6/23/10 - Ben Morris Named New Head Coach of the Bulldogs
We are very pleased to announce Ben Morris as the new head coach of the Batavia Bulldogs, becoming just the 8th head coach in the 52 year history of the program. While it is his 1st year with the Bulldogs, Coach Morris is no stranger to wrestling in Illinois, and brings with him a track record as a wrestler and coach that is truly impressive. He has spent the past six years as the head coach of Stillman Valley, leading the Cardinals to a dual meet record of 123-25. The team also earned three Regional titles on the way to a 2nd place and two 3rd place finishes at the state tournament. During the past 18 years he has coached at both the high school and collegiate level with stops at Elmhurst College and Northern Illinois University, as well as Lake Park, Elgin and Fenton high schools. As a high school wrestler at Fenton High School he was a four time all-state wrestler, never placing lower than 3rd, and winning a state title as a senior. He was also a four-time freestyle All-American and went on to compete for the University of Minnesota, where despite an injury plagued career he still earned All Big 10 honors and was a NCAA qualifier. Coach Morris is finishing his Masters of Education in Kinesiology and Physical Education at Northern Illinois University, and will be teaching Health at Batavia High School. He and his wife Sarah have two children; Cora (3) and Ivan (1) and plan to relocate to Batavia in the near future.
6/20/10 - Coach Arlis Announces Retirement
Head Coach Tom Arlis has decided after completing his 7th year as the Bulldogs' head coach to retire from coaching. He leaves Batavia as one of only three coaches in the history of the program with over 100 dual meet wins, and when combined with his career at Naperville North, has an extraordinary overall dual meet record of 343-98. A member of the IWCOA and Montini High School Halls of Fame, he has been a fixture at the highest levels of Illinois wrestling for 35 years. As a wrestler he was a two-time state placer and went on to become a three-time national qualifier during his collegiate career at Western Illinois. He has coached his teams to a total of 10 conference championships and a runner-up state finish at Naperville North in 1992. He has coached 12 individual state champions and a total of 16 individual state place winners, including five at Batavia. He counts Batavia’s 2004-05 victory in the Hastert Cup, 2005-06 Regional Championship and three state placers in 2009 as team highlights from his time as head coach of the Bulldogs. He also has very special memories of coaching both his sons, Clint and Logan, who combined for six appearances in the state tournament and to finish 1-2 in career wins at Batavia. He was able to cap his career by walking in the Grand March with Logan in 2009, and be mat side to see Logan take 3rd place this past season in the last high school match of his coaching career. We wish Coach Arlis the very best and thank he and his wife Jamie for all they have done for the sport of wrestling in Batavia.
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