JOVELLE ABBEY TAMAYO / PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

T H E D A I L Y T A R G U MT ITLE B OUTW 2 N O V E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 0

JENNIFER KONG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERJENNIFER KONG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Sophomore Mario Mason, black, was the most heralded wrestler that returned to New Jersey, leaving Minnesota to wrestle for the Knights at 149 pounds. Fourth-yearhead wrestling coach Scott Goodale and his staff made a concentrated effort to bring former New Jersey high school wrestling standouts back to the Garden State.

Coaches convince NJ wrestlers there’s no place like homeBY A.J. JANKOWSKIASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

In order to instill an attitude ofgreatness, sometimes you have tothink outside the box.

For Rutgers wrestling toachieve national prominence,head coach Scott Goodale andhis coaching staff had to reachoutside of New Jersey to bringback some of the state’s high-profile wrestlers.

Former state champs at thehigh school level jumped shipfrom the Garden State to taketheir talents to any number ofprograms nationwide. But withthe rise of theScarlet Knightsover the past fewyears — includ-ing a 20-win sea-son in 2009 —these grapplersmight not have totravel too far toreach the top.

With the abili-ty to draw Jerseytalent back instate, Rutgersboasts a lineup offormer high-pro-file recruits looking to attainnational prominence.

The biggest catch reeledback took the longest rope, stretching halfway acrossAmerica to the state of Minnesota.

* * *

Exactly 1,199 miles awayfrom his hometown ofMoorestown, N.J., Mario Masonfelt out of place.

He was a member of theMinnesota wrestling team afterbecoming a four-time statechampion at the prestigiousBlair Academy and was admit-tedly miles away from his com-fort zone.

“On the wrestling side ofthings I was just not happy at alllast year,” Mason said.

When Mason decided it wastime for a change of scenery, heturned to a longtime friendwhose advice Mason alwaysheld in high regard.

The adviser, fellow Blairalum Cor y Cooperman, justhappened to be an assistantcoach at Rutgers.

“Off the mat he’s more of afriend, but in the room he’s onmy back all the time,” saidMason of his relationship withCooperman. “He’s coming tobeat me up all practice. It’s justbecause he expects so muchfrom me that he wants me towork at it.”

W h e nC o o p e r m a ntalked to Mason,his advice was todo whatevermade him com-f o r t a b l e .Cooperman didnot beg Mason tojoin the Knights,but rather tomake the bestdecision for him-self — the deci-sion that wouldhelp Mason real-

ize his full potential. “I just said, ‘You’ve got to be

comfor table, Mario,’”Cooperman said. “If you’re notcomfortable, you’re not goingto be able to wrestle to your potential.

“Mario is the type of kid thatcould go to China and a day later,eight guys would be followinghim around. He makes lifelongfriends right away.”

And what Mason brings onthe mat cannot be taught: light-ning-quick reflexes and a BigTen pedigree.

“He brings such a dif ferentstyle to the table,” Coopermansaid. “He’s very technical andhe’s so slick and fast. One sec-ond he is in the stalemate posi-tion and then — boom — hepulls something out and scores.He’s just a ver y dangerous

wrestler and he’s been mybrother for the longest time.”

Mason decided to come backEast and now, less than 50 milesaway from where he first got inthe circle, the 149-pounder head-lines a bevy of former New Jerseytransfers returning to the GardenState to join the Knights.

“He told me he wishes hewould have came here from theget-go,” Cooperman said. “And Ididn’t even go to Rutgers. Hetalks about this place like it’s gold.”

* * *

Before playing the role of headcoach at Rutgers, Goodale spentseven years at the helm of hisalma mater, Jackson MemorialHigh School.

During his stint, the Jaguarstwice earned the top ranking inthe state and churned out 41 dis-trict champions. One of them wasDan Hopkins, who pursued acareer in football at Rowan beforetransferring to MiddlesexCommunity College to revive hiswrestling career.

“I decided to transfer out ofRowan to wrestle at Middlesexand I knew Goodale from highschool, so right away it was anautomatic, ‘I want to wrestle forhim again,’” Hopkins said. “Sothat’s why I decided to come to Rutgers.”

Hopkins comes to Rutgers inthe only weight class vacated by asenior from last year’s squad inLamar Brown.

The 197-pounder will have hishands full getting a strangleholdon the starting job due to theemergence of freshman MichaelWagner at Wrestle-Offs, butGoodale knows that Hopkins haswhat it takes to make an impact.

“I have always known him andfirst and foremost I think he’s agood kid,” Goodale said. “There’sa lot of trust between us becauseI’ve known him for so long. Heneeds to realize that this is a dif-ferent level than [junior college].

