Ex-Kiski Area, Penn State wrestler Matt McCutcheon starts new chapter at Life University
| Wednesday, May 30, 2018, 11:15 p.m.
Tribune-Review
Matt McCutcheon wrestled for the winningest coach in WPIAL history and the most dominant NCAA program of the past decade.
It's fair to say he picked up a valuable lesson or two in that time, and now he will look to pass on what he learned as he begins a coaching career of his own.
McCutcheon, one of the most successful Kiski Area wrestlers in school history and a multi-year starter at Penn State, will take on a new role after getting hired as a graduate assistant under coach Omi Acosta at Life University (Ga.). He will begin work there in October as he begins his first year of graduate school.
“I think (Acosta is) excited, and I'm excited to learn from him and see how a different program works and how a different coach thinks,” McCutcheon said. “Hopefully I can bring some of Penn State wrestling over to their school and help them out a little bit, too. It should be fun. I'm excited. It's another opportunity to learn.”
He believes he has some knowledge to impart to the Life program, which began in 2012. McCutcheon became the first PIAA champion wrestler in Kiski Area history in 2012 and was runner-up in 2013, finishing his career with a 158-14 record. Then he went to Penn State, where he compiled a 67-31 record in five years, made three individual trips to the NCAA tournament and was part of four national championship teams.
Along the way he wrestled for Chuck Tursky, the only WPIAL coach to amass 500 victories, at Kiski Area, and Cael Sanderson, a former NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist wrestler who has led Penn State to seven national titles in the past eight seasons.
Life competes in the NAIA, and Nosomy Pozo became the Running Eagles' first national champion in March.
“(I hope to) just help them figure out and get the right mindset when they're going in to these type of things,” McCutcheon said. “I think a lot of the Division I level is one, believing you can, and then putting in the work after that. Some people don't have the right mindset, and I think that's one thing I'll be able to help them out. Coach Cael helped me out tremendously.
“I want to keep a positive environment over there. I think that's another reason Penn State does so well. Every opportunity they get to compete is a blessing. They're excited to go out and have fun, where other teams are kind of nervous, thinking about what will happen if they lose or things like that.”
A positive attitude helped McCutcheon overcome a difficult-at-times redshirt senior season at Penn State. He suffered a torn labrum while competing at the Southern Scuffle in January, and the injury ultimately ended his season.
“I was happy (with my career),” McCutcheon said. “I'm definitely very fortunate to get to start at times. I learned a lot from the guys, I learned a lot from the coaches. Those are like my second and third dad. They took care of me. Obviously I wanted to compete more on an individual aspect, but going for that team, I wouldn't have it any other way.”
McCutcheon also ended up joining the Nittany Lions' baseball program in the spring and despite not getting cleared until late, managed to find work as the bullpen and even got a pair of plate appearances — although no hits.
“(The injury) kind of stunk, but I still had a fun year the way it ended,” he said.
After graduating with a degree in kinesiology, McCutcheon received a $7,500 postgraduate scholarship from the Big Ten, one of 28 student-athletes in the conference to receive one — two from each member school. He plans to pursue a career as a chiropractor.
Before going to Life in the fall, McCutcheon said he planned to help at several wrestling camps over the summer, including one at Kiski Area and one in Georgia, about an hour away from his future home at Life.
“I eventually want to coach, but once I'm out of school,” he said. “I didn't think I'd be coaching in school, but the opportunity of working with coach Acosta ... I'm just excited to start my coaching career off and maybe get some experience before I come back to school and either open up a club or take over a high school program.”
http://triblive.com/sports/college/...er-matt-mccutcheon-starts-new-chapter-at-life
| Wednesday, May 30, 2018, 11:15 p.m.
Tribune-Review
Matt McCutcheon wrestled for the winningest coach in WPIAL history and the most dominant NCAA program of the past decade.
It's fair to say he picked up a valuable lesson or two in that time, and now he will look to pass on what he learned as he begins a coaching career of his own.
McCutcheon, one of the most successful Kiski Area wrestlers in school history and a multi-year starter at Penn State, will take on a new role after getting hired as a graduate assistant under coach Omi Acosta at Life University (Ga.). He will begin work there in October as he begins his first year of graduate school.
“I think (Acosta is) excited, and I'm excited to learn from him and see how a different program works and how a different coach thinks,” McCutcheon said. “Hopefully I can bring some of Penn State wrestling over to their school and help them out a little bit, too. It should be fun. I'm excited. It's another opportunity to learn.”
He believes he has some knowledge to impart to the Life program, which began in 2012. McCutcheon became the first PIAA champion wrestler in Kiski Area history in 2012 and was runner-up in 2013, finishing his career with a 158-14 record. Then he went to Penn State, where he compiled a 67-31 record in five years, made three individual trips to the NCAA tournament and was part of four national championship teams.
Along the way he wrestled for Chuck Tursky, the only WPIAL coach to amass 500 victories, at Kiski Area, and Cael Sanderson, a former NCAA champion and Olympic gold medalist wrestler who has led Penn State to seven national titles in the past eight seasons.
Life competes in the NAIA, and Nosomy Pozo became the Running Eagles' first national champion in March.
“(I hope to) just help them figure out and get the right mindset when they're going in to these type of things,” McCutcheon said. “I think a lot of the Division I level is one, believing you can, and then putting in the work after that. Some people don't have the right mindset, and I think that's one thing I'll be able to help them out. Coach Cael helped me out tremendously.
“I want to keep a positive environment over there. I think that's another reason Penn State does so well. Every opportunity they get to compete is a blessing. They're excited to go out and have fun, where other teams are kind of nervous, thinking about what will happen if they lose or things like that.”
A positive attitude helped McCutcheon overcome a difficult-at-times redshirt senior season at Penn State. He suffered a torn labrum while competing at the Southern Scuffle in January, and the injury ultimately ended his season.
“I was happy (with my career),” McCutcheon said. “I'm definitely very fortunate to get to start at times. I learned a lot from the guys, I learned a lot from the coaches. Those are like my second and third dad. They took care of me. Obviously I wanted to compete more on an individual aspect, but going for that team, I wouldn't have it any other way.”
McCutcheon also ended up joining the Nittany Lions' baseball program in the spring and despite not getting cleared until late, managed to find work as the bullpen and even got a pair of plate appearances — although no hits.
“(The injury) kind of stunk, but I still had a fun year the way it ended,” he said.
After graduating with a degree in kinesiology, McCutcheon received a $7,500 postgraduate scholarship from the Big Ten, one of 28 student-athletes in the conference to receive one — two from each member school. He plans to pursue a career as a chiropractor.
Before going to Life in the fall, McCutcheon said he planned to help at several wrestling camps over the summer, including one at Kiski Area and one in Georgia, about an hour away from his future home at Life.
“I eventually want to coach, but once I'm out of school,” he said. “I didn't think I'd be coaching in school, but the opportunity of working with coach Acosta ... I'm just excited to start my coaching career off and maybe get some experience before I come back to school and either open up a club or take over a high school program.”
http://triblive.com/sports/college/...er-matt-mccutcheon-starts-new-chapter-at-life
