Donnie Watkins was a four-time All-State wrestler at Canton. (photo courtesy of PlymouthPictures.com)

U of M's mats are next stop in Watkins' sterling wrestling career

BY ED WRIGHT
April 1, 2010, 8:35 p.m.

  Anyone who witnessed the daily sweat equity Donnie Watkins invested in the Canton High School wrestling room the past four years could have predicted the golden future that awaited the four-time All-State grappler.

  As it turns out, Watkins' future will have a maize-and-blue tint after the Chief recently accepted an offer to wrestle at the University of Michigan beginning in the fall.

  "Last year I received a letter from Michigan's coach after the state meet," said Watkins, who placed third at the Division 1 individual state meet the past two years. "I was also talking to the coaches at Eastern Michigan, Arizona State and Michigan State, but once I got accepted at Michigan, I decided that's where I wanted to go."

  Watkins, who chiseled an incredible prep career mark of 208-24, has been a cornerstone of Canton's mediocre-to-juggernaut ascension the past four years, winning over 90 percent of his matches, many by major-decision margins.

  He broke the ice his freshman season by going 52-5 at 103 pounds and placing fourth at the D1 state meet. The next year he moved up to 125 and went 44-12, capping the year with a sixth-place showing at the state meet.

  As a 135-pound junior, he dominated the competition, winning 57 out of 60 matches and placing third at the state meet before closing his career with a 55-4 mark and third-place finish earlier this month.

  The recruiting process became accelerated in February when Michigan head coach Joe McFarland visited the Watkins' home.

  "The first thing they told me was how good of an education I would get there," said Watkins. "They told me how good the program was going to be and how many good recruits they had coming in. They also have a new wrestling facility that is really nice."

  Watkins said he's looking forward to being part of a program that is on the rise in the Big 10.

  "They red-shirted a lot of guys this year, so they're a pretty young team," said Watkins, who will also be red-shirted his freshman year. "But the next couple of years, we should be pretty good."

  Early indications have Watkins wrestling at 149 pounds by his junior year.

  "Just practicing every day against great wrestlers will make me so much better," he said. "My matches will be a lot closer and more challenging, but I'm looking forward to it. It will be fun."

  Watkins plans to study business or mechanical engineering.

  Does he ever thing about possibly shooting to make an U.S. Olympics team some day?

  "Not really," he said. "When I was younger, I never figured I'd wrestle in middle school. When I was in middle school, I never thought I'd wrestle in high school, and in high school, I wasn't sure if I'd wrestle in college, so I guess you never know."

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or [email protected].