That’s something that he is goingto have to get used to, but the eas-iest thing is that he knows what Iexpect from my guys. He’s goingto be just fine.”

It was his relationship withGoodale that made Hopkinsleave junior college behind topursue a career on the Banks. Itis a jump with which Hopkinsfeels comfortable because he ismaking it with a coach who hasbeen there through the goodand the bad.

“I feel like Goodale and Ihave a relationship where he is aclose friend and almost a fatherfigure,” Hopkins said. “I can goto him with any-thing that I need to talk about. I just like wrestling for Goodale.”

It is the dualrole of coach andfriend that haswrestlers leavingschools to joinGoodale atRutgers. And witharguably the bestlineup in school history, theKnights look to buck a trend oflosing to a certain EIWA foe.

* * *

The rivalry between Lehighand Rutgers has always been atad one-sided.

The Mountain Hawks own a39-1 all-time advantage over theKnights, including last year’s 28-3throttling in Bethlehem, Pa. Butthis year figures to be the excep-tion to the rule.

And for one fifth-year seniorwho knows the rivalry better thananyone else, it is personal.

Prior to coming to Rutgersin the of fseason, Alex Carusospent four years with theLehigh program. Caruso decid-ed to forego his final year inPennsylvania and continue hissearch for a national title backin his home state.

“Last winter, I decided that Iwanted to leave Lehigh,” theGreen Brook, N.J., native said.“I took a couple of visits hereand by then, the decision was apretty easy one. I’m literally athome here with the coachingstaff and everyone.”

Caruso is now one of ninewrestlers with NCAATournament experience — all ofwhich are Jersey-raised and nowrepresenting the State Universityof New Jersey.

“This is what we envisioned.This is what the state’s universityshould be,” said assistant coachJohn Leonardis, who came on

board withGoodale. “This isa great universitywhere you can geta great educationand we have someof the best facili-ties.”

With the pro-gram nowengrained in theNew Jerseywrestling commu-nity, wrestlers

may start taking the ScottWinston route.

Winston, the No. 2 recruit inthe nation, received offers fromprograms all over the country,but instead decided to come toRutgers since Day 1.

He is happy to see that otherwrestlers are starting to realizethe potential that Rutgers has.

“We were very fortunate tohave these guys coming back,”Winston said. “It’s showing tokids on the high school level herein Jersey that get recruited by thebig schools out West that thingsare different out there.

“[Mason] still has the goal ofbeing a national champion. AlexCaruso still has the goal of beinga national champion. You cancome to Rutgers and still have ashot at attaining your goal of anational championship, so whyeven jump the East and experi-ment out there?”

0

“Mario is the typeof kid that could

go to China and ...eight guys would

be following him around.”CORY COOPERMAN

Assistant Coach

“You can cometo Rutgers

and still have a shot at attaining

your goal.”SCOTT WINSTONSophomore Wrestler

T H E D A I L Y T A R G U M T ITLE B OUT N O V E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 0 W 3

BY A.J. JANKOWSKIASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR

The body of work DJ Russoput together last season can bedeemed by most as a successfulcrusade: champion of theOklahoma Gold Tournament,runner-up at the EIWATournament, a top-10 rankingand his second-straight teamMVP honor to boot.

But while these accoladescertainly put the senior heavy-weight on a pedestal, it was anovertime loss in the All-American round of the NCAATournament that kept Russo of f the podium.And that defeat at the hands ofMissouri’s Mark Ellis was allthe motivation Russo neededheading into his final season.

“He was ver y motivatedover the summer,” said headcoach Scott Goodale. “[Russo]has to understand that this is itfor him. And I think he takesthat into the practice roomwith him everyday.”

The match may have put thecapper on Russo’s junior yearcampaign, but falling to a formernational champion in the NCAATournament is only going tomake him better heading into hisfinal year.

“I’m just going to rely on a lit-tle extra age, a little extrastrength and that experiencefrom that match to take me to thenext level and hopefully on top ofthe podium,” Russo said.

The Netcong, N.J., native hitthe weight room hard headinginto his final year, putting onextra weight given the fact hewrestled the national tournamentat 235 pounds against grapplersas heavy as 285 pounds.

The extra weight is an asset,but keeping it up is somethingthat Russo has struggled withsince arriving to the Banks.

“I always star t of f prettyheavy,” he said. “But during the

Senior enters final year with added weight, experience

JENNIFER KONG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Fifth-year senior DJ Russo, top, enters his final year with added weight from years past, hopeful that the added pounds can help in hisfinal attempt at reaching All-American status, which he missed by two points last season in an overtime loss to Missouri’s Mark Ellis.

