Lehigh University Athletics
Fisk on the hunt for strong finish to senior season
3/2/2010 9:15:00 AM | Men's Wrestling
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The answer is Darryl Burley, Steve Cassidy, Chris Ayres, Ryan Bernholz, Jon Trenge, Troy Letters, Matt Fisk. The question is: Who are the only Lehigh wrestlers to serve as team captain for three seasons? The first six answers to the question are all EIWA Champions and NCAA All-Americans. Fisk is a three-time NCAA qualifier and an EIWA finalist who is hoping to make the most of his senior season as he looks to match the accomplishments of the three-time captains before him.
“Being a three-year captain means a lot to me,” says Fisk, who enters the weekend with 85 career victories. “Lehigh has a great program, with lots of tradition, a tradition of excellence. To be able to say I was captain for three years is a great feeling. The guys look up to me to lead a good program.”
Fisk came to Lehigh in the fall of 2005 with impressive credentials. Despite hailing from the small town of Wyalusing, about 50 miles northwest of Scranton, Fisk amassed a 175-9 career record with 117 falls, wrestling for his father Walt at Wyalusing High School. Fisk captured two AA state titles, and his 175 wins at the time were a state record.
“I always had an interest in Lehigh, so to be able to wrestle here was like a dream come true,” says Fisk. “Lehigh offered a great mixture of academics and wrestling. I wanted to be a part of this great program and also get an education where I knew I’d leave Lehigh with a good degree.”
With a hole in the lineup at 125, Fisk was cast into the fire as a true freshman at Lehigh, where he became the Mountain Hawks’ first true freshman starter in six years. His debut was memorable; a 13-9 decision over Penn State’s Brad Pataky at the Pennsylvania State Duals, a win that came just two days after Fisk had a broken nose surgically repaired. The 2005-06 season had its share of ups and downs, as one would expect from a true freshman. Fisk overcame a slow start to go 9-3 in duals after January 1. In his first EIWA tournament he reached the finals, falling 2-1 to Cornell’s Troy Nickerson who since then has become a national champion and three-time All-American. Fisk’s advancement to the finals also played a major role in Lehigh winning its fifth consecutive EIWA team title in front of the home fans at Stabler Arena.
“I loved it,” Fisk recalls about the 2006 EIWA Championship team. “I was part of a great team. It was great to see what it was like being on top. It’s important to get that feeling back of being the best.”
At the NCAA tournament, Fisk overcame a pigtail round loss to pick up three victories, and finished the season with a 16-11 record, making expectations high for the following season.
Fisk’s sophomore season was almost deferred because of a back injury, but after not competing in any fall duals, Fisk returned to the lineup at the Southern Scuffle and impressed on the mats with 25 victories, and an incredible 12 falls in 2006-07. Struggles at the EIWA tournament dropped Fisk to fifth place and he needed a wild card to qualify for NCAA’s where he went 0-2.
Prior to the 2007-08 season, two important decisions were made. The first was that Fisk would defer his eligibility while he grew into the 133-pound weight class. The second was that his peers elected Fisk team captain, a rare scenario where the team captain would not be competing in dual meets or major tournaments. Fisk went 12-1 competing unattached, with two open tournament titles but with Fisk deferring, Lehigh struggled to a losing dual record and fifth place EIWA finish.
As Fisk prepared to return to action for the 2008-09 season, the returning team captain had to lead the Mountain Hawks through another challenge: a new coaching staff. Greg Strobel retired and Pat Santoro was brought in to provide new leadership and new perspective for the program.
“The deferred year was a good one for me,” explains Fisk. “I did well in the open tournaments. It was a big year in terms of leadership as well. Since I was deferring I wasn’t out there with the starters but I got to work a lot with the non-starters at open tournaments and was able to keep them on track.
Fisk continues, “The addition of coach Santoro in my fourth year made it a real growth year for me. I had sets of fresh eyes to look at my style from a different angle. Having coached against me when he was at Maryland he helped me see what I needed to work on.”
The team responded to the change with a 23-1 dual meet record, the best in school history and Fisk won 26 bouts, but again had to settle for third place at EIWAs and an 0-2 showing at Nationals.
“Matt made a big jump in my first year,” explains Santoro. “When he was in high school, I knew he was very capable on top and he’s hard to score on so he’s going to be in every match. Plus, he’s one of those kids who does things the right way both on and off the mat.”
Prior to the start of this season, Fisk was elected captain for the third time, a role he shares with 141-pounder Seth Ciasulli. Fisk has been ranked in the top-20 for the entire season, and enters action this weekend with a 18-5 record, including a team-best fourth place finish at the Midlands. The focus for Fisk and the rest of the Mountain Hawks now, is simple.
“We need to get this program back to the top,” Fisk contends. “Being a national champion should be everyone’s goal. Personally, I need to do more on the offensive end. I need to see my weaknesses and work them into strengths. As a team we want to send all ten guys to nationals. Our dual record was great last year, but it’s not about duals. It’s about getting ten guys to nationals and getting as many guys on the podium as we can.”
“Sometimes it’s hard for Matt to create scoring opportunities,” adds Santoro. “We’re working with him on pulling the trigger and getting to legs, because when he gets to a leg he usually scores. It was kind of a wake-up call when he wrestled Mike Grey from Cornell and couldn’t get the leg attacks going. More than ever he realizes that he has to make some adjustments and needs to make them now.
Santoro continues, “Matt came here to be a National Champion so the focus needs to be getting on that podium. We rely on our lightweights to be sparkplugs and create momentum, especially in the early morning rounds of tournaments, if they can get some big wins it can carry over to the rest of the team. If our lightweights get on a roll the rest of the team can feed off of them.”
Off the mat, Fisk is a self-proclaimed outdoorsman, something that presumably comes with the territory when you’re from Wyalusing.
“Anything involving the outdoors and nature has always intrigued me,” Fisk explains. “I love hunting and fishing. That’s what makes my part of Pennsylvania great. My town is small. There was only 94 people in my graduating class, but I’d say 80-percent of the males hunt. I’m from one of those towns where we had off from school for the first day of hunting season.”
Fisk’s love of the outdoors has also fostered an interest in the life sciences. He is expected to earn his degree in biology in May, and envisions wrestling remaining a major part of his future.
“I’d like to be a college wrestling coach,” says Fisk. “It’s funny because coach (Jason) Kutz and coach (Brad) Dillon were both biology majors and now they coach here at Lehigh. I’ve talked to some people, but I’m not really looking actively until the spring, when the season is over.
“I guess I just liked seeing people become better,” adds Fisk. “I love the sport of wrestling and I think it’ll be great to help others become the best they can be.”
Family is also a big part of his future. Fisk’s parents Walt and Kathy attend almost every match. Shortly after graduation, Fisk will marry his fiancé Tonette. But before Fisk takes the next step, both into married life and the real world, there remains some unfinished business on the mats.
“I was there when we had three All-Americans in 2006,” says Fisk. “I got to see what it’s like to reach that podium, and hear those great Lehigh fans cheering for you. It gives us something to shoot for as a team. It’s something each of us wants to experience, that feeling. We’ve been working hard, now it’s all about putting the pieces together.”
Fisk and the Mountain Hawks will host the 106th EIWA Championships Saturday and Sunday at Stabler Arena. Action begins at 10 a.m. on both days, with the finals slated for a 3 p.m. start on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME or by visiting the arena box office this weekend.
