Baker University’s very own men’s wrestling assistant coach Jimmy May is wrestling in the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships. May will be competing with his fellow Baker men’s wrestling coaches in the tournament where they will be representing Wildcat Elite Wrestling. The tournament is being held at The Expo at World Market Center from April 22-26 and serves as a premier competition and is crucial for the qualification of the 2026 World Team Trials. May is competing in the Masters Freestyle Division F. Wrestling in such a tough competition, May has been training rigorously to be fully prepared for the competition.
After being a wrestling coach for 48 years, May is used to putting together a practice for his wrestlers. However, it has been a while since May has participated in one himself.
When describing his practice schedule for leading up to the event, May said, “We have been holding two practices a week. A lot of us have been coming in on our own to get extra workouts in on the mat, in the weight room and extra cardio work to be ready.”
This challenging training has not been the easiest for May. Being able to stay consistent and get work in when scheduled is hard for any athlete. It is easy to get demotivated when your body hurts or when you are tired. May described the hardest part of his training as “being able to beat your mind. Trusting in your training and God-given abilities and knowing no matter who’s across the mat you can score and do whatever it takes to win the fight.” All of this hard work will pay off when it finally comes time for May to take the mat in Las Vegas.
May describes himself as a competitor and loves to endure the hard work because he loves competing. Growing up with wrestling and pursuing it all through college has engraved this competitive spirit in May.
When talking about why May wants to wrestle in this tournament at an older age, May said, “We are looking forward to strapping up our shoes, the battle of competing and enjoying the art of the sport.” The thrill of wrestling is unmatched for May, and competing is in his blood. This tournament is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for May, and he knows he is capable of doing well. Age will never discourage May, as his love for wrestling will always push him to his limits.
