Matt Meiselman
WrestlingWould you rather win by pinning your opponent or by points?
I’d rather pin my opponent; it’s six team points and you get to walk off the mat early, and that’s always nice.
What is your favorite wrestling move?
Without question my favorite move is the reverse crusher. It got me a ridiculous amount of first-period pins in high school and it’s probably the sweetest looking move there is.
What has been your biggest accomplishment so far this season?
At the beginning of the season, I broke my toe in the first period of a match at the MSOE invitational. When I took my injury time, my coach, Dave Novickis, told me in a few choice words that it didn’t matter to him whether my toe was on or off, I was going to finish the match. I went back in there and scored a quick five points, and then ended up winning 15-7. Three months later and my toe is still swollen, but I’ll never forget the look on that kid’s face when I got my hand raised.
What are your thoughts about the discontinuation of the wrestling program at Lawrence after this season?
It’s pretty rough accepting that I’m getting cheated out of my senior year of college wrestling, and as far as I know, there’s still a little hope for a program next year, so I’ll just leave it at “it sucks.”
What has been the most memorable team moment since you have been a part of the program?
I could go with when we took the private colleges title home my freshman year, but a more honest answer would be that time Sam Laes body checked John Buntrock into the wall in perfect synchronicity with the “crash” of the song “Crash Into Me” by Dave Matthews Band. It was epically hilarious.
Marva Goodson
Women’s Indoor Track
What is your favorite event in track?
My favorite track event is the long jump. Although this is my best event, I appreciate it mostly for the inexpressible pleasure I receive midair when I know I’ve executed a great jump.
What do you hope to accomplish during the indoor track season?
With the completion of the indoor track season, I first and foremost hope to improve as an athlete. Becoming an All-American this season in long jump is a secondary goal that I have been putting a lot of work into as well.
What is your usual pre-race warm-up routine? Is there any particular reason for this routine?
My pre-race warm-up routine usually consists of a short jog, stretching, high knees and a series of accelerations. For the most part I just try to avoid getting too nervous.
How is the team dynamic this year under the supervision of a new coach?
The coaches are GREAT!!!! All of them contribute in very different ways, but together are helping us improve as individuals as well as athletes. Although I have only been here for a short period of time, the bond between the athletes on our team is no mystery. Everyone helps each other out and spends time together on and off the track.
Who is your all-time favorite professional runner?
Marion Jones will always be my favorite. I remember looking at photos of her long jumping in disbelief when I was in high school.