An Impressive Feat

As Franklin & Marshall College's ONLY Division I program, the wrestling team is deviates from the other varsity sports programs on campus.

But the expectation of the wrestlers themselves, academically speaking, is quite the same. 

The F&M wrestlers are not only committed to top-tier academics, but also to the highest level of collegiate wrestling. 

Furthermore, F&M begins every season at a disadvantage. I'm referring of course to the school's inability to award athletic scholarships. 

As a humble spectator and sports writer, it's frankly quite an amazing feat that F&M wins at all. The facilities, the budget, the recognition--it's all less than that of other schools, yet these boys are putting in just as much, if not a bit more hard work than those on other teams. 

It's tough enough to be a varsity athlete at F&M, but to do what any single wrestler on the Dips' squad does, it takes heart; it takes determination, pertinacity and a whole lot of patience. 

This past weekend, F&M went 1-2. It was a hard fought trio of matches, and if anyone was thinking of getting down on themselves, bear in mind that proportionally, F&M is the mightiest of any school we face, and that in due time, the results will ensue all the hard work you've all invested. 

Just for your amusement though...

Student Undergraduate Enrollment:

Franklin & Marshall College - 2,363

Sacred Heart University - 4,173

Brown University - 6,118

Boston University - 15,977

F&M held its own against these three larger, and more well-funded schools, and there is no denying the Dips are on the straight-and-narrow this year, progressing in huge leaps towards the team's goal of capturing the E.I.W.A. Championship. 

I think one thing is certain though. If F&M wrestling were to join the rest of the college's varsity teams in the Centennial Conference, a championship trophy would be sitting in the office of Coaches Rogers & Greenberg at the end of the year. 

Pretty impressive if you ask me. 

For Stevens, a Long Way Come, a Long Road Ahead

He never thought he would overcome this—he just wanted to give it all up; wrestling, school, lacrosse.

But he didn’t. For Scott Stevens, his greatest fear and most terrifying obstacle has also served as his most effective source of motivation.

During his sophomore year of high school, Stevens faced the biggest challenge of his life. Juggling academics and varsity athletics while living away from home was proving to be too much for the young wrestler to handle. The burden was beginning to consume him.

“Everything seemed like it was crashing down,” Stevens said. “I was homesick and I wanted to leave.”

After a series of visits from his parents, Stevens managed to get back on his feet. But he never would have imagined the place he would find himself in, just three years after his 10^th grade crisis.

Today, Stevens recollects the troubling events that nearly got the best of him, and is proudly (and successfully) balancing his academics in conjunction with Division I wrestling.   

The difficult experiences he endured as an underclassman at the Peddie School in Hightstown, New Jersey, have largely shaped who he is today.

Stevens possesses a unique ability to comfortably adjust to any situation, pushing forward and enabling a tunnel vision focused directly on his goal.

Now in college, Stevens is finding himself in a similar situation to what he experienced in 10^th grade, but has the skills and experience required to overcome this difficult transition.

Since his arrival at Franklin & Marshall, Stevens has made good use of this skill, and thanks his preparatory school experiences for giving him this practical tool.

His seasonal record thus far stands at a below-average 3-6, but Stevens is grateful for his opportunity to be competing at the Division I level, and is unfazed by the statistics.

“I know eventually I’ll get it, I just have to keep doing what I’m doing and will see the outcome,” he said. “I know that I can overcome the adversity, and I focus on what’s important instead of dwelling on the little things.”

As a high school junior, Stevens began to entertain the prospect of wrestling in college. Soon, he formulated his vision, and once he started, there was no turning back.

“During the junior season, everything from then on I worked towards was to wrestle in college,” Stevens said. “There were points in the season I thought to myself how can I wrestle in college if I’m losing to certain kids.”

Nevertheless, Stevens managed to find his way onto the team here at F&M, and has been enjoying and savoring every moment of it.

“I love the team,” Stevens said. “It’s a lot different from my teams in the past because everyone on the team wants to be there and wants to do well and keep pushing forward. It kind of makes it easier when they have the same mindset.”

For the F&M freshman, the sport he once wanted to bid farewell too has been his faithful companion and one of his greatest joys. Perhaps that’s why Stevens has held on to it so dearly, and discontinued his participation in other sports.  

“It’s definitely a lot different than any other sport, and that’s what I like about it” Stevens said. “You don’t have to be the fastest, you don’t have to be the strongest; it’s how hard you work, how self-reliant you are.”

With the motivation to work hard, and the coaches and teammates to guide him towards success, Stevens begins a new chapter of his wrestling career, this time with fervor and passion, and a dream of heading to the NCAA National Championship.    

Crowd Propels F&M to Victory in Season's First Dual Match

In its first dual match of the 2012-13 season, the F&M wrestling team appeased a raucous home crowd with a 20-16 victory over Virginia Military Institute (V.M.I.).

After losing to V.M.I. over the last three seasons, including a loss by a margin of just one point last year, F&M had its revenge on the Keydets, propelled by a strong showing from a troop of underclassmen.

In the first match of his collegiate career, freshman Aaron Moldoff pinned his opponent in the 125-pound weight class, giving the Diplomats the 6-0 lead. Fellow freshman Rob King also had an impressive showing, capturing an F&M victory in the 157-pound slot with a major decision over VMI’s Edward Gottwald.

Sophomore Robert Ruiz emerged victorious at 133, followed by a pivotal 10-2 major decision; compliments of Richard Durso. Junior Andrew Murano came through with a win for F&M at 149, giving the Diplomats a commanding 16-0 lead.  

F&M assistant coach Matt Greenberg was pleased with the team’s performance, and is expecting big things this year from all of his wrestlers.

Going into the match, Greenberg and head coach Mike Rogers were optimistic, until starting 184-pounder Paul Alessandrini was sidelined with an injury, leaving an apparent vacancy in the Diplomats’ starting line.  

