Jan. 16, 2014
By Matt Allibone, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- In the aftermath of the Penn State wrestling team's third consecutive National Championship last March, Jimmy Lawson couldn't help but feel bittersweet about his squad's victory.
Although he was obviously pleased to be a part of a championship team, the heavyweight felt disappointed in own performance after tallying just one win of his own before bowing out of the tournament.
"I have the day I got eliminated (from the NCAA Tournament) and the exact time marked on my calendar," said Lawson. "I've been looking to do big things this year because we have so many great guys around me so how can I not give it my all."
Lawson has certainly been giving it his all so far this season, racking up a 16-2 record while solidifying himself as the undisputed starter after splitting time with Jon Gingrich last season.
Along with the motivation provided by last year's NCAA tournament, the redshirt junior has benefited greatly from having spent the entirety of last summer at Penn State working on his technique.
Having transferred to Penn State last fall after spending two years playing football at Monmouth University, Lawson went through some natural growing pains last season as a result of having to adjust to the intensity of Division 1 wrestling on the fly.
"This year there has been a big difference because last year I didn't have a full summer to work out," said Lawson. "This year I had the summer camps plus I got to work one on one with some of the Olympic guys that hung around so that helped a lot."
Not only did the summer allow Lawson to gain more experience as a wrestler, it also allowed him to continue to build his already impressive physique.
Already one of the more fit and athletic heavyweights in the country, the Toms River, N.J. native added about 15 pounds of muscle during the offseason to bulk up to 265 pounds.
Even with the added size, Lawson likes to think of himself as a wrestler that utilizes his speed and quickness instead of just his strength.
"I take pride in being a hustler," said Lawson. "If you look at all the heavyweights that are ranked high they take shots and get guys tired and I take pride in outworking the guy I'm wrestling against."
Lawson's ability to outwork and outhustle his opponents has enabled him to score extremely high for a wrestler in his weight-class, as the heavyweight has already won three matches by major decision this year.
Defeating opponents handily instead of merely squeaking out wins was something that the junior strove to improve on heading into his second season with the Nittany Lions, and so far he has managed to do just that.
"If you want to get better and if you truly want to be great you have to go out there and regardless of whether you win or not you have to try and score points," said Lawson. "Just because you won doesn't mean you can be content."
The fact that Lawson still isn't content with where he is at despite the significant strides he has made is what has endeared him to head coach Cael Sanderson.
As a man who preaches constant improvement to even his most distinguished wrestlers, Sanderson said that he has been very pleased with the confidence and mindset that Lawson has displayed in his second year on the team.
"He's making progress every week and his attitude is better," said Sanderson. "You can see the kind of athlete he is with his power and his strength so the more confidence he gets the better he is going to be."
Currently ranked 12th in the country at heavyweight, Lawson will need to be as confident as ever this upcoming weekend when he takes on eighth ranked Adam Chalfant of Indiana on Friday before facing fourth ranked Mike McMullan of Northwestern on Sunday.
The fact that both wrestlers are ranked higher than him means nothing to Lawson, who is looking forward to continuing to prove he is among the upper echelon in his weight class.
"I don't really look at the rankings because they don't mean much," said Lawson. "All that matters is where you end up at the end of the year."
Lawson knows where he wants to be at the season's end, and that is standing on the podium as an individual NCAA Champion.
Before he can get a chance to redeem himself at the NCAA Championships, Lawson must first prove himself against two of his toughest conference foes, something the former defensive lineman is looking forward to.
"There's no reason for me to approach (this weekend) any differently," said Lawson. "It's definitely a great opportunity to go against two guys that I could see later in the year at the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments."