Last year, the Sun Devils signed three high school wrestling prospects in Lou Fincher, David Palosika and Ricky Roberto, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the three were sidelined the entire 2020-21 season.
Fincher, a two-time regional champion and the former No. 6 ranked 132-pound wrestler in Kansas, hopes to impress in his first season at ASU. Fincher is one of 28 freshmen currently on the ASU roster.
In 1986, Fincher's dad, Roger Fincher, was a wrestler and student at ASU. He competed alongside the likes of Mike Davies, Ron Bramlage and now head coach Zeke Jones.
In 1988, ASU won its first NCAA National Wrestling Championship. Led by Davies and head coach Bobby Douglas, ASU defeated the University of Iowa and Iowa State University to bring home the trophy. The '88 team had seven All-Americans and Jones, Douglas and Davies were later inducted into the Hall of Fame.
The connections and friendships Roger Fincher made during his time at ASU would play a key role in his son's future, as well as the connections Lou Fincher developed in high school with his coaches.
"I didn't know his dad wrestled here, he and I have similar connections out in Kansas," assistant coach Lee Pritts said. "One of Lou's coaches Travis Phippen and I were competitors against each other, so we've always had a good relationship."
Mike Gillman, Fincher's high school coach and former teacher, believes Phippen played a large role in Fincher's development and success in wrestling.
"(Phippen) is a coach for our kid's club called Lawrence Elite, he's a multi-state champion wrestler and a phenomenal coach," Gillman said. "He's the kind of guy that will push you at practice a tremendous amount so he's definitely a big asset to Lou and getting him where he's at."
Fincher finished as a runner-up in the Kansas state championships in his senior year. Although he was dominant throughout his high school career, finishing with a 35-6 record as a junior, Fincher was under-recruited.
"We see a lot of the junior colleges recruiting, not so much of the Division I schools recruiting as highly,” Gillman said. "He had some other offers I believe, just smaller colleges and stuff too, but I think ASU was one of those feelings and thoughts, you know, his dad wrestled here too, and he was excited to get away and compete at a high level."
From his father to his coaches, Fincher has always had an immense support system in his endeavors.
"My dad and my coach back home, they are the people that inspire me through wrestling, and I want to be like them as influencers in the sport," Fincher said.
It's safe to say he has found a new home in Tempe.
"There's no better place than Tempe, there's endless opportunities and great weather," Fincher said. "I'm just getting better right now, it's a crazy group of guys in that room so I just got to learn from them."
Pritts recruited Fincher out of high school, and over the last year, he's become close with him and his family. He's seen Fincher grow both as an individual and as a wrestler in his short time at ASU. Pritts and the entire ASU wrestling team are looking forward to seeing him compete.
"He had a passion for the sport, he had a passion for ASU, and he's driven and well-coached, and he's a great student," Pritts said. "He's representing ASU at the highest level at all facets, he's been a great attribute to the team."
Fincher and the rest of the ASU wrestling team will open up the 2021-22 season on the weekend of Nov. 19 against No. 19 University of Oklahoma in Tempe.
Reach the reporter at agupt208@asu.edu.
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