SPIRE Wrestling’s dynamic duo have done it again. The Solon Comet Classic was held on December 13-14 and wrestlers Ryan Kennedy and Denis Kodakov impressed, as usual. 

Kennedy won the championship belt for the 138-pound class and also earned MVP honors. While Kodakov didn’t take home any belts, he did podium: placing third at the tournament. This, of course, is an achievement not to be underrated in any sport at this level of competition.

And while Kennedy must feel utter elation at winning a belt, he’s also likely feeling utter elation at another massive achievement: Kennedy has committed to Brown University Wrestling. This opportunity comes as no surprise to SPIRE Wrestling Head Coach Mike Kulczycki: “Ryan Kennedy is always one of the hardest workers in the room. He is incredibly coachable, consistently putting in the effort to improve both on the mat and in the classroom. His dedication to the sport and his commitment to excellence make him an asset to any team. Brown University is fortunate to have him, as he exemplifies the qualities of a true student athlete.”

Kennedy isn’t the only student athlete SPIRE has sent along to Brown. Former SPIRE pole vaulter Gabriel Thai currently competes there, as well. In fact, SPIRE has had a great deal of success placing its student athletes into elite collegiate programs around the country, and we couldn’t be more pleased that Kennedy will soon join those august ranks. As for SPIRE Wrestling in particular, Coach Kulczycki sees a lot of potential in his current crop of grapplers: “As a team, we have a lot of work ahead of us. Our wrestlers are putting in the effort, but we still need to address our weaknesses and turn them into strengths. Even though we have a small group, every wrestler is fully committed to getting better, which makes my job much easier. The dedication and determination within the team are what will drive our success moving forward.”