Pinning down the future
With one phone call Red Lion wrestler Eric Albright accepted a scholarship and fulfilled a dream.
By DAN CONNOLLY
Daily Record/Sunday News
Troy Sunderland’s phone rang once. Twice. Three times.
Eric Albright looked up from his cell phone-turned-speakerphone and smiled at those stuffed inside the trainer’s room at Red Lion High School Friday afternoon.
“Watch him not pick up,” Albright said with a nervous laugh.
A fourth ring. No answer.
Albright, Red Lion’s standout senior wrestler, breathed deeply. For nearly three months, he has struggled with this decision. Yet he never thought he’d feel this much anxiety.
Then again, this is the stuff of dreams for a York County wrestler ” calling Penn State University’s head coach, accepting a scholarship.
But Sunderland wasn’t answering.
The phone rang for the fifth time. A voice followed.
“I’m sorry I can’t get the phone right now, leave a message . . . .”
Albright grimaced, disconnected and called again. More nervous laughter. His teammates threw some digs his way.
“Maybe they don’t want you there,” Red Lion’s 171-pounder Kevin Baughman said. “Go to West Virginia.”
“Now, call Pitt,” Brandon Barnes, the Red Lion heavyweight joked.
A minute later, Sunderland was on the phone, apologizing for missing the calls. After some small talk, Albright announced he was accepting Penn State’s partial scholarship offer.
The commitment won’t become binding until mid-April, but Albright doesn’t expect to change his mind. He wanted this dance to end.
“Awesome, awesome,” Sunderland said after hearing the news. “I’m looking forward to working with you.”
* * *
Since November, Albright’s had a short list of college choices.
The University of Pittsburgh topped it. The University of Pennsylvania was in the mix, too. West Virginia University had crept in.
And there were plenty of letters from smaller, less competitive schools hoping to lure him away from the bigger boys. At least one Division I state school had dangled a full scholarship ” a rarity in collegiate wrestling.
Deep down, though, he was holding out. Because, written in pencil atop his short list, was Penn State.
No longer a perennial Top Five program, the Lions are still formidable. They are ranked 19th in this week’s USA Today/coaches poll and had two national runners-up last season. And they wrestle in the Big Ten, which currently boasts nine teams in the nation’s Top 20.
“A Pennsylvania kid wants to go to Penn State,” said Albright’s father, Todd, matter-of-factly.
Problem was the Nittany Lions had showed only passing interest in the Red Lion 125-pounder. As good as he might be someday, Albright’s career credentials are ordinary. He’s a three-time state qualifier, but he’s never placed in the top six at the state tournament. He’s never won a district crown, either.
Meanwhile, the Lions already had signed a state champion, Clearfield High senior Brad Pataky, as their future 125-pounder.
But Penn State likely wants Pataky to redshirt in 2005-06 so he can improve his strength. And since their current 125-pound starter is graduating, “we’re looking to fill that hole,” Sunderland said.
Albright likely will wrestle at 125 next season, redshirt while bulking up the following year and then move to a more natural 133 pounds in 2007-08. He felt he’d be the perfect fit for the Lions.
He just needed this winter to convince Penn State.
“I haven’t peaked yet, I haven’t reached my goals,” Albright said. “With Penn State, in that wrestling room with those coaches, they can turn me into something.”
* * *
Don’t be fooled by Albright’s partial scholarship, which will pick up between 20 to 30 percent of his college tuition.
It’s fairly typical in collegiate wrestling, where Division I schools have 9.9 scholarships to spread out over 30-plus athletes. In comparison, football is allowed 85 scholarships per team.
Albright could have received at least 35 percent, maybe even a half ride, from Pitt, his father said. And then there was that potential full scholarship at the smaller school.
But once Penn State showed serious interest in late December ” about the time top assistant John Hughes traveled to suburban Pittsburgh specifically to watch the Red Lion wrestler as he won the prestigious Powerade tournament” Albright was hooked.
“With most kids, that’s the school you look at and you are, like, ‘If I could just go there and wrestle for Penn State or play football for Penn State.'” Albright said. “To actually be committed and be going there is pretty crazy.”
Albright’s been to Penn State’s youth wrestling camps. His coach, Biff Walizer, is a former Penn State All American. And Albright loved the school and clicked with future teammates during an official visit two weekends ago. While there, he watched the Lions beat Pitt and West Virginia, his two other finalists.
So when Sunderland and Hughes came to York on a snowy day last week to have dinner with Albright and his family, the foundation was set. They cemented the deal this week, when Albright received a two-page, hand-written letter signed by Penn State’s entire wrestling staff.
“They sent personalized letters, not ones stamped by a secretary . . .,” Todd Albright said. “They are great salesmen.”
As a vice president of an electrical contracting company, Todd Albright understands negotiating. He wanted the best financial deal for his son, and felt maybe the decision should be shelved in case more scholarship money came rolling in from Penn State or another school.
But his son didn’t want the decision looming while he makes his last run at a state medal in March. He was tired of the courting, the pressure. Besides, his mind was made up. So his dad relented.
“It’s kind of hard to negotiate when I’m negotiating with my son’s feelings,” Todd Albright said. “I have to take in consideration what Eric wants.”
After living the recruiting game, what Albright wants is Penn State.
Reach Dan Connolly at 771-2062 or [email protected].
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