was able to watch all four of Parris' wins while traveling the country on recruiting trips, but would have missed the gold medal match had it not been for a flight delay in Minneapolis.
"I was fired up and yelled pretty loud," said Bormet. "I had wireless headphones on and was watching on my phone. I was caught up in the moment and super-excited for him."
Parris added, "That definitely was a gigantic confidence boost for me -- knowing that I can compete with anyone in the entire world. It was a great experience, and after spending all summer getting bigger, stronger, it really helped my wrestling so much. That was the first time I ever wrestled year-round, and I grew so much.
"I was able to showcase how much I'd improved over the summer."
Parris celebrates after pinning Michigan State heavyweight Christian Rebottaro.
Bormet loved seeing Parris regain the belief that he could be great.
"Confidence means so much in our sport," said Bormet. "He's got a ton of confidence and is such a great competitor. Last year, athletically and from a wrestling standpoint, he had all the tools. Tactically, against some of the bigger heavyweights, he'd maybe not finish and size-wise and strength-wise, it taxed him a bit.
"At the NCAAs, he wasn't as confident as he is now. So, a lot of that had to do with size and some mat strategy and tactics because he's a shooter, and we love that about him. We never want to slow him down from attacking. So, he had to work through that process last year."
Bormet said Parris didn't have to compete after the NCAAs in early qualifying for the junior world tournament because he'd already earned that qualifying status, and that allowed him to focus on weight training and work on freestyle wrestling and "the nuances" that make it different from college wrestling. Wolverine assistant coach Josh Churella spent significant time with Parris at camps and the junior world events honing in on what he needed to win gold.
"There is a lot of stuff that motivates me," said Parris. "I think I'm pretty mentally strong, and really good at keeping myself positive, motivating myself to be my best. I want to accomplish in every phase of life, like school (he's an engineering major) and everything.
"And I definitely have a Mason Support System that keeps me motivated. Both my parents (Shay and Mark) are really motivating, and my close family come to all my duals (making a four-hour drive from Lawrenceburg, Indiana). They don't miss anything. They're great motivation for me, and it's so awesome for me to represent my community, friends and family in a positive way. I really enjoy making them proud."
Bormet added: "His family and his support system is tremendous. I mean, it is tremendous. Extended family and friends from his hometown come. They travel with a crew. I've seen 10, 12 or 15 of them, and they are 100 percent behind him."
His father was an All-Mid-American Conference football pick in 1991 and 1992, and his 178 tackles as a senior still rank fifth in single-season tackles for the Cardinals.
His son, in addition to being a two-time state track and field qualifier in such diverse events as the shot put and 110-meter hurdles, was a three-time All-State linebacker as well as a three-time state wrestling champ at 220 pounds for Lawrenceburg High. Mason said he might look at using his fifth year of college eligibility to try to play football for the Wolverines.
"I'm still considering that," said Parris. "Playing football my last year would definitely be something that would be a real cool experience for me."
Jim Harbaugh and Don Brown would love him. Bormet said Parris is a joy to coach.
"Mason is one of those special kids to coach because he's the complete package," said Bormet. "In terms of his leadership, on and off the mat, the way he approaches academics, the way he competes. I mean, he thrives on competition. He's so coachable and eager to learn, and brings everything to the table.
"Mason has an incredible determination and will to him."
Parris inherited the heavyweight spot at Michigan from Adam Coon, a two-time NCAA finalist and three-time All-American. They've been in close contact ever since Parris was recruited to Michigan.
"Adam's definitely helped me a lot," said Parris. "It's great to be able to wrestle with a guy like him. He's definitely helped my hand-fighting. He's a big guy who weighs a lot and I can't out-strength him, so I have to focus on my speed and technique on him. We have such a good relationship."
Everyone connected to the Wolverine program has helped Parris get back on the winning track.
His goals for the rest of the season?
"My goals are Big Ten champ and NCAA champ, for sure," said Parris.
Players Mentioned
