Gardner-Webb Athletics Hall of Fame
The first Gardner-Webb wrestler to be inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame, Short finished his career in Boiling Springs as the most accomplished performer in his sport. Short won a combined 54 matches over a two-season span in 1997 and 1998, twice qualifying for a berth in the NCAA Division II National Championships. Short posted a 27-7 mark in 1997 along with 57 takedowns to earn his first berth to the national championships at 190 pounds. He finished eighth in Fargo, N.D., to earn NCAA Division II All-America honors. Short followed with 27 more wins in 1998, qualifying again for the national championships. He helped Gardner-Webb to a No. 26 team finish nationally that season. Short was one of the most decorated wrestlers in Western North Carolina as a high schooler, earning state Wrestler of the Year honors in 1994. He was also Junior National Greco Roman Champion in 1994. After completing his career at Gardner-Webb, Short continued to wrestle competitively, becoming the first Gardner-Webb student-athlete to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2000.
