-Story by Jeff Garvin, Heidelberg Sports Information
A model of consistency in all aspects of life (except facial hair), the sometimes-mustachioed sometimes-goateed Jacob Horsch is -- as his coach says -- the epitome of what a Heidelberg University wrestler should be. Stemming from his success on the mats, in the community and in the classroom, Horsch has been named the OAC Scholar Athlete of the Month for January.
Hailing from Fisher, Illinois, Horsch has become a true Renaissance man at Heidelberg. In addition to his activity on the mats, the often-mulleted criminology major is active in his fraternity, volunteers in a multitude of service ventures, and is coming off a semester-long internship with a local law enforcement agency.
“You can build your team around guys like Jacob,” said Head Coach Tony Patrizi. “He gives you nothing but his best at all times and in all aspects.”
Introduced to Heidelberg at a wrestling camp attended by former ‘Berg graduate assistant Ryne Morrison, now the head coach at St. John Fisher, Horsch visited campus and fell in love with the university and the wrestling program.
“From the moment I got to Heidelberg, I knew it was the school for me,” said Horsch, who boasts a 3.9 GPA and has been on the Dean’s List seven semesters in a row. “It felt like home, and that’s what I was looking for.”
During his freshman year, he was drawn to the Excelsior Men’s Society because of their long, storied history on campus. Once active, he became aware of the fraternity’s vast alumni network.
“We have a highly involved alumni network, and it’s always great to welcome them back to campus during Homecoming weekend,” said Horsch.
Through the Exs and through the wrestling team, he has had numerous opportunities to make an impact on the Tiffin community. The fraternity sponsors a Christmas party for low-income families -- an event which Horsch described as “a true honor to help with.” The wrestling team has had a long-standing connection with Seneca Youth Mentoring Links (SMYL), and provides activities for local children, including a slip-n-slide near Saurwein Health & Wellness Center and dodgeball in the wrestling room at Hoernemann Stadium.
“He cares about his teammates, his university, and our community. Jacob will go out of his way to make sure the needs of others are taken care of before his own,” said Patrizi.
Now in his senior year, Horsch has blossomed in the classroom. Though he said he enjoyed all of his professors, he singled out Dr. Sarah Lazzari and Dr. Aaron Sell for their teaching excellence in the classroom.
“Dr. Lazzari and Dr. Sell have done a great job inviting professionals in different areas of criminology to provide outside perspectives on the ever-changing field,” said Horsch, who has had his eyes on a career in law enforcement since kindergarten. “They work with their students individually, helping us forge our own paths.”
For Horsch, the path included a hands-on internship with the METRICH Enforcement Unit, a decentralized task force whose mission is to reduce the availability of illegal drugs in a 10-county area in north central Ohio.
“My internship allowed me to see, up close, the impact law enforcement can have on a community,” said Horsch, whose internship included surveillance work and aiding in search warrants. “It was an awesome experience.”
Horsch is a two-time captain for the wrestling team -- one that has undergone a significant facelift over the past five years. The team GPA, which once hovered just north of 2.5, came in at 3.1 after fall semester with 18 student-athletes on the Dean’s List.
“Success in the classroom and in the community is as important to us as success on the mats,” said Horsch, whose younger brother, Cale, is a freshman on the team. “As a team captain, I know my role is to lead by example.”
And luckily for Heidelberg and the wrestling team, leadership is a role that Horsch -- who sported a ‘monkey-tail’ beard on picture day -- takes far more seriously than his personal appearance.