Southwestern Michigan College is launching Room to Grapple, a mini-campaign within its larger Room to Grow initiative, with the goal of naming the college’s new wrestling facility in honor of legendary coach James J. Judd.
According to SMC officials, the wrestling room is nearing completion as part of broader campus improvements that will later include upgrades to the Dale A. Lyons Building’s choral and instrumental music areas. The Room to Grapple effort specifically seeks to recognize Judd, SMC’s first and only wrestling coach from 1968 to 1992 and a foundational figure in the college’s athletic history.
Judd, a New Baltimore, Ohio native born Dec. 29, 1937, spent 38 years at SMC, continuing to teach physical education until 2006. He was one of the college’s three original coaches, alongside Ron Gunn in cross country and track and Jim Tansey in basketball. In 1990, Judd was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Beyond wins and titles, Judd’s legacy is defined by academics and mentorship. He coached 85 academic All-American wrestlers, with more than 150 student-athletes going on to four-year colleges and universities. He also served as SMC’s first golf coach.
That legacy continues today under Todd Hesson, one of Judd’s former wrestlers and the current Roadrunners head coach.
“He laid the foundation for everyone — myself included,” Hesson said. “He was a very impactful man. He cared about the kids as people, not just as wrestlers.”
The program has also grown with the addition of a women’s wrestling team, led by head coach Ashley Courtney, a former NAIA wrestler at the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky.
Emily Schrock, manager of development and executive director of the SMC Foundation board, said the campaign aims to raise $200,000 for naming rights to the wrestling room.
“There are still alumni who resonate with Coach Judd and want to honor what he did for them,” Schrock said. “People talk about how much he cared about their success in school. You see that same passion in how Todd runs the program today.”
Judd’s son, Todd Judd, who wrestled for SMC and followed his father into coaching and physical education, called the naming effort fitting.
“It’s a great honor, and well-deserved,” he said. “He didn’t like a lot of accolades, but I think he would appreciate it in his own humble way.”
Donations to the Room to Grapple campaign can be made at givebutter.com/roomtograpple. For more information, contact Emily Schrock at eschrock02@swmich.edu.