“We came back and really wanted to stick it to them,” Greenberg said. “We knew it was going to come down to performing out there when we had to. For us right now, beating guys who had previously beaten us is a good thing—it shows that we’re improving, and that as coaches we’re doing the right things on the mat as far as getting guys ready to compete.”

Greenberg was particularly pleased with the performances of the freshman, specifically the two victors Aaron Moldoff and Rob King.

“We knew every point was going to be critical, and he [King] stepped it up big time and got a major decision for us, which in dual meets can be the difference between winning and losing it.”

As V.M.I. paid a visit to Lancaster, the Diplomats performed in front of what Greenberg declares the most attended match in four years.

In addition to working on improving the skills of the wrestlers, Greenberg has invested a great deal into promulgating the excitement that accompanies Franklin & Marshall’s only NCAA Division I athletics program.

“It was an amazing sight,” said Greeenberg. “I’ve never seen the gym that full in four years, and I think that really helped, and as coaches it helps us know that we’re doing a good job in putting something out there that people want to see.”

Murano was also grateful for the packed bleachers, and was thrilled for the opportunity to perform in front of family, students, teachers, and administrators. The junior attributes a great deal of credit to the fans, and believes that F&M’s potential is limitless.

 “Everyone showed that they could fight, and we really showed the crowd that F&M wrestling is no joke,” Murano said. “Never before have I seen such a strong showing, and it really gives us momentum as a team. I hope we can expect a large showing like that for every home dual meet.”

As Murano and the rest of the team look forward to what the rest of the season holds in store, one thing is unmistakable—F&M wrestling has come a long way from where it was a few years ago, and this positive trend the team has demonstrated comes as a result of improved coaching and recruiting methods.

“This was the first time as a team that we have beaten V.M.I. in my time here at F&M, which really gives me hard proof that we are making major strides as a program under the tutelage of Coach Rogers.”

Though early in the season, expectations are already running high for the team. Coach Greenberg has reverted to a reliable and simplistic approach, which he hopes will guide the team in a steady upward trend to its apex at the E.I.W.A Championships.

“We’re going to put the best 10 guys out on the mat,” Greenberg said. “One of the things we have this year that we haven’t had in past years is depth. They [the team] just need to do what they know how to do, and fix the mistakes we’ve made in the past. “That’s all we’re really looking for; to improve every time we step on the mat and not make mistakes we’ve made before. These are just tests along the way—the final exam is at E.I.W.A.’s.

F&M has a trio of road matches this weekend beginning with Brown University on Saturday Dec. 8, followed by Boston University and concluding on Sunday with Sacred Heart.  

Two-Time Florida State Champion Chuckie Kerkesner eyeing NCAA Nationals

On the street, Chuckie Kerkesner’s size is enough to turn heads and intimidate nearly anyone.

On the mat, he’s the smallest wrestler in his weight class—by a long shot.

While many wrestlers struggle to remain just below the threshold of their weight class, Kerkesner is aiming for the complete opposite effect. As one of just two F&M wrestlers in the 285-pound slot, Kerkesner’s leaner physique costs him a 60-pound disadvantage against his opponents.

Unfortunately for his opponents, Kerkesner’s heart, determination, and assiduity for all things wrestling makes up for the absent weight, posing a threat against anyone he faces on the mat.

“Wrestling is pretty much the only sport I’ve done,” Kerkesner said. “I pretty much focus only on wrestling.”

Judging from Kerkesner’s impressive wrestling resume, his tactics and methods have been beyond successful, earning him back-to-back state titles, a Cypress Lake high school record of 156 career wins, and a more than memorable undefeated (44-0) senior season.  

Kerkesner’s career began when he was in the 2^nd grade, shortly after his uncles introduced the sport to him. His affinity for wrestling was immediately acknowledged, and it became clear that the Florida native had both the physical and mental capacity to become a champion wrestler.

“It’s one of the toughest sports that there are, and not many people in the world can really succeed at it,” Kerkesner said.

As a 220-pound wrestler in a 285-pound weight class, Kerkesner certainly hasn’t been making things easier for the freshman.

“I’m like 60 pounds underweight right now,” Kerkesner said. “It’s kind of hard with my weight, so the guys [opponents] are able to throw me around easier. It does let me be a little quicker than the other guys, but still it’s kind of tough having to give up that much weight.”

Even with his disadvantage, Kerkesner has managed to post a 7-5 record at F&M thus far, and is showing potential for the rest of the season and years ahead.

“I think I’ve been doing pretty well in my matches,” Kerkesner said. “Right now, I’m only around 220, but I want to be around 240, 250 by the end of the season, and put on a little more muscle also.”

In high school, wrestling was innate to Kerkesner, as he captured second place in the state of Florida at the 189-pound class his sophomore year, followed by two state titles at 215 and 220-pounds his junior and senior seasons, respectively. As a freshman on the varsity team and a captain three out of his four years at Cypress Lake, Kerkesner grew accustomed to playing the role of team leader early on, and his main hindrance was always himself. At F&M, Kerkesner has enjoyed the luxury of having such supportive and motivating teammates and coaches.

 His favorite part of F&M wrestling: “just being able to spend time with the team and getting to know everyone, making new friends.”

The two-time state champ has been driven by the returning wrestlers on the team, who continue inspiring him to do better, while motivating him to challenge himself, and anyone he squares up against on the mat, including fellow team members  

Lacking motivation has never been a problem Kerkesner has had to worry about. Only a few weeks into the 2012-13 season, Kerkesner is already eyeing a spot for himself at the NCAA National Championships. Before his graduation, he aspires to earn all-America honors.

“For my entire career I’d probably like to become an all-American,” said Kerkesner. “I’d like to have a winning record—for this year, I’d probably say make it to nationals, maybe qualify for nationals.”