ANDREW HOWARD / SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

ANDREW HOWARD / SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

KNIGHTS WEIGH IN:LOUIS BROWN ATHLETIC CENTER

VS. COLLEGE AVENUE GYM

SENIOR DJ RUSSO:“IF WE CAN MAKE A REASONABLE DENT IN THE SEATING, THEN I’D SAY THE

RAC. ... I THINK THIS PROGRAM IS GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE’VE

OUTGROWN THE COLLEGE AVE. GYM. WE FILLED THIS PLACE FOR A

TUESDAY NIGHT WRESTLE-OFF, WHICH IS MEANINGLESS. AND WE FILLED IT.THIS PROGRAM IS BIGGER THAN THE COLLEGE AVE. GYM.”SOPHOMORE SCOTT WINSTON:“I’M PERSONALLY A FAN OF THE COLLEGE AVE. GYM. I LOVE WRESTLING AT

THE BARN. I LIKE THE FACT THAT EVERYONE IS KIND OF ON TOP OF YOU. IMEAN, [GOODALE] LIKES COMING OVER TO THE RAC AND A BUNCH OF

OTHER GUYS GET ALL FIRED UP ABOUT IT.”HEAD COACH SCOTT GOODALE:“OH MAN, I DON’T KNOW. THE RAC IS A SPECIAL PLACE. WE WIN AT

THE RAC, SO LET’S KEEP GOING THERE. BUT THE BARN IS A PRETTY

COOL ATMOSPHERE.”ASSISTANT COACH JOHN LEONARDIS:“WHEN I USED TO FIELD THIS QUESTION, I’D ALWAYS SAY THAT WHEN [THE

BARN] IS PACKED, WE’LL MOVE OVER TO THE RAC. I THINK THE RACGIVES US A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A HOME COURT ADVANTAGE WITH THE BAND

AND THE DANCE TEAM AND 5,000 FANS. IT’S KIND OF INTIMIDATING TO

THOSE OTHER SCHOOLS.”ASSISTANT COACH CORY COOPERMAN:“I’D LIKE TO WRESTLE AT THE RAC PACKED. [THE BARN] IS SUCH A UNIQUE

ENVIRONMENT, THOUGH. WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE, THAT’S WHERE I WRESTLED AND I DEFINITELY FELT IT WAS WEIRD BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS

SORT OF ON TOP OF YOU.”“EVERYONE IS GOING TO SAY THE RAC BECAUSE IT’S A BIGGER VENUE AND

YOU WANT THAT. YOU WANT THAT 10,000 CHEERING AND SCREAMING. WE

GET IN PEOPLE’S HEADS WHEN YOU HAVE THE BAND. THAT’S A MATCH.THAT’S WHAT WRESTLING DESERVES.”

year I usually end up losing 10or 15 pounds just because of thegrueling workouts we gothrough, coupled with the factthat I have a fast metabolism.It’s been hard to keep theweight up.”

Goodale brought a new men-tality toward dealing with theproblem this offseason, puttingmore pressure on himself andthe coaching staff to monitorRusso’s weight.

“This is a year when our staffhas to do a good job of alteringhis workout habits … makingsure he’s not getting brokendown from the constantwrestling,” Goodale said. “We

need to think outside the boxwhen it comes to his training.”

Just as Russo and the rest ofthe Rutgers wrestling teamprepared for preseason work-outs, the Lenape Valley HighSchool product fell ill withmononucleosis. The illnesscaused Russo to take almost amonth of f from wrestling,something that the coachingstaf f feels helps him in terms ofsticking with the new weighttraining regiment.

“In some ways getting monoearly on in the season — I don’tsee it as a negative,” said assistantcoach John Leonardis, who dealsprimarily with the higher weight

classes. “It gave him a little bit oftime to stay big.”

After his first live action insome time at Tuesday’sWrestle-Offs, Russo feels thathe is well on his way to a fullrecover y but needs to staywary of overwork.

“You can get chronic fatiguesyndrome if you don’t let your bodyrecuperate,” Russo said. “I have tohave a good balance of staying inshape while not pushing myself tothe point where I have a relapse.”

Goodale — cognizant of thispossibility — would love Russoto be in his lineup night in andnight out, but he does not wantto push the heavyweight too

early with this being Russo’sfinal shot at a championship.

“He doesn’t need the constantgreatness from September all theway to March,” Goodale said. “DJjust has to be great in March.”

It all comes back to March,when last year Russo fell just shyof becoming an All-American andwhere this year he hopes to buildoff of that and onto the podium inhis final year in a Rutgers singlet.

“It’s do-or-die time. I’m notgoing to get a chance to do it overagain,” Russo said. “Obviouslyevery senior has that go throughhis head — it’s just how theyrespond to it. I have yet to seehow I respond.”

TITLE BOUT P A G E W 4N O V E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 0

T H E D A I L Y T A R G U M

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP

JOSEPHLANGEL125 poundsSophomoreHowell, N.J.

