PROFILE: Mason Beckman ’15

MAJOR Supply Chain Management

HOMETOWN Transfer, Pa.

HONORS Wrestling at 133 points last season, Beckman finished with a record of 32-9 and a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. He was named both an All-American and an Academic All-American.

HOW I GOT STARTED IN WRESTLING “I was born in to the sport of wrestling in a lot of ways. My father was a coach and my older brother started wrestling at age 6 or 7, so it was always in the cards. I would tag along to practice with those two when I was only 4 or 5 years old and learn a little bit each night, and before long, I was doing full practices and starting a wrestling career of my own.”

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT WRESTLING “It's a sport that pushes a person and reveals who they truly are. Above all, I think I love the fact that wrestling is a sport that anyone can succeed in if they are willing to learn and adapt. There is no required body type or level of athleticism necessary to win at the highest level, which is extremely unique for a collegiate sport.”

WHAT I DON'T LOVE ABOUT IT “There's nothing I would say that I absolutely hate about our sport, but it does take a toll on your mind and body after a while. Waking up sore all the time can get old!”

BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT “Being named an Academic All-American last season was easily the biggest achievement of my career. As a program, we take a lot of pride in being student-athletes and succeeding in the classroom as well as on the mat and to be able to practice what is preached to us meant a lot to me. None of that would have been possible without my teammates, coaches, and family though. They all pushed me in the right direction and picked me up when I was down. In reality, they are the ones that deserve the majority of the credit.”

IF I DIDN'T WRESTLE, THE SPORT I WOULD PLAY IS … “I don't have a very good answer to this question because I have yet to find another sport that I can play. Being 5'4" and an average athlete doesn't lend itself well to many sports, but if I had to choose I would say ice hockey.”

MY FAVORITE ATHLETE IN ANOTHER SPORT IS “Andrew McCutcheon of the Pittsburgh Pirates or Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona.”

MY HEROES ARE “My brother, my father, any man or woman who has served and fought to defend our country, and the Lord.”

MY LEADERSHIP STYLE IS… “I try to be as positive as possible and to always push my teammates in the right direction when they seem to need it. I make myself as available as possible and try to set a good example. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Nathaniel Brown, who is the other captain of our team. He is a phenomenal leader and teammate who I learn from on a daily basis."

GOALS THIS SEASON “To get better every day and push my teammates to be the best team that we can be. If we continue to improve the way that we have been all summer, we can be a Top 8 team in the country and have a number of people who can and should be All-Americans and compete to win a national title, myself included.”

 

Photo by Steve Boyle