While the young wrestler faces a long road to qualifying for the National Championships, his indefatigable passion and zeal for the sport will propel him towards success, and perhaps this March, Kerkesner will find himself in Des Moines, Iowa, achieving his goals and competing at the most elite wrestling tournament in the NCAA. 

Townsend Overcomes Adversity, Eager to Give Back to Family, Team, & Community

During his sophomore year of high school, Sharron Townsend ’16 was on the verge of being cut from his school’s wrestling team. He lacked the passion, determination and zeal that is a necessary characteristic of every successful athlete.

Townsend’s apathy towards wrestling would prove transient, and just one year later he completed a memorable 35-5 season. He was named team captain his junior year, and it was then that he resolved to get 100 wins, and become the wrestler he was destined to be.

But becoming a champion caliber wrestler wasn’t all that Townsend set out to accomplish. Growing up in adverse conditions, Townsend now looks back proudly upon his accomplishments, and has proven his ability to overcome those adversities by being the first member of his family to attend college. The Camden, NJ native grew up fatherless, and his mother had the responsibility of Sharron’s five siblings. When the time came to attend high school, Townsend left his hometown of Camden, and enrolled as a boarding student at Milton Hershey.

At Milton Hershey, he excelled athletically, as a three-sport athlete all four years of high school, and exemplified the highest degree of leadership, spending his spare time helping others in any way he could.

Townsend earned a number of accolades, and his academic and athletic successes were nationally recognized. His senior year, Townsend was honored with one of the most selective athletic awards in Pennsylvania, the John Travers Award. In addition, Townsend was the Class Vice President for the National Honor Society, and was the winner of Steve Harvey's Dreamers Academy National Contest. To supplement his success, Townsend capped off his high school career as one of Milton Hershey’s all-time best wrestlers, recording 111 career wins—second most in school history.

Though the prospect of wrestling at the NCAA Division I level at a top tier academic institution was appealing, it was the connection that Townsend found between himself and F&M’s wrestling coaches that led him to Lancaster. During the recruiting process, F&M head coach Mike Rogers remained in constant contact with Townsend, checking up on him, attending matches and practices, and just being a friend.

“The beliefs that the coaches had that I also believed in inspired me to come here,” Townsend said. “It’s easy to go D. II or D. III, but knowing that I’m doing it at this level, I wanted to test myself and see where I land within the best of the best. I came to college, set a lot of goals for wrestling, and unfortunately right now I’m injured, but with the coaching staff and other wrestlers, I know I can, and I’m just hoping for the best.”

As a student, Townsend volunteered at the local homeless shelter in Harrisburg, heading groups that assisted with cooking and cleaning. During the summers, he shared his love of wrestling with elementary school students, whom he believes were able to teach him as much as he taught them.  

“I knew the little kids were looking up to me and it was something that kept me motivated,” Townsend said. “It taught me self-discipline, hard work, and how to go after whatever you want.”

Townsend also spent his Sunday mornings working with the junior chapel, where he taught elementary age youth how to connect with God in creative ways such as various arts.

Ever since his childhood, Townsend learned never to take anything for granted, and to help those in need in any way he knew how. Growing up, Townsend relied on the support his mother provided him, and things were never easy as one of six kids in his family and no father. Wrestling provided a fun and competitive outlet, but Townsend always had his sights set on something bigger. He wanted to give back. Townsend dreamed of attending university in order to obtain an education so that one day, he’d be able to thank his mother for all she’d done for him. Today, Townsend is doing just that, and the wrestling program is the buttress that will be there for the freshman every step of the way.

“I knew Franklin & Marshall was a great school academically, and there aren’t too many schools D III size with a D I program,” Townsend said. “I know that when I graduate from here [F&M], I’m going to set myself up for great things and one day be able to give back to my mom like she gave to me.”

Though his wrestling goals were put on hold for this season following a meniscus tear in the team’s first match of the season, Townsend has remained a diligent student, altruistic individual, and true team player, certain that upon his return, he will pick up right where he left off.

Coaching in a Quote...

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own."
   
~Benjamin Disraeli

The Annual Win Pool is BAAACK!!!

It's time for the WIN POOL...Last year we raised close to $10,000 for our wrestlers and program through the win pool. Please feel free to email me your pledges at mattg197@gmail.com, or post them on here with a way to contact you...happy win pooling! GO Dips!

The Win Pool:

Last year, I introduced the “Win Pool” as a new, competitive and fun way to get our alums, families, fans and community more involved in F&M Wrestling. We are very pleased with how successful the turnout was and how much support we received. In one year we raised close to $10,000. We are going to be promoting the Win Pool again this year in hopes to continue to expand our fan base. This promotion is also a great way to give our wrestlers extra motivation to pull out those close matches and get the win. Anyone who is interested in getting involved will be asked to make a pledge, a dollar amount, per individual win that the team will earn throughout the dual meet season and if you are feeling confident, into the post season! A successful Win Pool will help to raise money for the program so that we can keep up with all of the growth we have experienced over the past year. Happy pledging and thank you in advance for your support!

Nearing 500!!!

Our Facebook page is nearing 500 members!!!  Please join here so you can get updates, articles, videos and much more throughout the season.

Coach G's Blue & White Intra Squad Match Recap

Blue & White Results

133lbs:

At the 133lbs match, returning sophomore starter Robert Ruiz of CT took on freshman Scott Stevens of PA. Ruiz built a commanding 6-3 lead off of an assortment of takedowns in the first period with Stevens scoring escapes.  The second period began on the mat for Ruiz who quickly reversed Stevens and built up some more riding time.  Stevens was finally able to get an escape only to give up one more take down to end the period down 10-5.  In the third period Stevens got a quick escape and fought Ruiz hard on their feet but did surrender a final takedown to end the match 12-7 in favor of Ruiz.

