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For a man who was a Duhawk for a mere two years, Scott Stefl made the most of his time and ensured that his name would be remembered forever as one of the most successful wrestlers in Loras College history. Stefl's collegiate career began at Meremac Community College in St. Louis, Missouri. In both seasons at Meremac, Stefl earned Junior College All-American honors and was crowned a National Champion as a sophomore. He finished his junior college career with a 74-12 overall record. Following his time at Meremac, Stefl transferred to Loras and join
Randy Steward's program. He immediately made an impact and didn't miss a beat, going 76-8 in two seasons and winning 13 tournament titles in the process. In both of his seasons at Loras, Stefl finished with All-American honors and was the 1995 National Champion at 134 pounds. Stefl ranks third all-time in Loras history with a 90.48 winning percentage. With his degree from Loras in physical education, Stefl now resides in Sydney, Australia with his wife, Penny, and works as a personal trainer at CrossFit Sydney.
"I remember my first days on campus quite vividly as Coach Randy Steward had talked about me coming to Loras, so when I met people for the first time, many of them had already heard of me and were excited to meet me. I felt so welcomed and already felt like I belonged before I had even been able to demonstrate my abilities as a student athlete. It truly was unforgettable.
Home dual meets or tournament finals matches held in the Fieldhouse were amazing. The atmosphere was electric. With the crowd very close to the mat and the balcony above made the arena feel massive for a smaller venue. The excitement made for dramatic matches to be wrestled. I remember wrestling a Wartburg opponent in the Fieldhouse and having a huge crowd packed in with me against my arch nemesis. I could almost put my hand on the pulse of everyone in there, giving me a little extra boost to defeat my opponent on the extra adrenaline from the boisterous crowd. I get excited just thinking about that experience.
I will never forget winning the National Championships for Loras at Augustana College in Illinois. The final match was against an unknown, unranked opponent who had beaten three ranked wrestlers on his way to the finals. With the tournament being so close to Loras, there were many Loras students, families, and supporters in the crowd. The match was close and tense with me losing by one point for much of the final period. I got a takedown with less than six seconds in the match to come from behind to win. The uproar of the crowd and the excitement as I realized my dream of being a national champion for Loras had come true was overwhelming.
The education from the wonderful teachers has had a vital affect on my life. It has helped me to become a physical education and health teacher, now a successful personal trainer and wellness coach. I am sincerely thankful for my time at Loras College."
-Scott Stefl