MICHAELDEMARCO133 poundsSophomoreLyndhurst, N.J.

TREVORMELDE141 poundsJuniorHewitt, N.J.

MARIOMASON149 poundsSophomoreMoorestown, N.J.

DARYLCOCOZZO157 poundsSeniorRiver Edge, N.J.

SCOTTWINSTON165 poundsSophomoreJackson, N.J.

ALEXCARUSO174 poundsSeniorGreen Brook, N.J.

DANIELRINALDI184 poundsSophomoreLodi, N.J.

DANIELHOPKINS197 poundsJuniorJackson, N.J.

DJRUSSOHeavyweightSeniorNetcong, N.J.

BY A.J. JANKOWSKIASSOCIATE SP ORTS EDITOR

After a freshman campaign in2008-09 in which Scott Winstonfinished the season ranked 12thin his weight class and won amatch at the national tournament,the question was not if he couldbe an All-American, but howquickly.

But for a teenager to have theweight of a program thirsty for suc-cess on his shoulders — no matterhow broad they may be — the pres-sure can deteriorate the dual mean-ing of being a student-athlete.

So while supporters of theRutgers wrestling team eagerlyawaited Winston’s encore last sea-son, the coaching staff and thegrappling phenom from Jackson,N.J., made a taxing decision: Donot wrestle.

“It was something that tookgetting used to from a life

standpoint, not having to competeeveryday, not having to competeevery week,” said Winston, wholed the nation in victories hisfreshman year with 39, but red-shirted the following season.

The decision to redshirt not onlypaid off on the mat for Winston, butthe year off also sorted out his life— something he admits was any-thing but smooth sailing.

“My first semester was a littlebit rocky, academically. I kind ofscrewed up,” said the wrestlerwho went 137-0 during his careerat Jackson Memorial HighSchool. “Second semester, Ilearned my lesson and it taughtme how to make a better sched-ule for myself to help me succeed.The main thing off the mat wasjust getting my schedule downand sticking by it. [Redshirting]definitely helped me a lot.”

Wrapped up in all the hype andexpectations that come with

being the No. 2 recruit in thenation coming out of high schoolis the fact that for student-ath-letes, just like any other college-bound kid, the freedoms of col-lege can take their toll.

After getting a year to figurethat out, a dif ferent Winston isback in a Scarlet Knights’ singlet.

“Forget the wrestling part ofit. It’s the preparation part andhis daily lifestyle — that has beenthe dif ference for Scott Winston,”said head coach Scott Goodale,who also coached Winston atJackson. “If he has his lifestyle inorder then Winston is going to bevery hard to beat.”

Not only did Winston make acomplete adjustment in his per-sonal life during his time out ofthe starting lineup, but he alsobulked up from his freshmanweight class of 157 pounds to165. The extra poundage is noproblem for Winston, who ran

the gauntlet of veteran-tested tal-ent in his inaugural season onthe Banks.

“You’re not going to find a hard-er weight than my freshman year,”Winston said. “Three nationalchampions were in there, a coupleof All-Americans and a couple ofnational finalists, so I don’t thinkI’m going to face a weight class inthe rest of my college career quitelike that one.”

Fellow Knights believe thatwith a new weight class and a fullyear of nothing but training underhis belt, Winston could becomethe first All-American at Rutgerssince Tom Tanis in 2002.

“I would be shocked if he wasnot an All-American,” said seniorheavyweight DJ Russo. “Somethingwould have to go wrong for him notto be an All-American.”

Nine wrestlers on the squadhave experience at the NCAATournament, but everyone can

take a page out of Winston’s bookon how to compete in the circle,according to Goodale.

“He’s unbelievably explosive,”Goodale said. “He’s constantlythinking about scoring pointsand that’s why he’s fun to watch.We’ve got to get all of our guysthinking that same way.”

A knack for scoring points,coupled with all of the nationalrecognition from his high schooland freshman days, and Winstonis much more than just a cog inRutgers’ well-oiled machine.

“He’s the face of our program,”Russo said. “I mean he went unde-feated in high school. He had a dis-appointing freshman year, but thefact that making it to nationals andwinning a match is disappointingjust shows you how talented he is.”

The talent has always beenthere. Now with his collegiate lifein check, Winston’s shoulderscan bear the load.

Former freshman standout uses redshirt season to better manage life away from wrestling, where he’s poised for return to dominant form

JENNIFER KONG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Sophomore Scott Winston moves up one weight class after wrestling his freshman year at 157 pounds, where he faced three national champions, a group of All-Americans and national finalists, making up arguably the toughest weight class the Jackson Memorial High School product could face in his first season at Rutgers.

BALANCING ACT