141lbs:

Returning NCAA qualifier Rick Durso picked up where he left off defeating freshman Brandon Giovanetti 15-4 in what was a solid showing for the true freshman from Ridgewood, NJ.  Durso paired multiple takedowns with solid defense and a tough top game, which he used to turn Giovanetti multiple times to earn the major decision.

157lbs:

In one of the closest matches of the day, lone senior and returning 4yr starter Eric Norgard took on newcomer and local standout Rob King of Garden Spot, PA.  After a scoreless first period, Norgard rode King out the entire 2^nd.  After an early escape in the third period the two deadlocked on their feet until Norgard scored a last second takedown, showing that experience is always worth something in the sport of wrestling.

165lbs:

In another battle of old school vs. new school Colin Lahiff a junior from Massachusetts tool on Colin Gironda a freshman from Long Island, NY.  The match was a battle of hand fighting and half shots through the first period ending in a 0-0 tie.  Lahiff chose bottom to start the 2^nd and earned an escape to take the lead 1-0.  With under a minute to go in the 2^nd Gironda got in on a nice single leg shot, finishing it for 2 on the edge of the mat.  A restart would help Gironda earn a riding time advantage but Lahiff was able to manage a last second escape at the end of the period, which would later prove costly for Gironda.  In the 3^rd Gironda chose bottom and Lahiff was able to burn off any riding time advantage the rookie had earned in the second period.  With less than a minute to go and the match tied at 2-2, Lahiff cut the freshman loose giving GIronda a 3-2 lead and putting himself in a make or break situation.  If he did not score a takedown he would have given the match to Gironda on the free escape but if his plan worked out he would have made the right decision to bring things back onto their feet.  The two locked up in the middle of the mat as the clock ticked down from :20s.  :19, :18, :17, BOOM!!! Lahiff dropped into a low leg single and Gironda quickly scrambled to tie up the veteran grappler.  :10, :09, :08, Lahiff secured the other leg of Gironda and the referee signaled for the takedown. “TWOOOOO!!!!” :04, :03, :02, :01 match over! Lahiff wins 4-3 with a last second takedown in what will undoubtedly be the start of a long rivalry between these two find grapplers.

174lbs:

At 174lbs sophomore, Adam Schroeder of NJ wrestled Sophomore Brad Bailey of PA in the final round of the 174lbs weight class.  Earlier in the day Bailey had defeated freshman, Ekow Eshun of NYC, 10-0.  The first period started with Schroeder securing a quick 2pt takedown and 2pt near fall on Bailey.  A game Bailey would come back with his own reversal to end the first period on top but down 4-2 in the scoring.  In the 2^nd, Bailey chose bottom and Schroeder quickly locked up a ¼ nelson and secured the only fall of the day.

184/197lbs:

184lbs Sophomore Paul Alessandrini wrestled 197lbs sophomore Isaiah Cromwell in an exhibition match between these two weights.  The match started out with a lot of hand fighting, as both wrestlers were looking for upper body ties.  Cromwell was able to transition an underhook to a double leg takedown for two points before the two wrestlers rolled out of bounds.  On the restart, Alessandrini got a quick escape, but before he could settle into a rhythm Cromwell hit another shot to a takedown to end the period.  Both wrestlers exchanged ride outs in the 2^nd and 3^rd periods, resulting in Cromwell winning the match 4-1.

285lbs:

In a match of the big boys, returning 285lbs starter Alex Henry, a sophomore, took on a much smaller 230lbs freshman and 2x FL state champ Chuckie Kerkesner.  The match was the most exciting of the day with the larger and more experienced Henry coming out on fire with a quick double leg takedown.  Kerkesner was able to make it back to his feet for the escape and after some good hand fighting from the freshman, Henry was warned for stalling to end the first period.  In the 2^nd, Kerkesner earned another escape only to give up another double leg takedown to the massive Henry.  After a quick escape followed by some pummeling Henry secured his third and final takedown of the match.  With more than a minute left on the clock, Kerkesner earned his escape and quickly dropped into a sweep single on the hard charging Henry.  Kerkesner secured the takedown near the out of bounds and started to build up riding time as the period came to a close. Henry was able to earn an escape before the buzzer and both men entered the 3^rd period with Henry up 7-5.  In the third period Henry chose down and quickly got to his feet for the 1pt escape and the 8-5 lead.  As the 3^rd period wound down, Kerkesner saw his opening and dropped into another one of his slick sweep shots, turning the corner before Henry could counter.  Kerkesner secured his two points for the takedown and was able to hold onto the top position and ride out Henry for the remainder of the period earning the riding time point necessary to send the match into overtime tied 8-8.    In the sudden victory over time period the young wrestler from Florida showed a lot of fight against the bigger and more experienced Henry, hand fighting and wearing Henry down, forcing him into a bad shot to which Kerkesner countered for the takedown and win 10-8.  We look for BIG things to come out of these two fine wrestlers and they will both contribute to the success of the team this season!

5pt Touch Fall Tackle

Q: What would a football game look like if wrestlers played in it??? Hit play, then double click video below for your answer... A: Awesome!!!!

The New Victory Dance...

Gonna give something cool to the first F&M Wrestler to celebrate a win like this!!!

Greenberg Appointed Head Coach of 2013 U.S.A National Maccabiah Team

Every four years, some of the best athletes from all over the world assemble to compete in the most exciting Jewish sporting event of our time—the Maccabiah Games. This year marks the 19^th gathering of this exciting tradition, and promises to be equally, if not more competitive than in years past.

On September 3, the Maccabiah Board of Trustees appointed Matt Greenberg head coach of the United States wrestling team, who will proudly represent the U.S. at the July 2013 games in Israel.  

Greenberg, a native of Upper Saddle River, NJ, is amply qualified for the position, and is both thankful and exuberant for the opportunity to coach the team he competed for in 2005.

