Cooney signs to wrestle, study at Cornell College

The wrestler with the most wins in Nodaway Valley history is taking his talents to the next level.

Surrounded by his family, Elliot Cooney signed with Cornell College in Mount Vernon Wednesday, April 27 in the Nodaway Valley gym.

“I was looking around at coaches — my coaches were helping me and my family was helping me — and I had a Cornell coach reach out to me and ask me if I was interested in wrestling for them,” Cooney said. “I did more research on the school and the program. I really liked what I saw so I kept talking to him. One thing led to another.”

A mix of things led Cooney to his choice. He gelled with the coaches and how they say they run their practices and program. The Rams went 6-4 this season in duals. The vast majority of their roster includes wrestlers from Iowa and Illinois, with a few from other places.

“It was the atmosphere of the program that was exactly what I was looking for,” Cooney said.

Nodaway Valley/O-M head coach Brad Honnold said Cooney is a student-athlete who will continue to succeed in what he puts his mind to because of his self-motivation, mentality, tough physicality and work ethic.

While at Nodaway Valley, Cooney became the all-time wins leader for the program and the all-time pins leader. He earned two state medals in his high school career.

“While Elliot has achieved several great things while at Nodaway Valley, I I don’t think he has come even close to his potential, which for some colleges, that means they are getting a diamond in a rough,” Honnold said. “Cornell is a Division III school with some great lower weight coaches (former Iowa Hawkeyes Carter Happel and Matt McDounough) and I am certain Elliot will continue to evolve and see continued success for the Rams.”

The son of Sean and Danelle Cooney, Elliot plans to study mechanical engineering in college.