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Dispatches from alumni wrestling in college

A number of Spartan alumni are currently wrestling in college.  Matt Tourdot is wrestling heavyweight at Old Dominion, Toby Mosley at 149 pounds for Wheaton College, Tristan Zurfluh at 149 for Luther College and Greg Skon at 184 for Augsburg.  They took some time to talk to Mike Montgomery about what it’s like to wrestle in college and gave some advice for those still in high school that want to wrestle at the next level.  Let’s see what our alumni are up to.

tourdot-alumniMatt Tourdot – Old Dominion, D1 – 285 Redshirt Junior

Career Record: 40-32 (2011-13)

2012-13: Went 23-19 as a sophomore at 285… Went 6-4 against CAA foes… Recorded two falls and a major decision on the year… Finished the season with a third place finish at the CAA Tournament… Placed third at the Clarion Open… Got second at the Cleveland State Open… Also registered sixth place finishes at the Nittany Lion Open and the Brute Invitational.

2011-12: Finished redshirt freshman season with a record of 21-15… Had two major decisions on the season… Placed sixth at the Hokie Open… Was the only Monarch to go 3-0 on the weekend against Rutgers, Princeton, and Rider.

2010-11: Redshirted.

Current 2013-14 season:  11-8

1.  What are you currently doing as far as wrestling and competing and how is your season going?

 My season is going pretty well, not quite as well as I would like, I have not been able to beat any ranked kids yet but still have a few more left on the schedule, but I have finally figured something out with my offense and have been wrestling a lot better and feel like I will be peaked and were I need to be to win conferences by that time.

2.  What has been the hardest transition for you from high school wrestling to college wrestling?

Every single match is hard. There are no easy matches. If you are not feeling well or even just not quite on you will lose to someone who you are normally better than.

3.  What prepared you best for college wrestling?

National tournaments and summer wrestling camps.  To be able to know if you can compete at this level you really have to be able to compete your junior and senior years in high school at that level as well.  Wrestling in those National tournaments and going to the bigger camps helps you realize what level you are at.

4.  What do you wish you had done more of or differently to prepare you better for wrestling at the college level?

Nothing really different, I just think that when you are in High School you just don’t realize how important the little things are.  For example, if I didn’t do a move exactly correct in High School it probably didn’t matter, but in D1, one little mistake will cost you the match.

5.  What advice can you give to our younger wrestlers who are interested in wrestling at a higher level? 

If you want to get noticed by D1 programs you have to wrestle at big tournaments out of the regular season. Just doing well at the state tournament won’t get you noticed by most D1 schools. Also, learn to enjoy hard work, both on the mat and in the classroom.  Struggling in school will make wrestling tougher.  Discipline your time because you will have to in college.

6.  What has been your best experience thus far wrestling at the collegiate level?

I enjoy being around, and working hard with, guys that I have a lot in common with.  I enjoy the travel and new experiences.  I am the wrestling representative that meets with the university president and that is a great experience.  I think looking back though, the experience of just competing at a very high level every single day, and having to pick yourself up without any help will be an experience that will help me in life.

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mosley-alumniToby Mosley – Wheaton College, D3 – 149 Sophomore

2012-13: Recorded a 14-12 mark at 157 pounds as a freshman…placed third at the Knox Invitational on Nov. 10…finished second at the Jim Fox Open on Feb. 16.

2013-14:  Record: 4-4

1. What are you currently doing as far as wrestling and competing and how is your season going?

I started the year 6-4. After a shoulder and hamstring injury I took a medical redshirt.

2. What has been the hardest transition for you from high school wrestling to college wrestling?

The transition to college wrestling was easy. Coach Larson prepared me for the next level as best as he could.

3. What prepared you best for college wrestling?

The speed is faster at the collegiate level. Wrestling with lighter weights helped.

4. What do you wish you had done more of or differently to prepare you better for wrestling at the college level?

I wouldn’t of done anything differently. I wrestled every chance I had in the spring and summer and lifted all year to be the strongest man at whatever weight class I wrestled.

5. What advice can you give to our younger wrestlers who are interested in wrestling at a higher level? 

Offseason wrestling is crucial. Wrestling freestyle and Greco in the spring and going to as many open mats as possible in the summer will give you years of experience in little time.

