Courtesy of John Harrison
Andy was a rare commodity as a college wrestler: a three time NCAA All-American. He also was a National Espoir Freestyle Champion and a two time EWL Champion. Since his days at Penn State he has become a pilot for United Airlines.
Andy, what have you been doing recently?
In 1989 I attended a civilian flight school, obtaining a commercial rating in 1990; subsequently, I taught primary thru advanced flight students. I landed my first airline job in 1992 with Northwest Airlink and in 1995 I was promoted to Captain and earned an Airline Transport Rating (ATP). 1996 found me getting married to my wife Debra-my most rewarding experience to date. In 1997, I was fortunate enough to be selected as a flight officer for United Airlines where I am currently serving as a DC-10 Second Officer.
What are your best memories from the years you spent as a Penn State wrestler?
In 1988, being part of the first team ever to beat Iowa at Carver-Hawkeye Arena ranks up there. I’ve never heard a Hawkeye postmatch crowd so quiet-it was as if someone had died. It was nice to see this year’s team repeat that performance. I’ve always had fond memories of the family support that I received. My parents may not even know it, but their backing pulled me through many difficult periods.
How has the Penn State wrestling experience impacted your life/career?
It gave me the chance to observe and emulate some of the sport’s most fantastic leaders-Rich Lorenzo, Hachiro Oishi and John Fritz-and develop my own leadership skills as well (Andy was a team captain his senior year). Knowing how to manage people in a constructive and positive manner is invaluable in an airline cockpit-teamwork is essential!
Do you still follow wrestling? How has collegiate wrestling changed since you were a wrestler at Penn State?
Yes, but not as much as I would like to. Aside from the regulatory changes in the sport, today’s wrestler is more highly trained. They have available to them the most updated information on nutrition, weight training, technique, (sports) psychology, etc. Penn State is a leading edge university (with respect to these factors) with a leading edge wrestling program.
Andy, what advice do you have for collegiate wrestlers today?
Do not expect someone to offer you a job based on your wrestling skills. You will have to prove yourself all over again in your next endeavor-even if you plan on coaching. The great thing about the Penn State program is that it can arm you with desirable character traits: perseverance, positive attitude, ability to work as part of a team, leadership ability, dependability, etc. Take these fundamentals with you when you leave and apply them with the same vigor as you did on the mat and you’ll have a tremendous advantage in your professional life. It sounds cliche but it couldn’t be more true.
Thanks Andy!
