Getting to know...: Trey Bertram
July 16, 2008 | Wrestling
The Badger wrestling team will have quite a few new faces on the squad for the 2008-09 season. In order to acquaint Badger fans with all these new faces, uwbadgers.com will post interviews throughout the summer with the nine incoming freshmen that make up head coach Barry Davis 's 14th recruiting class. Today, wrestling fans can get to know Trey Bertram from Woodbury, Minn.
How has your summer been going'
'It's been pretty good so far. I actually just got done with a camp in River Falls with (former Badger All-American) Kevin Black. He has his own wrestling place in River Falls now so he always has kids going in and out of there and he has weekend events.'
(Note: Trey and a number of other wrestlers were crazy enough to participate in an eight-hour wrestling practice at Kevin Black's camp. You can read about it page=showarticle&ArticleID=19104"> --> here .)
How were the Junior National Duals'
'They went really well. I didn't do so hot the first day but I wrestled some tough kids later on in the tournament and ended up doing really well. I went 5-3 and our team took fourth. We were hoping to do a little bit better but it was fun and I met a lot of people down there. I was on the team with a few other Badger recruits and we 're pretty good friends. We hung out a lot together at the duals and talked about how excited we are to come to Wisconsin.'
What are you most excited about'
'I guess I'm just excited for the whole college experience. When I went to SOAR, I met a lot of the older wrestlers and they had a little barbeque and were all hanging out. It just seems like it's going to be fun and of course I 'm excited for wrestling too. I was talking with the guys from Minnesota, about how it's going to be fun in the dorms and wrestling and going around the country and traveling for tournaments. I'm really excited for the whole thing, I don 't know what to expect.'
Why Wisconsin'
'I had started wrestling with Kevin Black this year and I was looking at some other colleges and he mentioned Wisconsin. I hadn't really thought about it and then (assistant coach) Bart (Chelesvig) called me and I went for a visit and I just really liked it. I like how it's between the lakes and it's close to home. It 's about four hours away from my house so it's far enough away and still my parents can come and watch me wrestle whenever they want.'
What do you think this freshman class is capable of achieving'
'I think we're going to be really tough. We've got a bunch of tough kids that were ranked as the top wrestlers in the nation. When we were all together at SOAR, we were clicking and it already seemed like we had known each other so I think we 're going to be pretty good pals. I think we're going to do really well and hopefully win a national championship. I'm sure that's a goal for all of us. We were already talking about how we have to beat Iowa and we haven't even started wrestling yet. I think we're going to be really good.'
Did you watch Wisconsin wrestle last year '
'I did see them when they came to Minnesota for the dual and for Big Tens. I was pretty excited that they beat the Gophers here in Minnesota. I was wearing my Wisconsin shirt and people were asking `What's the deal'', but it was exciting. I think a change is starting. Wisconsin is starting to win more and beat powerhouses like Minnesota.'
What does it mean to you to be a part of Wisconsin wrestling'
'Well I wasn't really sure what division I was going to wrestle or if I really wanted to wrestle that much in college when I first started looking. But I just decided that I could do it and Wisconsin felt like a great place. It kind of helps with the recruiting class that is coming in because I think we're all going to be pushing each other really hard. I'm just excited to really get Wisconsin on the map for competing at the top level and for the national title.'
The 411 on Trey Bertram'
Projected weight class: 141 or 149 lbs.
Hometown: Woodbury, Minn.
High school: Hastings
High school notables: Minnesota state wrestling champion as a freshman ' finished fourth in state as a sophomore, third as a junior and second as a senior 'four-time All-State honoree ' team captain and MVP his senior year ' two-time state freestyle champion ' 2006 state Greco champion ' 2006 WIN Magazine Super Summer Team ' participated on the Minnesota National Duals team (freshman and sophomore year) ' 2006 Northern Plains Greco champion and Freestyle runner-up ' 2005 Fargo Freestyle All-American ' three-time section All-Academic Team