6. What has been your best experience thus far wrestling at the collegiate level?

My best experience at the collegiate level has been the friendship with my teammates. No matter what happens on or off the mat, I know that any of them would do anything for me, and I would do the same for them.

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zurfluh-alumniTristan Zurfluh – Luther College, D3 – 149 Freshman

2013-14:  Record: 8-7; 2 Pins 

1.  What are you currently doing as far as wrestling and competing and how is your season going?

I’m doing well as a freshmen.  Although it was hard in the beginning I’ve placed in most all of the open tournaments and placed first in the most recent tournament we had the day before the national duals in Des Moines, Iowa.  My season is going well and I’ve managed to beat some descent varsity wrestlers at open tournaments and exhibition matches.  I’ve only been majored by one opponent and my other losses have been tough close matches.  I also started for Luther during one dual meet which didn’t go as well as I had hoped but I got my first varsity match out of the way and can prepare for the next time I’m needed in the line up.

2.  What has been the hardest transition for you from high school wrestling to college wrestling?

The hardest part about starting a new career in college is getting used to a new team and its coaches.  I also lost some confidence in myself without my old wrestling family.  It takes a little while to find some close friends on the team and get to know everyone and earn the coaches respect.  But eventually you will and you’ll find your confidence by doing this.

3.  What prepared you best for college wrestling?

The ability to push myself is what helped prepare me best.   Pushing myself through all the workouts that the Spartan wrestling coaches prepared for us and making myself learn all the technique they showed us is what helped me improve in high school and that same idea applies to college wrestling.

4.  What advice can you give to our younger wrestlers who are interested in wrestling at a higher level?

One thing that is important in college wrestling is fixing your mistakes or weakness.   All of the mistakes that seem small in high school can become huge advantages for your opponents.  The opponents that beat me my senior year took advantage of my bad habits or technique.   Fixing these bad habits or making my technique even closer to perfect would have helped me turn around a lot of the close matches I’ve lost in college.

5.  What has been your best experience thus far wrestling at the collegiate level?

Moving up a level in wrestling is something most of you have experienced or will in high school.  What makes college difficult is that there can be a lot of good experienced wrestlers on the team.  The coaches won’t be able to push all of you or critique everybody’s technique.  You have to push yourself to get all you can out of the experience.  You have to be like a sponge and learn all of the basic tactics that are used by the seasoned wrestlers.  There is a lot of scramble positions that you will have to feel out and new coaching that you will have to get used to.  Most importantly be patient because you won’t be the best wrestler at your weight with all the confidence and leadership that goes with it any more, but you’ll get there.  Only after you get the basics down and find confidence in your college wrestling skills will you get the coach’s attention.

At first some of you may have a hard time having confidence in yourself, which is natural when you are establishing yourself in a new home.  You have to stick it out at first make some friends, get to know your team and school, and enjoy the grind and look at the fact that your starting all over again at a new level as an opportunity to improve.  Try to get a head start in college by using the mentality and good habits you gained in high school.  Also don’t be a tough guy to every one, unless it’s on the mat.  The best way to be recognized is to be yourself, work hard, and let your actions speak for themselves.  That’s the best way to earn respect from your coaches and your peers.  The most important thing to remember though is to have fun and try to enjoy every day at college.

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skon-alumniGreg Skon – Augsburg College, D3 – 184 Freshman

2013-14: Record: 6-7; 4 Pins 

1. What are you currently doing as far as wrestling and competing and how is your season going?

My season is going good I’m sitting right at 500.

2. What has been the hardest transition for you from high school wrestling to college wrestling?

The hardest transition is that amount of work you have to do.

3. What prepared you best for college wrestling?

Lifting helped me prepare by being stronger then other.

4. What do you wish you had done more of or differently to prepare you better for wrestling at the college level?

More Running

5. What advice can you give to our younger wrestlers who are interested in wrestling at a higher level? 

Keep at it and never give up. Shoot for the stars.

6. What has been your best experience thus far wrestling at the collegiate level?

My best experience thus far is meeting all the great guys on the team and wrestling with some of the best wrestlers in the nation.

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