At Cornell University, Greenberg’s resume included an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) title at 197 pounds, and three bids to the NCAA Division I Championships. In addition Greenberg amassed over 120 wins in his career, and was an All-Ivy League selection all four years, as well as an NCAA All-American his senior season.

But Greenberg’s experience extends beyond the collegiate level, and as the 2005 96-kilogram Maccabiah gold medal winner, Greenberg has a personal connection to the games.

“I competed in the Maccabiah Games in 2005, and since that time I had an interest in coaching,” said Greenberg “I just thought it was a really unique and life-altering experience. I was in contact with the board of trustees, so when they finally told me I was going to get this opportunityit was a dream come true.”

But Greenberg will have a great deal of preparing to do in order to fulfill his dream of bringing home the gold for Team U.S.A.

On April 7^th, trials will be held in Beachwood, Ohio to determine which athletes will represent the United States at next year’s Maccabiah Games. At the trials, Greenberg and his staff will select anywhere between one and three wrestlers per weight class. Greenberg is already preparing for the trials, contacting coaches and wrestlers, and creating outreach programs to spread word of the upcoming trials.

“Right now the biggest thing is recruiting,” Greenberg noted. “Reaching out to every college coach in the country, every high school coach in the country, and building that talent pool to try and get wrestlers to the trials. The more people that show up, the tougher the trials are, the better opportunity we have of putting together a team to compete against some of the top wrestling countries in the world.”

As the assistant wrestling coach at Franklin & Marshall College, Greenberg’s search starts right at home in Lancaster, PA. Aaron Moldoff of Broomall, PA and a freshman at F&M plans to attend the trials, and is hoping to earn himself a spot on the team in the 55-kg slot.

With all of the recent excitement leading up to the selection of the team and the games, Greenberg has been reflecting on his trip to Israel and what the experience meant to him.

“Winning and hearing our national anthem played, is something I can talk about for the rest of my life,” Greenberg said. “I think it made religion more important to me, and allowed me to relate to the people and stories I had learned about growing up.”

Next summer, Greenberg will share his experiences with the wrestlers as they travel to the Jewish homeland, with hopes to re-live his own trip in the process.

“It’s a unique opportunity because when we get there, we get to do a lot of the touring and get to see all of the sights that make this trip so powerful,” Greenberg said. “But you’re also given the opportunity to train in this land that you learned about when you were a kid. Running on the beach in Israel, climbing the mountains over there, swimming in the Dead Sea; getting to do all those things…it’s a pretty spectacular and special thing to be able to do.”

When taken to Masada in 2005, Greenberg fondly recalled the team’s unique ascent to the summit. Most people take a cable car up, while others more adventurous opt to walk the trail. But Greenberg and the team turned this historical site into workout grounds.

“You saw all these other teams taking the cable cars up, and then there was us—the crazy wrestlers who were just a bunch of dots running up the mountain,” Greenberg said as he laughed.  

As they progress towards the games, one of Greenberg’s roles will be to raise yachad, a program that requires a shared commitment from all of us to fund the USA Maccabiah Team and to ensure the success of the Games, to help make this trip possible for the competitors.  The team will be conducting fundraisers, and Greenberg has personally extended an offer to anyone who would like to recommend any wrestlers, athletes or contacts to join him and Team U.S.A in attaining the goal of bringing home the gold in 2013.

Coach Matt Greenberg can be contacted at mattg197@gmail.com

Welcome Back...Back to Work

Beginning a legacy from the bottom up—The new face of F&M wrestling

By Jonathan Pressman

August 31, 2012

Summer has officially come to a close, and for most of us, it’s back to reality, back to work. The same can’t be said for the F&M wrestling team, who’ve been working out all summer, remaining dangerously fit in preparation for the upcoming season.

The Dips are hungry for victory, and ready to fill the absences of those who graduated, and ready to compete at the next level. After an 11^th place conference finish last season, the only place for F&M to go is up, and things are certainly looking promising as Coaches Mike Rogers and Matt Greenberg welcome nine freshman recruits to the program.

Despite finishing ahead of only two teams in the conference, (Bucknell and Sacred Heart) the program has been immensely successful, and was represented as such at last year’s E.I.W.A. Tournament.

Individually, F&M had four wrestlers place in the tournament, including a seventh-place finish in the 174-pound slot by recent graduate Matt Fullowan. Colin Ely ’12, Andrew Murano ’14, and Richard Durso ’15 were also among those who placed. In addition to placing 5^th in the E.I.W.A. Tournament, Durso also achieved a remarkable accomplishment, securing himself a trip to St. Louis for the Division I National Championship. Durso became the first freshman in the modern history of the program to earn this accolade.

But that was all last season. This year is a new season—F&M wrestling is a new program, and coaches and team alike are looking ahead, planning how this organization is going to go from good to great.

During the summer, though technically out of season, the coaches and wrestlers were anything but idle. Some of the team remained here in Lancaster, training with Coach Greenberg, while a handful of others traveled with Coach Rogers to the University of Oklahoma, for the Sooner Wrestling Camp.

“We had a training camp up here on campus where a lot of the young guys came and spent four days here just working out, getting to know each other and getting a feel for things,” Greenberg said. “With a rigorous school like F&M, it’s pretty important that some of these guys spend some time up here so when they did move in at the start of school, they felt a lot more comfortable with the environment. They were having a lot of things thrown at them, so this allowed them to really get a grasp for the area, kind of the way we do things with our program, and the layout of the school.”

In Oklahoma, F&M’s presence was more than evident, as the Dips held their own with the stiff Division-I competition.

“We brought a bunch of our guys out there to train with the Oklahoma guys which was a huge step for our program,” said Greenberg. “In past years our guys would not have been able to step on the mats with a Division-I powerhouse like Oklahoma, but as we continue to grow as a program and get better, our guys are able to compete with better and better wrestlers.”

