CWRU Athletics

Joshua Schmidt was a standout on the mat and in the classroom for the CWRU wrestling team during one of the more successful eras in program history. In his four seasons, he posted a career record of 103-53 and qualified for the NCAA Division III Championship Meet three times as a 197-pounder. Ranked 11th in program history in wins, Schmidt won two Midwest Regional titles and was the 2004 UAA Most Outstanding Wrestler. A native of St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania, Schmidt was also a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American as a biology major. His performance as a student-athlete landed him a spot on the UAA 25th Anniversary Team.

Two years after graduating from CWRU, Schmidt was diagnosed with adrenal cortical cancer. And despite the many challenges presented by the disease, he finished his career as a medical student, earning a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2009. He then served as an internal resident at Millcreek Community Hospital in Erie, Pennsylvania and as a radiology resident at Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. In August of 2011, Josh succumbed to the disease that he had battled so courageously. His widow, Erin (McCarthy), was also a 2004 graduate of CWRU.