NWCA Release
Manheim, Pa. - Former University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestler
Bebeto Yewah has been named to the 2023 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division III Hall of Fame Class. He joins
Brian Allen of Johnson & Wales University (R.I.),
Minga Batsukh of Saint John's University (Minn.),
Michael Blair of Trinity College (Ct.),
Lucas Malmberg of Messiah University (Ohio),
John Malvik of Augustana College (Ill.) and Mark Matzek of Augsburg University (Minn.) in this year's class.
Originally from Lansing, Michigan, Yewah earned three National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III All-America honors while wrestling at UWL. He captured a pair of national titles, winning the 133-pound title in 2010 and the 141-pound division in 2011. Yewah placed second at 141-pounds at the 2012 national meet.
Yewah finished 89-8 in his UWL career.
Named the 2010-11 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Wrestler of the Year, Yewah won three league titles. He captured the 133-pound championship in 2010 and 141-pound crowns in 2011 and 2012. He was selected the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the WIAC Championships in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Yewah was named to the WIAC All-Time Team.
He wrapped up his career with an 89-8 overall record. Yewah was named the 2011-12 College Athlete of the Year at the Greater La Crosse Area Sports Connection Awards Banquet.
A member of three conference championship teams (2009-11) at UWL, the Eagles placed in the top-four at the NCAA III Championships in each of Yewah's four years. The Eagles were second in 2010, third in 2009 and 2011 and fourth in 2012.
Yewah competed in the 2015 United World Wrestling Championships representing his country of Cameroon.
He is in his first season as UWL's assistant wrestling coach and lecturer in the exercise sport science department in 2022-23. Yewah served as head wrestling coach at Davenport University (Mich.) in 2021-22 after being an assistant coach for three seasons. He was a student assistant coach at UWL in 2013-14. Other coaching experience includes as a volunteer assistant at J.W. Sexton High School and head coach at Waverly Middle School in Lansing. Yewah also has several years of experience working various wrestling camps.
Former UWL head coaches
Tim Fader (inducted in 2017) and
Greg Lonning (2017) along with wrestlers
Brandon Penzkover (2007),
Jason Ott (2011),
Ryan Allen (2013),
Jeff O'Gara (2017),
Dan Laurent (2020) and
Josh Chelf (2022) are also members of the NWCA Hall of Fame.
This year's honorees will be inducted during the 2023 NWCA Convention at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on July 28.
