So far in the 2014 season, Junior Tommy Gantt is 23-6 overall wrestling in the 157 weight class, including a 9-1 record in duals. The wrestler from Cahokia, Ill. finished third in the Atlantic Coast Conference championships in 2013 and was invited to the United States World Team Trials during the past summer.
The Technician got a chance to speak with Gantt about his career with the Pack and what he expects from himself and his team going forward.
Technician: You were born and raised in an Illinois suburb of Saint Louis [Cahokia]. How did you end up at State?
Gantt: It was my senior year before the regional tournament. I got a call from Coach Carter Jordan, the coach before [current State head coach] Pat Popolizio, and he brought me in on a recruiting visit. I came down to Raleigh and liked it.
Q: How did you first get into wrestling?
A: It’s a funny story, actually. I thought it was WWE wrestling in middle school when I signed up for it. Then I went to the meeting, and there was a coach by the name of Byron. When he told me it wasn’t WWE, I was shocked. He said, ‘Man, you got the wrong wrestling. This is real wrestling.’ I came back the next day, and I ended up liking it and got good at it.
Q: During the summer, you finished second in the ASICS Junior Nationals and saw some good competition at the World Team Trials. How do you think those experiences helped you improve on the mat?
A: They helped me improve a lot more on my feet because in freestyle. You can’t really scramble as much as you do in collegiate wrestling. You have got to tie your loose ends right and finish your takedowns, so you don’t give up any freestyle points. Plus, you have got to be real solid on bottom, so that really helped me out a lot transitioning back into collegiate wrestling.
Q: You have switched weight quite a bit in your career. How is 157 lbs. treating you?
A: It’s great, man. I don’t even cut a lot of weight. I mean I get up to about five [pounds] over, and that’s pretty easy because you lose about four or five pounds in practice. This is probably the best fit for me. I think I’ll be finishing out my college career at 157, but we’ll see.
Q: Right now, you’re 23-6, and you’ve gotten a nice win over a ranked opponent [No.19 freshman Austin Matthews of Clarion]. How do you feel about you season so far and going forward from an individual standpoint?
A: I think I’ve been on track to reach my goals this year. I’ve had a couple guys that I think I should’ve beat that I lost to. At the end of the day, it all comes down to Nationals though, so hopefully I can make it happen.
Q: What did it mean to be named captain of your team as a junior?
A: It was really special. In the preseason workouts, all the younger guys looked up to me and asked for advice because I’ve been around for a little bit. I felt like I could help them, lead them and get the program where we need to be, maybe top 10 in the country.
Q: What do you think the team’s outlook is for the rest of the season?
A: I would like to see us qualify at least six or seven guys in Nationals and place top-three in the ACC, and [for] me myself, win it.
Q: How much has your family’s support helped you achieve what you have today?
A: A tremendous amount. The support from my mom, dad, everybody keeps me wanting to strive to achieve my goals in everything. My mom’s a real big supporter, my biggest fan.