While in Oklahoma, F&M’s wrestlers were able to train under the elite coaching of one of the best teams in the country. Back in Lancaster, Greenberg trained the rest of the team, placing a great deal of emphasis on the fact that wrestling is a year-round sport.

“It’s really important over the summer that guys continue to train and keep up the good habits that they pick up during the year. Our sport is a 12-month sport, you can’t punch a time card—it’s a constant evolution,” Greenberg noted firmly. “The day you stop working is the day your competition is going to pass you by.”

Training isn’t all the Diplomats wrestling program accomplished this summer. Along with the new recruits, new outlook and new training, F&M wrestling took a huge step in upgrading its facilities, gutting the locker room, and supplementing the whole project with brand new signs and mats for the wrestling room.

Already, these new facilities are being used, as captains have led the rest of the team through training and open mat sessions. First-year team members are already beginning to forge a home for themselves here in Lancaster, and are eager to prove themselves, whatever their roles may be.

“Some of them are going to start right away, some of them are going to be asked to just step right in and make an impact,” said Greenberg. “They’re going to have to hit the ground running and really act like second and third year wrestlers. They’re an excited bunch, they love the sport, and I think they are going to do what’s necessary to keep the momentum of the program moving forward.”

This year, the wrestling program was able to do one more thing—one that will hopefully spearhead a continuing tradition. In January, the Diplomats will host the first-annual F&M Wrestling Open, which will bring in some of the top wrestlers throughout the east coast, and give the community and school a chance to support the team, and see what this year’s Diplomats wrestling is all about. 

A complete schedule for the season can be found online at godiplomats.com.

Looking Ahead: 2011-2012 Season Wrap-Up

This is part two in a two part wrap-up series. Here, we take a look ahead at the future of the program. Part one focused on the season that was.

The 2011-2012 season wasn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination. Nothing went quite as planned and many of the season’s most exciting parts were completely unexpected. In retrospect, this is part of what made the season so memorable; nobody knew what to expect on any given night.

Moving forward, it’s fair to expect the unexpected. With a whole cast of new wrestlers coming into the fold and the wrestlers already on the roster poised to make noticeable strides next season, about the only thing that is fair to expect from next season will be that next year’s team will be even better than the one that preceded it.

“The future of this program looks great,” senior Matt Fullowan said. “We had a young team and many of them stepped up for us this year. With another recruiting class coming in, it’s only going to get better. Coach [Mike] Rogers and coach [Matt] Greenberg are both coaches that will keep working hard to get this program to where it needs to be.”

While the emergence of this year’s freshman class was remarkable, producing consistent contributors such as Rick Durso, Robert Ruiz, and David Hershberger, the coaching staff believes next year's incoming class has the raw ability to at least match, and hopefully exceed, the production the program received from this year’s freshmen.

Going forward, few things will be as important as bringing in solid recruiting classes on a yearly basis. After their first full class together, both Rogers and Greenberg are excited about what the upcoming class can bring to the table.

“We have ten kids coming in,” Greenberg said. “It’s a good mix and we really added depth to our lineup. We’re really excited. We have a bunch of state place winners in the mix. Hopefully even a state champ. It’s a mix of guys from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York, so we really don’t have to go too far to find the talent that we need.”

“The guys we have coming in, they’re just as talented and maybe even a little bit more than the guys we brought in before them,” Rogers said. “That’s the stuff that counts. Each year you want to bring in a more competitive recruiting class. The guys coming in are going to be hungry; they’re not going to concede anything and they’re going to challenge our guys for spots."

“That’s what you want; competition brings out the best in everybody,” Rogers added. “I think every one of the guys we have coming in next year realizes that and understands that. We have a team concept that the best guy gets to compete … everything’s on the table.”

While bringing in a talented freshman class is critical to the long-term health of a program, oftentimes some of the best performers emerge from the group already on board. In the process of taking the next step, both Rogers and Greenberg will be expecting a lot out of the current freshman class—including those who didn’t see much action on the mat this season.

“We had such a talented first-year class,” Rogers said. “I think next year, with all the young guys we had in the lineup, they’ll bring that experience back and they’ll have a more dedicated summer. They understand what this level is like now. I think all these freshmen are really talented.”

Greenberg is also excited to see what guys like Adam Schroeder and Isaiah Cromwell, freshmen who didn’t wrestle all that much over the course of the season, contribute now that they’ll have a full summer to train at the division one level.

“We put very high expectation on each of our guys,” Greenberg said. “We’re never happy when [one of them] isn’t performing. All of them like winning and they don’t like losing. They expect it of themselves. We want them to expect to win, to qualify for nationals, and we want them to expect to be All-Americans and that’s what we’re going to put on them.”

While the Diplomats are certainly bringing in a lot of young talent and will be leaning on some of their younger members to have significant impacts next season, they will be losing a class of four strong seniors. Next year will be light on upperclassmen, as Eric Norgard will be the lone senior and the junior class will be composed of Andrew Murano and Colin Lahiff.

Despite the low numbers of upperclassmen returning next year, Murano is excited and believes the team will make significant strides regardless.

“Eric is a good kid, a good wrestler,” Murano said. “He’ll do really good job of setting the bar. The depth we’ll lose because of the seniors who graduate this year will hurt us, but we have a lot of good freshmen filling in for them. Coach [Rogers] recruited a lot guys in the upper weight class to come in and fill in for the seniors who are graduating.”

“In terms of only having one senior and two juniors, I don’t think it’s going to affect us as much as everyone thinks it will,” Murano added.

Going forward, there will be big shoes to fill. Colin Ely, Matt Fullowan, Matt Latessa, and David Pucci all were consistent leaders in the locker room. They all contributed to the team in their own unique ways, and the coaches came to expect a lot from them as the season progressed.

