Rochester’s Beck picks Wabash College for wrestling

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Rochester senior Brant Beck signs with Wabash College to continue his wrestling and academic careers. Wabash is an NCAA Division III school located in Crawfordsville. Front, from left – Darla Beck, Brant’s mother; Brant; Brady Beck, Brant’s brother and Rochester assistant wrestling coach. Back – Denny DeMarco, Brant’s grandfather; Diana DeMarco, Brant’s grandmother.

Rochester boys wrestling coach Tristan Wilson has emphasized a “work hard, play hard” credo for his wrestlers.

Perhaps no one has exemplified that more than senior Brant Beck.

Asked what is the most fun part about wrestling, he said “beating people up” and then added “dodge ball,” a fun stress release that Wilson has introduced to daily practice as a warm-up.

His relentless style on the mat gained him so many admirers that the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd chanted “Brant Beck! Brant Beck!” during his third-place match at last weekend’s state finals.

Always on the attack, Beck has signed to continue his wrestling and academic careers at Wabash College.

“I chose Wabash because it was the college that felt most like home,” Beck said. “I have friends there. I’ve been there on a couple visits, and it just felt like home.”

His friends include teammates Declan Gard and Mason Hisey, both of whom will also be going to Wabash. Gard will wrestle there, and Hisey will be on the track team. Xavier Vance, a 2025 Rochester grad who plays football at Wabash, is another friend.

“It’s very small, but we’re from a small town, and I kinda like that – its smallness and knowing everyone,” Beck said when asked to describe Wabash’s campus.

Beck said he was unsure if he was going to go to college at all. He said he “didn’t put himself out there” during the recruiting process, but he said he enjoyed talking with the Wabash coaches.

“Just over time, I just felt, hey, I need to do this,” Beck said. “I need to keep doing this.”

Beck made an immediate impact, beating Maconaquah’s Logan Farnell to win the 160-pound sectional title his freshman year. Farnell wound up finishing third at state. 

“That I could beat anyone in the state,” Beck said of what it meant to beat Farnell.

Then came his come-from-behind overtime win over Chase Leech of Garrett in his semistate ticket match at Fort Wayne. Leech had lost only once all season coming into the match.

A legend was born but not without a physical cost. He said his love for the sport was “iffy” last year. He said he was “drained.”

He said he spent some time away from the mat and realized how much he missed it.

He hurt the AC joint in his left shoulder during football season. He said he has torn the labrum in both shoulders.

Still, he went 45-3 during his senior season and finished third in the state.

One loss was on a disqualification, and his two other losses were to the eventual state champion Matthew Staples of New Prairie and the eventual state runner-up Aidan Kincaide of Noblesville.

After being a state qualifier in 2023, he was third at 165 in 2024 and seventh at 157 in 2025.

He also said he has torn the patellar tendons in both knees. He persevered through it. 

But was it worth it?

“100 percent,” Beck said.

Beck also plays football and baseball.

“I would say I would much rather have played the other two sports also with wrestling,” Beck said. “I think it’s helped me develop as a person and as a wrestler.”

Beck said he is undecided on a major. He said he wants to work in a “blue collar field” after college.