In academics and athletics, UNK wrestler Crew Howard strives for perfection

MIAA Commissioner Mike Racy, right, presents the “A Game” Scholar-Athlete award to UNK wrestler Crew Howard during a Feb. 14 dual at the Health and Sports Center. Howard has received the honor the past two years. (Photo by Erika Pritchard, UNK Communications)

KEARNEY – Crew Howard wants to be the best.

It’s that simple.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney student-athlete can’t describe his competitive drive any other way.

“If there’s someone better than me, that drives me a little bit crazy,” he says with a smile. “I want to beat everyone.”

In the classroom, he’s a 4.0 student studying business administration with a management emphasis. On the wrestling mat, he’s the top-ranked heavyweight in Division II with a perfect 21-0 record this season.

“Crew epitomizes everything our program stands for,” UNK head coach Dalton Jensen says. “He doesn’t take days off, and he’s always challenging himself to get better. He puts in the time and effort required to be successful in all aspects of life.”

Jensen sees that work ethic when he arrives at the Health and Sports Center around 8 a.m. each weekday. Usually, Howard is already there completing a voluntary workout or training with a teammate.

“It’s been that way the past three years,” Jensen notes. “Even when the season is finished, he doesn’t take a break. He’s hungry to get in there and start his training to become a national champion.”

Howard calls it “compounding your time” – a piece of advice he received from assistant coach Andrew Sorenson during his first semester on campus.

“The more I can be in here working on things that will make me better, the bigger the edge I feel like I’m gaining over my competition,” Howard says. “If they’re not up at 6:30 in the morning putting in the work, I feel like I have an advantage.”

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE

Originally from Clarinda, Iowa, Howard competed at 220 pounds during high school, finishing fourth in Class 2A as a junior and senior.

He intended to play football in college, then UNK wrestling commit Jackson Kinsella, from nearby Creston, Iowa, encouraged him to look at the Lopers. Howard was already familiar with the program – he followed the success of fellow southwest Iowa native Matt Malcom – so he decided to fill out an online recruiting questionnaire.

That led to a campus visit and a chance to connect with Jensen and Sorenson.

“The second I stepped on campus and met those guys, it was kind of a no-brainer,” Howard explained. “They’re like the two most down-to-earth guys. They seemed really genuine and told me they thought I could grow in my wrestling ability. And I believed them. That next day I went home and told my parents this is where I’m going.”

Howard enrolled at UNK in fall 2021 and competed in 22 matches during a redshirt season. He went 15-7 overall, including a fifth-place finish at the Younes Hospitality Open and third-place performance at the Hastings Open. The Lopers won their fourth NCAA Division II national championship that spring.

“I definitely couldn’t have been a starter my first year,” Howard admits. “I lost my first two college matches and went 0-2 in my first open. I was not anywhere near where I am now.”

Jensen gives Howard credit for his willingness to learn and grow while wrestling behind three-time All-American Lee Herrington, who remains with the program as a volunteer assistant coach.

“He was in a really good situation when he came in as a freshman,” Jensen said. “Lee was there to teach him and kind of beat on him, and Crew never backed down from it. He rose to the challenge.”

“I definitely needed Lee Herrington,” Howard said. “He taught me so much. I also need (current redshirt junior) Jake Boley. He’s been an unbelievable training partner. Both of those guys have been instrumental in my growth.”

Still in a reserve role, Howard posted a 12-1 record during his second season at UNK, with his only loss coming against Nebraska’s Austin Emerson. He went 5-0 in duals, finished third at the Younes Open and tied with Boley for first at the Doane Open.

In 2023-24, it was finally his time to shine. Now a starter at the heavyweight spot, Howard won the Younes Open in Kearney and captured a regional title in Colorado, giving him a 24-3 record and the fifth seed entering the NCAA Division II Championships.

After a pin in the opening round, Howard had a rematch with fourth-seeded Juan Edmond-Holmes of Lander University, who claimed a 4-1 victory when the two met in the National Duals earlier that season. This time, the match was even closer, with Edmond-Holmes winning 3-2 in the ultimate tiebreaker period based on a second of riding time.

Howard won his next four matches to finish third individually, and the Lopers also claimed third place as a team.

The awards ceremony was bittersweet.

“I was happy to be an All-American, because that’s an important steppingstone, but at the same time, the only goal I’ve ever written down is to be a national champion,” Howard said. “I felt like I was that close, and I just kind of fell short.

“I was crushed, but at the same time, a lot of good has come out of it.”

NEW YEAR, SAME GOAL

That defeat served as offseason fuel for Howard, who took his training to another level.

Last summer, he made weekly trips to the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center in Lincoln to work with former Husker All-American Christian Lance. He also spent a week at Iowa State University, where he trained with three-time NCAA Division I national qualifier Yonger Bastida.

“I learned a lot from those guys,” Howard said. “They’re incredible technicians, and they know a ton about the sport. I feel like it’s important to branch out and wrestle with guys who are better than me so I can learn to match them and get to their level.”

At 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, the redshirt junior certainly has the physical tools to compete with the nation’s best. He proved that during the USA Wrestling U23 Freestyle Nationals, taking third place during the event in Geneva, Ohio. Boley was sixth in the same weight class.

Howard has four victories over Division I opponents this season, and he leads the second-ranked Lopers in points scored with eight wins by fall, five tech falls, three major decisions and five decisions.

“He’s got more than just the ability to be a Division II national champion,” Jensen said. “Right now, I’d say he’s probably one of the top 15, top 20 heavyweight wrestlers in the entire country.”

He might be one of the smartest, too.

Howard is a three-time recipient of the MIAA Academic Excellence Award, a two-time NWCA Scholar All-American and one of just five Loper wrestlers ever to be named a CSC/CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Earlier this month, he received the MIAA “A Game” Scholar-Athlete award for the second consecutive year. Sponsored by Mammoth Sports Construction, the award is presented to one individual from each MIAA sport in recognition of their excellence in both athletics and academics.

With plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration, he’ll have a chance to three-peat next year.

But first, there’s another goal to reach.

UNK has eight ranked wrestlers entering this weekend’s NCAA Division II Regionals in Gunnison, Colorado, plus the recent return of three-time All-American Nick James. Howard sees an opportunity to “do something really special.”

“We definitely have our sights set on a national title,” he said. “That’s going to take a lot from every guy, every individual performance is important, but I think we have the skill level to do it. Now, we just have to put it all together.”