That being said, there is no shortage of potential leaders on the roster. Norgard and Murano both matured as wrestlers this year and the team will look to Richard Durso, fresh off his trip to nationals, to continue to evolve and develop as a leader.

In short, while there will be some noticeable turnover on the roster and the Dips will be looking to replace a fair amount of talent come November, there are a number of potential leaders and talented wrestlers waiting to assume the leadership role.

Much like this season, the 2012-2013 campaign will likely be exciting, unpredictable, and filled with surprises. If this past year proved anything, it’s that what is expected won’t likely happen. But that’s why everyone comes back every year: for the unexpected. If this year is any indication, what is unexpected will be the most common thing of all.

Through it all though, F&M wrestling will likely take another step towards reaching its goal.

“I think both individually and as a team we achieved our goals [this year],” Durso said. “But with that always comes room for improvement. With coach Rogers we are really building a great program and the future is looking bright.”

The future may be unclear and a little murky at times, but it is certainly promising. Although F&M is trying to claw back from the proverbial wrestling cellar, it’s making progress. Perhaps the only thing that shouldn’t come as a surprise next season will be if the Dips continue to improve.

All the pieces are there; now it’s time for the Dips to put it all together.

Looking Back: 2011-2012 Season Wrap Up

This is part one in a two part wrap-up series. Here, we take a look back at the season that was. In part two, we’ll take a look ahead at what’s to come for F&M wrestling. Keep an eye out for part two later this week.

Perhaps it wasn’t what they had expected or hoped for. Maybe it wasn’t the smoothest ride. It could have been that the team stumbled out of the gate and that it took a little longer than everyone wanted for F&M wrestling to hit its stride during the 2011-2012 season. In reality, it was probably a little bit of everything. But just because it wasn’t what the team was hoping for back in October doesn’t mean it was a disappointment or a failure. On the contrary, the 2011-2012 wrestling campaign gave the team hope and the expectation that next year will be even better.

In short, F&M wrestling accomplished almost everything it set out to accomplish. They just took a few detours along the way.

“I think our start of the season was not very good,” said assistant coach Matt Greenberg. “We did not perform the way we had hoped and it took us a little while to do so. That being said, we also had a lot of young guys in the lineup and it was going to take them a little time to find their way and kind of compensate for the jump from high school to college.”

“As the season progressed, we kind of had a mixed bag,” Greenberg continued. “We had Rick Durso, Matthew Fullowan, and Colin Ely lock down the lineup in the sense that we knew we were going to get three wins every match we wrestled, which is a big step up from where we have been in the past. Getting them to where they needed to be was a huge plus and their success I think elevated the guys around them. Nobody wanted to be the guy who didn’t perform well in that particular dual meet. Towards the end of the season, the guys stepped up and we got those three wins against teams that a year ago, we weren’t beating.”

For sophomore Andrew Murano, who will be an important cog in the lineup next season as the Diplomats look to make strides once again, the improvement from his first season here to this one has been quite noticeable. In his eyes, the program is on the rise and will be competing at an even higher level in seven months when it comes time to hit the mats once again.

“I think the program is on the rise. We have a lot of young guys and our lone national qualifier was a freshman this year, so it’s a sign of a lot of good things to come,” Murano said. “It’s just looking good. Everything is starting to click. [Head coach Mike] Rogers has only been here two years and everything is already starting to come together. I am definitely excited to be a part of this.”

Rogers, the architect leading the rebuilding process, has seen the signs of progress that Murano mentioned. It’s a process, and while some tough times accompany every good moment along the way, the man charged with turning a once floundering program around is encouraged by what he saw on the mat this season.

“From the beginning of the season to now, I think our team has made significant progress,” senior Matthew Fullowan said. “We started off slow and turned it on towards the end of the season. We also had a very young team and needed a lot of freshmen to step up into the starting lineup and they all impressed me. At the end of the season, we were able to place four people at EIWAs and sent one person to nationals, so the future of the program looks promising.”

For Greenberg, the clear low point of the season was the team’s trip to the Navy Classic back in November. Despite entering the tournament with high expectations and with the anticipation of walking away from Annapolis having proved to the world they had made strides in the past year, the Diplomats failed reach those self-imposed goals and left wondering how they would turn the season around.

Fortunately, the team found its spark rather quickly, and the team bounced off its low point instead of staying at rock bottom as many teams starting so many freshmen would.

“I think the Mat-Town tournament, where Durso took third and Fullowan and Ely were in the finals [was the turning point],” Greenberg said. “I think that was our coming out party. What we were doing was working. For Rogers and I, it was a relief because up until that point we were wondering if we were working them too hard, were we not teaching them enough technique; we weren’t sure what we were doing wrong. That was the turning point.”

Following the Mat-Town Invitational, it took awhile for F&M to snag its first dual meet victory, but for anyone watching the Dips closely, the improvement was obvious. Matches were closer, there was more intensity, and there was a sense that the Dips were no longer the stepping-stone for everyone else in the conference.

When that first win did come against Sacred Heart on February 4, however, it was a sweet feeling for the team. There was little Sacred Heart could do against the Diplomats, and the victory turned into a stepping stone of their own. The Dips closed out the season by stomping out Gettysburg and routing Millersville for the second consecutive season to keep the Rupp Cup in Lancaster.

It all culminated in a strong showing at EIWAs, where F&M placed four wrestlers, something the program has not done in recent memory. Durso’s trip to St. Louis to compete in nationals was another highlight for the program. This is the second consecutive year F&M has sent someone to compete in nationals, something else the Diplomats have not been able to lay claim to in quite a few years.

“I think having representation [at nationals] is huge for your program. There were a lot of teams who didn’t get anybody out there,” Rogers said. “Just being in the arena in some of the big guys is great. That’s what’s great about wrestling, you can take one guy or you can take ten guys and you’re all still on the same level going in.”

