KENT, Ohio — The face of Butler wrestling is working on a new face.

And the time to mold it is now.

Cole Baxter will be a junior at Kent State University next year. After missing all of the 2012-13 season with a knee injury, he returned to the Golden Flashes' lineup this year and finished 15-9 in dual meets and fifth in the Mid-American Conference Tournament.

That's a far cry from a prep career that saw him finish with a 160-17 overall record, 86 pins and a WPIAL championship while becoming a two-time state placer for the Golden Tornado.

He finished with 86 pins and owns most of Butler's high school wrestling records.

“I took the mat for most of my matches in high school knowing I was better than the other guy,” Baxter admitted. “Talent would just take over.

“Now we're talking Division I wrestling and that's a pretty big jump. Every opponent is as good, if not better than I am. Most of the matches are going to be close in score.”

Baxter gave away a few such matches by being overly aggressive late while holding a lead.

“Three times this year, Cole had the lead against nationally-ranked opponents when he took shots at takedowns, got caught and gave up match-deciding points,” Kent State coach Jim Andrassy said.

As it was, Baxter totaled five wins this season against automatic NCAA qualifiers.

“Those three losses should have been wins. If he goes on to win them, he probably goes to the NCAA Tournament,” Andrassy said of Baxter.

Instead, it was a lesson learned.

“All part of his learning curve, no doubt about that,” Andrassy said. “Finishing fifth in the MAC isn't the goal for this kid. He can be a national placer, an All-American. That's his skill set.

“Taking a shot is an offensive move. You're looking to score there ... but you don't always have to score. Knowing the situation, how to protect a lead, how to keep your opponent off you without stalling, that's a big part of this sport.”

Baxter agrees.

“I made mistakes in those matches that I won't make next year,” he said. “My goal is to become a national champion. That was my goal when I came here and that hasn't changed.”

As a non-starter his freshman year at Kent, Baxter finished 23-4 with eight pins. He earned The Open Mat's No. 1 ranking nationally among redshirt and non-starters at 184 pounds.

In his first mat competition of the 2012-13 campaign, he sustained a knee injury that ended his season.

“That was tough to deal with,” Baxter said. “It was the first time I got injured in wrestling where I missed any significant time.

“I couldn't do anything wrestling-wise for a year and a half. I trained so hard for three months leading up to that season ... all for nothing.”

Andrassy is trying to get a medical redshirt for Baxter. If he succeeds, Baxter will have three years of eligibility remaining instead of two.

“It's an appeal process,” the coach said. “We just have to wait and see.”

A biology major sporting a 3.2 grade point average, Baxter plans on attending dental school down the road.

Right now, he's working on adding muscle mass.

I'm taller, but I need to get thicker,” Baxter said.

Wrestling at 197 pounds, most of Baxter's opponents are physically stronger than him.

“It's just his body type. Cole is a long, lanky kid,” Andrassy said. “The shorter, muscular guys can wear on him.

“Cole weighed 193 this season. We need him to get up to about 216, then cut back to 197 while keeping the added muscle mass.”

Andrassy described Baxter as an athlete who can use that athleticism to his advantage on the mat.

“Most kids up around 215 or 220 who are as athletic as him aren't wrestling — they're playing football,” the coach said. “Cole can gain a decided advantage that way.

“This was his first year as a full-time starter. He made some mental errors, lacked consistency, but he put a lot of knowledge away.

“Next year ... It's time to use it,” Andrassy added.