NCAA title still ‘a blur’ for Leen

Pardon Jordan Leen for sleeping in Monday.

One of 10 NCAA wrestling champions crowned Saturday, Cornell’s 157-pounder wasn’t hurting from too much celebration. He was drained after fighting off illness plus some of the best wrestlers in the country.

“He had the flu, or at least he ran a fever, the entire time he was at the tournament,” said Mark Leen, the former Baylor School wrestler’s dad.

To top it off, the Elmira-to-Ithaca portion of the team’s return flight from St. Louis was delayed and Jordan didn’t get in bed until 3 a.m. Then he discovered that his championship plaque was missing.

“I don’t have it. I don’t know where it is,” he said Monday evening.

There was a plaque in the team van in St. Louis and Leen took it and gave it to his parents, but he found out later that it belonged to teammate Steve Anceravage.

“It will turn up. Either that or somebody will e-mail saying they found it,” Leen said. “It’s just hardware. The memory and the support I received are things that will never leave me.”

Leen had much of the state supporting him this weekend in his quest to become the second NCAA wrestling champion from Tennessee, joining former St. Andrew’s wrestler Bill Harlow, who won his title for Oklahoma State in 1966. A four-time state high school champion and holder of the TSSAA’s win record (213), Leen said he probably remembers more about his state tournaments than the NCAA event.

“It is all kind of a blur and I think I still need somebody to pinch me,” he said. “I have never felt so focused and in tune for anything in my entire life. It was something about which I was in constant prayer, and that (prayer) may well be the reason. I felt comfortable.

“At the finals, for example, the whole place is shaking. The Iowa fans are blowing up. The Minnesota fans are blowing up. My heart is racing. I got down on my knees and said a prayer and my heart slowed immediately. I’m beginning to think that prayer is a comforting practice.”

No, Leen didn’t ask for a win. He asked for inner peace and strength.

“As he told ESPN, he gave it over to God,” Mark Leen said.

This year had taken its toll on Jordan: right knee surgery last summer, followed by a torn MCL in his left knee and then a torn LCL, again the left knee. Then in January a high ankle sprain.

“It seemed like every time I would flirt with reaching my potential, I’d get set back for another three or four weeks,” he said.

The MCL and LCL injuries were secondary tears that healed without surgery. The ankle sprain, which still bothers him, will heal in time. He felt he needed instant relief.

“I was frustrated all year. There were a lot of trials. It was nothing I was used to and nothing I want to get used to,” Leen said. “I couldn’t deal with it by myself. I wanted to win more than anything else, but that was my will and I had to trust that if it is not in the Big Man’s plan, then there was something better in store for me.”

His demeanor throughout the tournament surprised even his father.

“He was so calm and collected — no fear, no extreme adrenaline. He was just being himself,” Mark said. “He would finish a match, get a shower, go eat and try to figure out how to beat the next guy. He was able to distance himself from distractions, and he gave the credit where it was due.”

Baylor coach Jim Morgan would agree that Leen used his God-given ability.

“Jordan did it his way. He found a way to win, but he’s done it often. I remember as a freshman in the state finals he was down 8-0 and pinned the guy,” Morgan said. “He has spent a lot of time on the mat, and it is as if he just orchestrates his matches.”

Now if he can just orchestrate through the flu and tracking down his championship hardware.