F&M may have taken a roundabout way of getting to where it was originally hoping to be. Along the way, it’s safe to say the Dips failed in some places they expected to succeed, succeeded at times when they expected to fail, and at the end of the day, are a lot more mature and have a far better understanding what must be accomplished if they want to one day compete with the elite wrestling programs.

For F&M, even though it ended the season on a high note, now is not the time to relax and reflect. The time to get to work is now, as that is the only way they will reach the heights that will certainly be expected of the Diplomats next season.

“In a nutshell, was the season perfect? No. Were we happy with our results? No. Did we come out of it with excitement for next year? Absolutely,” Greenberg said. “We’re never satisfied. If we were, it would be time to retire.”

Beyond the Mat - Adam Schroeder

Not everybody knows what he or she wants to do right away. Sometimes, they need a little encouragement.

“I started wrestling actually by accident,” F&M wrestler Adam Schroeder said. “My mom decided to sign me up for it as a winter sport and I kind of had a knack for it even when I was little. I just stuck with it.”

Schroeder, a freshman this season, believes he eventually became hooked on wrestling because of his parents’ willingness to let him figure out what he enjoyed by himself. They always encouraged him and gave him all the resources necessary to succeed, but they always let Schroeder find his own way.

“Once we saw that wrestling was my thing, my dad started taking me to other places to wrestle and to meet people. But they never really forced me to do anything, which is good,” Schroeder said. “A lot of kids get burnt out and they just end up hating the sport. They influenced me a lot with hard work and stuff like that, but they never forced me to do anything.”

Like everyone else on F&M’s roster, Schroeder is pleased with his decision to pursue wrestling. It has taught him about hard work and dedication; two of the positive traits just about everyone mentioned.

“Wrestling has taught me a lot about … hard work and dedication,” Schroeder said. “A lot of the things a father tries to teach you wrestling just reinforces. I would definitely be different if I hadn’t wrestled. It’s helped with discipline, working hard, and just getting through things.”

For Schroeder, once he began wrestling, it was difficult for him not to do it all the time. The sport came naturally to him; it was hard for Schroeder to stop wrestling when the sport came to him so easily and he enjoyed it so much.

That being said, it wasn’t easy. Despite his success in middle school, Schroeder’s transition to high school wrestling was difficult. It couldn’t have been too challenging, however, as he always knew he wanted to pursue wrestling at the next level.

“Middle school was a lot of wrestling. I wrestled 100 matches a year from sixth until eighth grade,” Schroeder said. “I won a nationals championship in fifth grade. High school was a little different; it was a lot harder to adjust. It was more difficult. Wrestling was something that I just picked up easier [than other sports].”

“I knew I wanted to wrestle in college and I knew this was a great place.”

Despite some of F&M’s more recent struggles, Schroeder was never deterred. Like many of the other freshman wrestlers on the squad, he was enticed by the opportunity to start something new. For this year’s freshmen, F&M wrestling is like a clean slate; it is the first recruiting class head coach Mike Rogers brought together himself and there are countless opportunities for this class to leave its mark.

“I always…I kind of like the idea of starting something new,” Schroeder said. “[Assistant coach Matt] Greenberg said something that really sold me, ‘You’ll be coming in [to F&M] with eight new best friends.’ That’s something that appealed to me because I was never really that close with my high school teammates.”

“I didn’t really care about the history because both Greenberg and Rogers were All-Americans and I believed in them,” Schroeder added.

There was little hesitation in Schroeder’s voice when asked whether or not, so far, Greenberg’s words have rung true. Thus far, Schroeder does truly believe he has forged eight new friendships that will stick with him long after he graduates from F&M.

“I do,” Schroeder said when asked about whether or not he believes he has made those eight new best friends. “I had a roommate I was close with at the beginning of the year. But I asked to change my roommate and moved in with Rob Ruiz. [I like] every single one of them. They’re the kids I hang out with probably 95 percent of the time. They really are my best friends here.”

It’s a good thing this freshman class has become so close; there is a lot riding on its shoulders. Although Schroeder certainly recognizes and understands that, he also is cognizant of the fact that no one of them can lead the turnaround. It will have to be a collective effort with contributions not only from this class, but from future classes and those already on the roster as well.

In other words, this is no one-man job.

“One person can’t turn around an entire program,” Schroeder said. “If we all do our jobs and do what we expect each other to do, it might not happen this year or next year, but we all know we have a job to do and if we do that we’ll turn it around. It’s not really a personal thing because it’s too much for one person to turn it around.”

Although Schroeder didn’t see much time on the mat as a freshman, he has taken a lot away from this year. Just by observing and by listening to his fellow wrestlers and the coaching staff, Schroeder has picked up on different tips and techniques that will help him get his sophomore campaign off on the right track.

“I didn’t have a good record, but I learned a lot,” Schroeder said of this year’s performance. “It set me up for a great next three years. I learned a lot about wrestling. The fact that I didn’t have a great year will lead to three more good years. Sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward.”

Off the mat, Schroeder has pursued business and economics as potential majors. With Columbia law school as the ultimate goal, Schroeder claims his academic inspiration comes from his family.

“I have a couple relatives who are partners in two law firms, so it’s something I’ve always been interested in,” Schroeder said. “I’ve taken a couple classes and it hasn’t turned me off; in fact, it’s made me more interested. That’s just what I’ve wanted to do for awhile.”

Going forward, F&M’s coaching staff believes Schroeder will be a crucial cog in the future development of the program. Schroeder doesn’t believe it’s one person’s job to reconstruct the F&M wrestling program; but that’s OK. This year’s freshman class has proven to be a strong one and next year’s incoming class should only contribute to the revitalization of the program.

However, it’s clear that Schroeder will have every chance to leave his mark. He may not have seen much time this season, but there’s a lot to look forward to in the very near future.