Cooperman has grown into a winner for Lehigh
3/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Wrestling
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of The Morning Call
The staccato rhythm in Cory Cooperman's voice betrayed his physical pain after winning his third EIWA championship two weeks ago.
Cooperman decisioned Harvard's Max Meltzer in the 141-pound finals on March 5 at Stabler Arena.
Meltzer entered
Cooperman, a three-time EIWA champion and two-time All-American, injured his ribs in the semifinals of the tournament, and Meltzer made sure those ribs hurt even more in the finals when he illegally slammed the Lehigh senior and brought his full weight down on the ribs.
Like most things, it didn't stop Cooperman, who is ranked No. 3 in the country heading into the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at
Cooperman took his share of injury time, re-started the match and beat Meltzer.
A four-time NCAA qualifier, Cooperman will actually be wrestling at nationals for just the third time. The Lehigh coaching and medical staff shut him down heading into nationals his freshman year after winning his first EIWA title because he didn't have his weight under control.
That issue alone made Cooperman turn the corner toward a more mature, determined attitude that has helped him become a true team leader, one of four quad-captains along with Derek Zinck (157), Troy Letters (165) and Travis Frick (184).
''I'm really looking forward to nationals,'' said Cooperman, a psychology major who would like to coach wrestling. ''This is my senior year and it's been a long ride, five years here at Lehigh. I started off strong and I'd like to finish on a strong note.''
''Coop's matured a lot,'' Strobel said of a wrestler who learned from the freshman weight problem to become perhaps the most consistent of the four senior captains.
''When he came to us, he was pretty much very self-centered and expected everything to be done for him. Now he is a leader and gets the job done. He's turned into very low maintenance. He's a good teacher in the room, too, and he's positioned himself for [a coaching career] very well. He enjoys that.''
Cooperman also enjoys winning. At 23-1 this season, he has a career record of 94-11.
''I've been driven my whole life,'' explained Cooperman, who lists
Cooperman won, and Lehigh picked up a school-record-tying fifth straight EIWA team title, the first time any school has accomplished that since Lehigh completed a five-year sweep in 1935.
''This has been a heck of a ride and it's going to be over pretty soon,'' Cooperman said before departing for
Cooperman's lone loss this season came at the hands of second-ranked Teyon Ware, a returning two-time national champion from
''Actually, Coop had his bell rung in that one,'' Strobel said. ''Ware went out to an early lead after that, and that was Coop's only loss. He's been consistent ever since.''
Cooperman has been more than consistent, however. He's been dependable.
''I've kind of enjoyed it,'' Cooperman admitted to not just battling through the issues of his career, but flourishing despite those battles.
''My ranking has been third in the country all year,'' he said, ''and I think that's good. They're saying I'm at that top level. It doesn't matter now, though. The rankings don't matter when it comes to nationals. You have to perform. I won't get a medal for being ranked third all season. I have to take care of business.''
Cooperman admitted picking up a confidence boost after becoming the 17th wrestler in Lehigh history to win three EIWA titles (four of those have won four).
''I joined a group of elite guys who have done that,'' he said. ''I'm proud not to just to win my third championship, but to be considered among a group of great wrestlers.''
Cooperman's ability to withstand pain in search of success is proof of that.
This story originally appeared in the Wednesday, March 15, 2006 edition of The Morning Call. Used with permission.
Photos (c) 2006, Jeff Nolan/Lehigh Athletics.
