Lehigh University Athletics
Hard work and perseverance pay off for Berger
3/2/2011 4:21:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
The 2010-11 season has been another great one for the Lehigh Mountain Hawks wrestling team. Great success has come for the Mountain Hawks this season including an upset of top-ranked Cornell and six dual wins over top 25 ranked opponents.
With all this success this season, one thing that might go unnoticed for the Mountain Hawks is the story of senior Mitch Berger. A walk-on who has hard times through his years at Lehigh, Berger continues to improve and get better and has eight wins in his senior season, just one off his career high.
Berger's career at Lehigh has not been the easiest but hard work and perseverance has kept him moving forward and had led him to his starting spot for the Mountain Hawks.
“Although I struggled at times, my career at Lehigh has been a great experience,” Berger says. “It is satisfying to know that when I look back to my freshman year, I can see how far I have come and how much I improved since then. It has also been great to be around such excellent teammates and outstanding coaches these last few years.”Berger, who had a good career in high school, wanted to attend Lehigh after high school to continue his wrestling career and be part of a winning tradition.
“I started wrestling in high school, and I fell in love with it,” Berger explains. “Then, when I decided to come to Lehigh, I felt compelled to wrestle here because of the history of the program and because I knew that I still wanted to be involved in the sport and be a part of a great team.”
His good career in high school though did not garner the interest of the Mountain Hawks, and Berger was not recruited by them, but upon deciding to come to Lehigh Berger decided to walk-on and be part of the wrestling team.
Despite being a late addition to the roster, a lack of depth at the 125 pound weight class forced Berger to be thrust into the starting lineup as a true freshman. He struggled and only won three bouts on the year.
His sophomore year also was a tough one. Berger was not the starter, but filled in on several occasions at 125. Berger only won three out of 11 bouts before suffering a knee injury that prematurely ended his sophomore season.
With two tough years under his belt, Berger had his best season to date in 2009-10. Berger had nine wins in 13 bouts and placed third at the Wilkes Open. With two years of disappointment for Berger, this solid junior season was the culmination of hard work and perseverance.
“Along with working hard and making an effort to improve each day, I think that taking things one step at a time and one moment at a time has helped me persevere,” says Berger.
This season Berger won the starting job at 125 and won eight bouts, including a pair of wins over ranked opponents.
Mitch Berger's four years at Lehigh have been filled with everything. Berger handled his lowest times like a true teammate and hopes that with everything he has been through that his teammates recognize his hard work and dedication to the team.
“All I can hope for is that they will remember me as a good teammate who put forth his best effort and added to the value of the team,” says Berger.
Berger's coaches also realize how hard he has worked and how he has gotten better each and every year here at Lehigh.
“Mitch is a great kid,” says Lehigh assistant coach John Hughes. “His work ethic and attention to detail is impeccable. He's very coachable, which is very important for any wrestler. He takes your advice and listens to what you have to say and performs it out there on the mats.
Hughes continues, “Mitch has taken ownership of his career on and off the mats. He manages his time perfectly. He has found the balance between academics and athletics, which is key for any student athlete anywhere in the country. He is also very dependable. He takes accountability for all his actions and always does the right things. He is a great leader and role model for many of our young wrestlers here at Lehigh.”
Mitch Berger has worked as hard as he can each and every day since stepping foot on Lehigh's campus. He has continued to persevere and work hard on the mats for the Mountain Hawks and give his all in every match he was in.
Berger is leaving a legacy and a model to young wrestlers for the Mountain Hawks about what it takes to keep working hard and keep moving forward, no matter what the circumstances may be.
“I hope that I can build on Lehigh's long-lasting legacy of excellence and inspire younger wrestlers to keep working and keep moving forward.”
Berger and the Mountain Hawks will head to Lewisburg, Pa. for the 107th EIWA Championships, Saturday and Sunday at Bucknell's Sojka Pavilion.
Story written by Prentice Small '11, Lehigh Sports Media Relations
Story written by Prentice Small '11, Lehigh Sports Media Relations
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