hutch
Representing Gym Mettle's East Coast division, Hutch calls Virginia Beach home. A college football and rugby player back in his glory days, he now focuses on his new passion, competitive strongman. Unlike the other nuts on this page, the thought of steady state cardio makes his soul hurt (you can't flex cardio, right?) but he's always game for strapping on his harness and tow rope and pulling his truck around.
Favorite Stats:
Multiple podium finishes in sanctioned strongman competitions
2015 United States Strongman National Championship Qualifier
2015 North American Strongman National Championship Qualifier
Preston
Tennessee born and bred. By day, Preston works as a quality manager for a major pharmaceutical company. After hours, Preston focuses on quality workouts. A glutton for punishment, his real happy place is on either his Concept2 Rower or SkiErg. He's slowly being converted to enjoying deadlifts and pressing weight!
Favorite Stats:
2016 United States Strongman National Championship Participant
2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships Finalist (500 meter event)
2021 British Indoor Rowing Championships Silver Medalist (500 meter event)
2022 US Rowing Indoor Rowing Championships (Crash-B's) Silver Medalist (500 meter event)
2023 World Record Holder (Concept2 RowErg with Slides) - 100 meter
Certified Concept2 Indoor Rowing Instructor
matt
Matt's a transplant from Ohio to Chattanooga. He's getting into the rower and learning to love the difficulty and it's pain that other cardio does not provide. Enjoying the competition of erg machines and the push it gives you, he's got a locomotive sized engine to push him through the most difficult competitions.
Favorite Stats:
Father of 3
2021 World Rowing Indoor Championships Silver Medalist (500 meter event)
2021 British Indoor Rowing Championships Gold Medalist (500 meter event and 100 meter event)
2022 World Rowing Indoor Championships Silver Medalist (500 meter event)
2023 World Rowing Indoor Championships Bronze Medalist (500 meter event)
STEPHEN "SPANGLES"
Stephen "Spangles" Wilson, grew up a swimmer in South Florida. After graduating high school, he found the weights and put on 70lbs in two years. He attended Lee University where he discovered rugby and captained the team for 3 years. Currently living in Gallatin, TN, Stephen continues his rugby career with the Arrows RFC. His goal oriented mind loves a challenge and Gym Mettle gives him just that. He enjoys pushing himself and others to discover what they are fully capable of.
Favorite Stats:
2018 NSCRO South Allstar Team MVP
Deadlift: 500 x 3
Strict Press: 200lbs
2023 World Rowing Indoor Championships Finalist (500 meter event)
2023 BikeErg World Sprints Silver Medalist
jk
A converted Yankee, JK now proudly calls southeast Tennessee home. Known for his speed on the rugby pitch, JK is a bit of a local legend at Lee University where he played, and now proudly serves as the team's head coach. A few of his favorite things...family, friends, his epic beard, and his even more epic deadlift sans straps or a belt.
Favorite Stats:
2016 United States Strongman National Championship Participant
505lb Back Squat
615lb Deadlift
415 Bench Press