After becoming the first male All-American athlete in UB's Division I era, breaking the school's single season record for wins, tying the school record for takedowns and going undefeated in conference meets in 2003-2004, it is an understatement to say 197-pound wrestler Kyle Cerminara had a landmark year.
"It was a good year, obviously," Cerminara said. "We had three good wrestlers and had a really good tournament. We fed off of each other."
Most people expected that Cerminara would head full-steam into his final season. However, to the surprise of many outside of the collegiate wrestling community, "The Homeboy" opted to take the year off and red shirt for what would have been his final season.
Cerminara's decision was enacted with both his and the team's best interests in mind.
"There are a few reasons, primarily that it was best for me to have the best chance to win the nationals and a title," Cerminara said. "Being in last year's lineup wouldn't have helped a lot but this team will be a lot better in the lineup. This year's team is solid. It was the best for the team and my personal goals."
He added that the timing was just right for him to use his red shirt option.
"Most people red shirt their freshman year, but I wrestled as a true freshman," Cerminara said. "With my situation, the weight class cleared out. It turned out to be the best for me academically and athletically to red shirt the year."
A year off may sound like a relaxing time. However, Cerminara wasn't sitting on his couch, eating chips and watching re-runs of "Friends."
The senior wrestled in a variety of open tournaments while staying in shape at team practices. He finished 6-0, including wins at both the UB Open and the Niagara Open. His success eventually led him to wrestle at the U.S. Nationals where he placed fifth, the highest placing for an NCAA competitor in his weight division.
"Most of the year was the same as the rest of the team's," Cerminara said. "I went to some open tournaments but missed a few in the beginning because of an injury. A big difference was after the season it was extended. The National and International tournaments were the biggest difference because it went non-stop into July. I also finally saw top competition. I went to Vegas, Wyoming and Iowa."
Top-flight competition in the off-season continued for Cerminara when he wrestled at the U.S. World Team Trials and came in sixth place. As well as facing some of the best wrestlers the country has to offer, Cerminara was also able to work with first-year assistant coach Jeff Catrabone.
"It was great," Cerminara said. "It was the first tournament that I trained a lot with Coach Catrabone. We trained two months after the U.S. Open. It was nice to figure out how he trains and for him to figure out how I wrestle. I beat some very good guys. Every single one was a good guy. I really think I improved a lot."
Cerminara believes the experience he has gained by wrestling some of the best competition in the world will develop him as to an impact player within his weight bracket this year.
"It's going to help me this year because I wrestled other Olympic guys and world medalists," he said. "It put things into perspective. I wrestled an extra 40 matches and that just makes me more comfortable on the mat. It won't let other things rattle me. Big tournaments won't be as big a deal. The extra free-style seasoned me. It matured me as a wrestler."
So far this season, Cerminara has demonstrated this ability rather well. Heading into this Saturday's quad-meet, Cerminara has already captured two individual tournament championships at the Slippery Rock Open and the Oklahoma Gold championship, compiling an 8-0 record in the process.
In addition to shaking up the competition, Cerminara is shaking up the record books as well. He recently became only the third wrestler in school history to reach the century mark in career wins and is only seven wins away from surpassing Gary Cooper's school record of 113.
"The Homeboy" will lead the Bulls in their first home meet of the season as they face Bloomsburg, Findlay and Gardner-Webb in Alumni Arena, Saturday at 4 p.m.
