Judge Shelton and NWCA Partner to Provide Startup Grant at Cleary University

Coach Tony Greathouse, Athletic Director Heather Bateman, and Judge Donald Shelton

Howell, MI – In the ever-expanding world of collegiate wrestling, first-year NAIA Men’s Wrestling program, Cleary University, has found a wonderful supporter in Judge Donald Shelton. Shelton teamed with the National Wrestling Coaches Association, to provide a start-up grant to get the new program at Cleary up and running.

A long-time supporter of wrestling, Judge Shelton, found himself in the national spotlight in the Spring of 2018 as he helped lead the charge to save the recently cut wrestling program at Eastern Michigan University.

Shelton’s gift has helped the upstart squad at Cleary in many significant ways such as improvements and updates to the wrestling room, the funding of an assistant coach, and helping defray the cost of air travel and lodging for the National Qualifiers set to compete at the NAIA National Championships March 6-7 at Hartman Arena (Wichita, KS).

“We are very grateful for Judge Shelton’s gift. He is an amazing man and has been a great advocate and supporter of our sport here in Michigan.” Said Coach Tony Greathouse. “The ability to get this program up and running is so important for Michigan wrestling. We have a flourishing youth and high school wrestling community, and Cleary is one of just 9 four year institutions currently sponsoring wrestling.”

This past weekend in Bartlesville, OK at the SAC/KCAC Conference Championships, Cleary showed that the investment by Judge Shelton is already paying dividends as the cougars garnered their first NAIA National Qualifiers in program history, Juniors Zane Corey (149) and Tyler Blagg (174). The team also finished in the top half of the Sooner Athletic Conference by placing in 4th out of 8 teams.