James StrouseStrouse, a senior, has never reached the All-American podium at the NCAA Championships. He was a one-time New York state champion (two-time state place-winner) who didn't start wrestling until he was in eighth grade.
But thankfully for Strouse, wrestling matches aren't won and lost on paper … and the senior from Levittown, NY came through with a 4-2 (sudden victory) decision over Schlatter.
"I would have to say that was the biggest win of my wrestling career," said Strouse. "He's an outstanding wrestler. I've watched him in the past. He's really good. I just tried to go out there, keep good position … and thankfully I came out on top. I was pretty happy with the win, but after the match we still had another three duals meets to go that day. And on top of that, its still early in the season, I can't go crazy over one win. I'm going to have so many more close matches and wrestling so many good guys."
More importantly (according to Strouse) was the fact that Hofstra, who is now ranked No. 4 in the country by RevWrestling.com, came out on top in the dual against No. 1 Minnesota, 18-17.
"Beating Minnesota showed that we're working hard and doing the right things," said Strouse. "We're like a big family. Everyone sticks together. We push ourselves the whole time. It makes us really happy to know that all the extra work we put in is paying off. That's why we work hard, so that we can get something in return. But Minnesota has a tough team. They have a bunch of tough guys. They work hard too. They deserve credit. I mean, it was a battle, a war. It was just an honor to be a part of dual meet against a high caliber team like Minnesota. The win boosted our morale a little bit."
Tom Shifflet"It gives him some confidence to beat those guys," said Hofstra coach Tom Shifflet. "A lot of it has to do with James going out with a different mindset when he wrestles, where he's a little more offensive. In the past, once he got the lead, a lot of times he would shut down his wrestling. Now, we're trying to get him to wrestle the whole match, whether he has the lead or not. He seems to be doing really well with that philosophy."
Coming out of high school, Strouse wasn't heavily recruited. He received some letters and calls from The Citadel, American, and a few other schools, but received no interest from any of the major Division I programs. At the urging of former Hofstra coach Tom Ryan, Strouse signed a gentleman's agreement at the midpoint of his senior season to wrestle for Hofstra. Ryan, who is now the head coach at Ohio State, initially offered Strouse a very small scholarship, but later upped it.
"Tom Ryan was one of the biggest influences in wrestling for me," said Strouse. "I met him when I was in ninth grade. He was one of the reasons why I really wanted to do well in wrestling. I kind of idolized him and looked up to him. He was such a great wrestler … and such a nice guy. I always wanted to come to Hofstra. It was like a dream to wrestle for them. Once he offered me a good scholarship, I signed right away."
As a redshirt in 2002-03, Strouse compiled a 5-3 record in open tournaments. The next season, as a freshman, he became Hofstra's starter at 149 pounds. He finished the season with a solid record of 23-12 and finished runner-up at the Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) Championships, but went 1-2 at the NCAA Championships. As a sophomore, Strouse moved up from 149 pounds to 157 pounds, but posted similar numbers. He finished with a 22-12 record, reached the finals of the CAA Championships again, but this time won it over defending champion Dave Miller of Rider. He once again failed to place at the NCAA Championships, going 0-2. Last season, as a junior, it was more of the same: 23-12 record, CAA champion, 1-2 record at the NCAA Championships.
Strouse has steadily climbed the 157-pound rankings this season. He began the season ranked in the 12-15 range by most ranking services. But after solid showings at the Journeymen/Brute Northeast Duals and the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (where he placed fifth), Strouse is now ranked No. 8 in the country by RevWrestling.com.
"Rankings don't really matter to me," said Strouse. "You could have a record of zero and a million going into the national tournament and still win it. It really means nothing. If you look at rankings too much, like, 'This guys is ahead of you, so you're supposed to lose. Therefore, it's OK for you to lose.' That's not a mentality you want to have. It's nice when people are giving you some respect, but you can't look at those things too much or you'll drive yourself crazy."
James Strouse"I would like to see myself on the podium this season, at least top four," said Strouse. "That would put a pretty big smile on my face. But making it to the NCAA finals and winning it, that would be great. I just have to take it one step at a time. I still have so much of a season ahead of me. I don't want to focus on the end right now. I want to focus on right now."
Shifflet believes he possesses the attributes needed to accomplish his goals.
"James is really driven," said Shifflet. "He has a great work ethic. He's willing to do what it takes to get it done. He's constantly working on his weaknesses. He listens and picks up on things. He's a senior and he wants to do the whole thing."
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