Wrestling is a sport that many of us are not familiar with and is not followed very closely by Cortland students. Adam Barker, a junior on the wrestling team, sat down for an interview to give insight on the recently ended season and a look into what the future holds. The 2022/2023 wrestling season recently concluded after Cortland sent four wrestlers to the national tournament. The Red Dragons say goodbye to a handful of seniors but have plenty of hope for what their next season has in store for them.
Q: Were your personal expectations met this season?
A: “No, I wanted to achieve more. I hoped for All American this year but was injured at the end of the season and was not able to wrestle how I would have liked due to those injuries.”
Q: Did you expect this season to turn out how it did?
A: “No, but that is the nature of the sport and it’s always tough to make it through an entire season healthy and you need to figure out how to wrestle your best even if you’re not healthy. Unfortunately, I was not able to do that for this season.”
Q: What is your favorite memory or moment from the season
A: “My favorite moment from the season would have to be winning my match against the tenth ranked in the nation after just getting back from a knee injury. This was a key moment for me because it reassured me of what I knew I could do.”
Q: In your opinion, who were the key wrestlers this season?
A: “I would say our key wrestlers this season would have to be our national qualifiers, Cody Merwin, Demetrious Henry, Jayden Cardinas, and Cahal Donovan.”
Q: Which underclassmen do you think will step up to replace the loss of key seniors next season?
A: “Our best underclassmen right now would have to be freshman, Angelo Centrone, who was an all region this year and can be expected to exceed this next season.”
Q: What is one team goal you have for next season, and what is one personal one?
A: “One team goal would be to win a national team title next season. One of my personal goals is to be an All American next season.”
Q: How do you feel about going into your last wrestling season?
A: “I feel sad knowing how close I am to being done with a sport I love so much. However, I look forward to starting my career of coaching and training in MMA and BJJ.”