From the Bench: BHS's Latest D-I Athlete, Eli Knight, Commits to WVU Wrestling Aiming for Prep State Title
By Jeff Toquinto on October 12, 2025 from Sports Blog
Any parent who has siblings who are close in age knows what Bridgeport’s Chris and Julie Knight were going through. Their sons Eli and John Knight, not far apart in age, were like most young boys in the same household near the same age.
They got after one another.
“Me and my older brother are one year apart, and we were always fighting and super physical with one another,” said Eli Knight. “My dad 
came up with a solution to get us to stop.”
came up with a solution to get us to stop.”
The solution was to sign up both boys for youth wrestling. Eli Knight put on the singlet for the first time at age 4.
While the solution may have slowed things down, it did not entirely end the confrontations on the home front. However, the planned solution recently had some positive collateral damage.
Last week, Bridgeport High School junior Eli Knight verbally committed to join the West Virginia University wrestling program. He said the Mountaineers began watching him during the prep offseason at national competition.
“I placed fourth in my class, which was at 190 pounds,” said Knight. “They couldn’t really contact me until this summer and when they did the set up a visit, I went, and liked it all, particularly the coaches.”
The summer visit and exchanges went well. Last Wednesday, Oct. 1, WVU officially offered. Knight was ready to accept on the spot but waited on the advice of the coaches.
“They told me to talk it over with my parents. My parents were fine with it because they knew that’s where I wanted to go,” said Knight. “I’m happy to be a Mountaineer.”
While that was the only official offer, Knight was contact by Virginia Tech, the United States Naval Academy, Pittsburgh, George Mason,
and Buffalo for either informational purposes to learn about Knight and set up visits. It was over before those schools contacted him.
and Buffalo for either informational purposes to learn about Knight and set up visits. It was over before those schools contacted him.
“I knew all along where I wanted to go,” said Knight, who competes and trains in the offseason with a team out of the Waynesburg, Pa., area called Quest. “West Virginia University is the place.”
The impressive thing is that Knight is only halfway through his high school career. After starting wrestling at age 4 in the Bridgeport Youth program, he began wrestling for the Clarksburg Panthers before transitioning to the Bridgeport Middle School mat. Then, when he got to BHS, feelings about wanting to compete at the next level started to emerge at a more pronounced level.
“I wasn’t sure about wrestling in college, but in middle school I really liked it. In high school I started placing and doing pretty good and thought this is something, if I keep focused, that I can do, and want to do, in college,” Knight said.
Pretty good is a bit of an understatement. Knight has been a state title contender in his freshman and sophomore year.
As a freshman, Knight went 40-5 and finished in third place at the state meet. Last year, Knight had a 30-3 campaign and finished as runner-up in the 190-pound weight class. BHS wrestling Coach, Dr. Chris Courtney, thinks he can take the next step this year in whatever class he competes in.
“Regardless of weight class, he has a great chance because of the wrestler that he is and the competitor that he is,” said Courtney. “When they come back from football, you don’t see them for the first time since summer and their body has changed and you are not sure when
you see them for the first time just what class they’re in, but he’ll compete regardless. I’ve been around this sport a while and Eli will compete no matter what.”
you see them for the first time just what class they’re in, but he’ll compete regardless. I’ve been around this sport a while and Eli will compete no matter what.”
While Courtney was unsure about what weight class Knight will be in this year, even though 190 looks like the target, Courtney being sure about Knight’s ability is not hyperbole. Courtney, a standout prep wrestler from Fairmont Senior, won a state title in 1993 at 275 pounds.
As for being around the sport for a while, that also is not hyperbole. He is just one of four Courtney family members to win state crowns for the Polar Bears. In other words, Courtney knows the grind it takes for anyone brave enough to compete in wrestling, let alone excel in it.
And the Knight family is similar. Along with older brother Johh, Eli has two younger sisters. They both compete in wrestling as well.
“There is discipline you have to have,” said Courtney. “Being around it in a family setting is a benefit.”
Knight knows the discipline is not just training. It is not just going full throttle during practice. It is maintaining a lifestyle conducive to maintaining weight. As most know who follow wrestling, diet is as critical as technique, strength, leverage, and footwork.
“The week of a competition, when it gets closer, I hydrate more … In the last couple of days, I start cutting carbs and any unnecessary 
nutrition to make sure I’m at the right weight,” said Knight. “The only issue is that I love carbs. In football season, I eat a of carbs, but that changes during wrestling.”
nutrition to make sure I’m at the right weight,” said Knight. “The only issue is that I love carbs. In football season, I eat a of carbs, but that changes during wrestling.”
Right now, along with getting the upper hand on the football opposition, Knight is getting his share of spaghetti and meatballs and pizza. Several weeks from now, a lot more grilled chicken will be on the menu.
“You do have to watch yourself closely,” Knight said. “Things like spaghetti, pizza, it’s almost completely gone during wrestling season.”
That level of discipline increases when going to college. Knight will be facing the nation’s elite, but the discipline is not the thing Courtney says Knight – and anyone else who has the edge that Knight has – must focus on in college.
“He can handle the discipline, and he can handle the training. The thing that is new for every athlete is the mental aspect. By that, I mean managing a heavy workload of college courses and managing your time for the first time you are away from home on your own,” Courtney said. “He can do that, but that is usually a hurdle for even the most talented and disciplined college athletes when they arrive.
“Wrestling is such a tough sport, which makes it, to me, the most difficult sport to transition to at each level,” Courtney continued. “The reason I think he’ll do fine is because he wanted a chance to wrestle for WVU and represent the state, and he’s earned it by putting in a 
ton of work. He’s been wrestling probably since he’s been walking, and it is paying off for him.”
ton of work. He’s been wrestling probably since he’s been walking, and it is paying off for him.”
As for committing early, Knight said it is one thing off his plate. However, he said he approaches wrestling’s upcoming season doing what he has always done for success.
“Committing is a bit of a relief, but when I am wrestling, if I have something that has bothered me or if I've been mad about something, I put my energy on taking it out on who I’m wrestling,” he said. “In the end, wrestling is more about breaking the will of the other person.”
That has him looking at going from third to second, to hopefully a state championship.
“I want to win a state title, and I’m going to train harder and not be as sloppy on my nutrition,” Knight said. “The other thing I need to do, and it is something I’ll do in college, is watch film on my opponents. I didn’t do that too much last year. I found myself feeling out my opponent in the first period and watching film will give a better idea of what to expect before we begin. Hopefully, it will lead to a better ending.”
The ending Knight wants would have him in a similar position to his coach more than 30 years ago. Standing at the top of the podium at the state championship competition.
Editor's Note: Top two photos show Eli Knight competing for BHS, while he is shown with his offseason team in the third photo. In the fourth photo, Knight is shown at the top of the podium in the WSAZ Tournament, a spot he hopes to be in after this year's state meet. Bottom photo is of Coach Dr. Chris Courtney.
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