Jan. 15, 2015
By Matt Allibone, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On the surface, Penn State wrestler Jimmy Gulibon doesn't look much different than he did a year ago.
Not only are his wiry 133-pound frame and floppy brown hair still the same, he also hasn't changed his shy, quiet demeanor.
At the same time, it's been hard not to notice the redshirt sophomore's transformation on the mat. A year after he struggled to find consistency during his first season as a starter, Gulibon has been a force for the Nittany Lions throughout the 2014-'15 campaign.
So far, the Latrobe, Pennsylvania, native has gone 14-2 with a 7-0 mark in dual meets, huge improvements from his 18-15 season last year when he went just 5-8 in duals.
"I mean, it feels good but it's a long season," Gulibon said. "There's still a lot more wrestling to do so I'm trying to take it one match at a time."
His low-key personality aside, Gulibon has been attacking opponents with a tenacity that, while shown in glimpses last season, has been steady this year. With eight dual meets remaining, the 133-pounder already has four dual wins over ranked opponents to go with three major decisions and one pin on the year.
What's been the difference for the sophomore? For starters, it's been learning to accept and enjoy the pressure that comes with competing at a wrestling-crazed school like Penn State.
A four-time PIAA at Derry Area High School, Gulibon came to University Park with extremely high expectations. For someone who's never been about the spotlight, it wasn't an easy adjustment.
"Going out there the first few times in [Rec Hall], it was pretty nerve racking," Gulibon said. "It's pretty scary and pretty hard to get used. But once you get used to it it's pretty fun."
Gulibon certainly looks like a guy who's having a lot more fun these days. Before he could start enjoying himself on the mat however, he had to work on a few things that had held him back.
Last season, Gulibon had trouble early in the schedule with getting escapes when wrestling in the bottom position. Soon, the new starter found himself hesitant to take shots, afraid of the possibility of giving up a takedown and having to fight his way out of it.
After dropping his first four duals, Gulibon improved enough to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in March, where he finished with a 1-2 mark. Knowing he had a lot more in him, he went into the offseason with a new sense of determination.
"I worked really hard this summer," Gulibon said. "You kind of have to have a little confidence in yourself. I mean this whole summer I trained, did extra work outs. Just a lot of that really helped out with my confidence. Working on all different positions, top, bottom and neutral I guess led to a bit of a confidence boost.
"Basically, I was afraid to get on bottom. I was having trouble getting out all the time and I think that led to me not opening up on my feet because there's a chance I make a mistake and get taken down and then I'm on bottom."
With Penn State entering the current campaign without the services of five of last season's All-Americans due to graduation (James English, Ed Ruth, and David Taylor) and redshirts (Nico Megaludis, Zain Retherford), the need for Gulibon to step up was very high. When the Lions dual slate began in November, it didn't take long for the second-year wrestler to answer the bell.
In the team's opening match against Lehigh, Gulibon faced off against the same opponent that handed him a 7-6 loss in his first ever college dual, second ranked Mason Beckman.
Not wanting a repeat performance, Gulibon scored two takedowns and added a pair of back points to overcome an early 2-1 deficit on his way to an 8-3 win. Since then, he hasn't looked back, going undefeated in duals and establishing himself as the lynchpin the Lions need in the top half of their lineup.
"With him, I think it's a maturity and understanding thing," associate head coach Cody Sanderson said. "He went right back to work after [last year's] national tournament because he wants to win. He's not okay with getting beat or having close matches, he wants to win. I think last year forced him to really figure some things out about himself and how he's approaching the sport and I think that's what we're starting to see in his results."
This past Sunday, the sophomore had another banner performance on the road at Ohio State. Taking on fourth-ranked Johnni DiJulius, who beat him 3-2 last year, Gulibon used a third period takedown to register an impressive 5-4 win.
Though the victories against ranked opponents keep piling up, Gulibon continues to look ahead. He knows that dwelling on the past won't do him any good, and there's still plenty left for him to accomplish.
"No...I try to leave [the previous matches] behind me," Gulibon said. "Last year I kind of dwelled on them a lot but this year I'm trying to forget about it and move forward."