Wrestling has been a major part of senior Alex Bowers’s life for eleven years.
Bowers was the first person in his family to wrestle, and it was the sport he wanted to commit entirely to as soon as he encountered wrestling.
“I did every sport there was,” said Bowers. “Then came a time in seventh grade, which was the first time I wrestled. After that nothing else seemed to really peak my interest: it’s all I really wanted to do. I quit everything else.”
Bowers grew up in Indiana and attended Noblesville High School, where he met coaches who helped him hone his talents.
“I had two coaches back home, both really big in developing me and making sure I was on the right path and doing what I’m supposed to do.” said Bowers.
Bowers wanted to continue wrestling even after high school.
“I definitely wanted to keep competing, I wasn’t done with it. Plus it was something I’d always enjoyed. The   round schedule had something for me to do, something to focus on.”
When Bowers first arrived at Augustana College, he found he liked the small campus.
His best impression of Augustana was when he met wrestling coach Eric Juergens.
“Whenever you get a recruiting visit, most coaches tell you you can do this, this and this,” said Bowers.“Juergens was one of the people that told me ‘I can’t promise you’re going to be a four-year starter, I can’t promise you can be a national champion, but I can promise you that if you buy into what I’m telling you, you can be the best wrestler you can possibly be.”
Juergens said Bowers has grown from when he first arrived at Augustana.
“He went from not really a competitive guy on the team, to one of our leaders in the room, capable of hanging with pretty much anyone in Divison III,” said Juergens.
“Without a doubt, he has the most heart and fight on the team,” said Juergens. “He is probably the most improved wrestler skill wise, but his ability to push through when he is tired is what sets him apart from other guys on the team.”
After Bowers’s journey with Augustana, he is going to graduate school for a masters degree in history to become either a college professor or a high school
teacher.