TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

On February 5, you beat the 16th-ranked wrestler in the nation, Central Michigan’s Alex Lammars, 7-2. After watching a lot of your teammates fall to similarly nationally-ranked opponents, how did you manage to keep yourself up and ready for that match?
I just got ready like it was a regular match. I just went out there and wrestled like it was anyone else.

You’re 9-5 in 2005, having finished in third place at the New York State Championships and having also won four dual meet matches. What are some things that have happened to help you get on this roll?
I’ve been just making sure everything is in-line and playing all my cards right. I keep concentrating and working hard. I haven’t been getting stressed if I lose.

With a team that features no seniors in the starting lineup and four freshmen who have regularly started, obviously this team has experienced some stumbling blocks this season. Going into Thursday night’s final dual meet, what needs to happen for you to beat Slippery Rock?
We just have to keep working hard and hopefully, things will fall our way. This might be a team that we can get a win on.

This year’s schedule has been more difficult than ever, as the Bulls had to travel to the prestigious Las Vegas Invitational and the Virginia Duals. What did you learn from facing off against some of the best wrestlers in the nation?
I learned a lot of my weaknesses and a lot of my strengths, what I need to improve on and what I need to keep doing. I learned I need to just keep working hard until the end of the year.

After struggling through the first half of the year, how rewarding is it to have a 22-15 overall record and more importantly, a 3-1 conference mark which could bode very well when it comes time to earn a national qualifier?
Very important. I have a good record going into the final tournaments, helping to get a good seed. Hopefully, the tournaments go your way.

Last year, Kyle Cerminara became the first UB Division I wrestling All-American. This year, he is redshirting to prepare for a national title run next year and Harold Sherrell has replaced him in the lineup. How nice is it to see the success Sherrell has had this year, a guy you work with every day, to go out and even earn a national ranking, No. 29 in Intermat’s poll?
That shows what happens if you just keep working hard. Harold was able to learn off Kyle and feed off Kyle’s success. He’s seen some success of his own because of his hard work.

On the way into the wrestling room at UB, there is a sign that says: “Do not enter this room unless you are mentally prepared to pay the price it takes to get to the NCAA Tournament, be an All-American and win a National Championship.” Does that sign motivate you?
After every practice, you look at that sign, and you really ask yourself, ‘Have I done what it takes? Have I done what I need to do to try to win the national title?’ With that there, it helps you keep things in perspective.

After winning a sectional title during your senior year of high school, what made you decide UB was where you wanted to continue your wrestling career?
UB was close, but not too close. It has good academic programs. I was friends with Coach Beichner and an up-and-coming wrestling team.

You wrestled in high school under your father, Dan Hicks, at Chautauqua Lake. What was it like being coached by your dad?
It had a lot of ups and downs. I was able to extend the wrestling relationship beyond the wrestling room and I feel that helped me more than just a regular coach. I wouldn’t be able to constantly learn without him.

What has been your favorite moment as a student-athlete at the University at Buffalo?
I think we finally registered as a good team when Kyle became an All-American (in 2004). (It’s my favorite moment because) he’s a guy I always work out with throughout the year and during the summer. I’m really close to him.