Mike Poeta (photo courtesy of IllinoisMatmen.com).Mike Poeta of the University of Illinois is a prime example.
It's not as if Mike is toiling away in total obscurity. But it seems only recently that the Illini 165-pounder has popped up on the radar screens of the wrestling world beyond the Land of Lincoln. So far, much of the buzz has centered on Mike moving up from 157 … and his gutsy performance in the finals at the 2005 Midlands.
Lows and Highs in Highland Park
Mike was introduced to wrestling at age five, participating in the Highland Park Little Giants program in the northern suburbs of Chicago. Both his dad and older brother had been involved in the sport.
Mike was a natural athlete at an early age. "I did it all -- baseball, football, wrestling," says Mike. "By age ten, I decided to focus only on wrestling. I really enjoyed it. I did well in the little kids' tournaments, and got a lot of attention back then."
The first two years of wrestling at Highland Park High presented its own set of challenges. "In my freshman and sophomore years, the high school program was struggling," according to Mike. "My dad helped me to find workout partners beyond Highland Park. After my regular practice at school, he'd drive me up to 45 minutes to work out with someone in another part of the city."
To say that Mike and his parents weren't satisfied with the situation would be an understatement. "We even considered moving."
Despite these challenges, Mike placed third his freshman and sophomore years at the Illinois high school state tournament held at Assembly Hall at the University of Illinois, earning all-state honors. He also was a two-time cadet freestyle national champion.
Mike Poeta won two Illinois state titles (photo courtesy of IllinoisMatmen.com).Mike adds, "They made wrestling fun for me. It was a much better experience all around."
The change helped Mike step up his performance. His last two years of high school, Mike won two Illinois state titles -- the first at 140 pounds, the second at 152 -- becoming a four-time all-state honoree. He finished his high school career with an impressive 175-5 record.
Staying in State
"Even as a kid, I wanted to wrestle in the state of Illinois," says Mike. "I considered Northwestern, but decided that, for me, the University of Illinois was the place to be, athletically and academically."
"We were thrilled to get Mike," says Illini head coach Mark Johnson. "Griff Powell was instrumental in making that happen."
"Mike is as an athletic guy as we have in this program," adds Coach Johnson.
Mike redshirted his first year at Champaign/Urbana. He competed in some open tournaments, racking up a 9-1 record. Among Mike's accomplishments: placing second at the UNI Open, and winning the Missouri Open at 157.
"I had been told 'don't waste your redshirt year' says Mike. "I used my redshirt year to full advantage. I gained great experience and built confidence competing in the (Illini wrestling) room, then worked out a lot this summer. I wanted to compete with the best guys right away this year."
All that preparation seems to be working. As of mid-January, Mike has tallied a 16-3 record.
This record is even more impressive, considering that Mike is a natural 157-pounder who has moved up to compete at 165 for the 2005-2006 season.
Stepping Up a Weight Class
The University of Illinois is blessed with two very talented natural 157 lb wrestlers among its starters. In addition to Mike Poeta, there's the veteran Alex Tirapelle, a senior originally from California who is a two-time Big Ten champ, and twice NCAA All-American. Alex is currently ranked first at 157 by RevWrestling and other major wrestling media organizations.
The decision was made to keep Alex at 157, and move Mike up to 165.
"It was the right decision for the team," says Mike. "I respect the coach's decision."
As Coach Johnson puts it, "Mike handled the 165 move up very well. He's handled it with class."
"Alex and I are great friends," says Mike. "We're in a great situation. Both of us get to wrestle."
Mike seems to have stepped into the role with class -- and a quiet confidence. "I'm still not a 165 yet. Come March, I will be a true 165."
Stepping Into the Spotlight at 2005 Midlands
At the 2005 Midlands tournament held between Christmas and New Year's Eve at Northwestern University, it was Mike Poeta's first appearance on the mats … but definitely not his first time at the event.
"I've gone to the Midlands all my life as a spectator, having grown up not far from Evanston," says Mike. "I've anticipated being in it since high school."
Mike made a believer out of a number of fans… and other wrestlers. The Illini 165-pounder -- ranked ninth in his weight class by RevWrestling.com and other wrestling media -- edged Iowa State All-American Travis Paulson, 5-4 … then earned a 4-2 decision over Northwestern's Will Durkee.
"I felt like I had a home mat advantage," according to Mike. "Lots of family and friends were in the stands."
Mike Poeta was runner-up at the Midlands Championships to fellow Illinois native Nick Baima of Northern Iowa (photo courtesy of IllinoisMatmen.com)Mike took control of the match early on, scoring two takedowns in the first two periods, but Baima scored escape points which brought the score within one point. In the third period, the sixth-ranked UNI junior scored a takedown to force the match into overtime. There was no scoring in the sudden victory period, forcing a second overtime. Baima rode Mike for the first 30-second period; in his period, Mike gave Baima the escape to go for a takedown … and came tantalizingly close with a shot with ten seconds left, but came up short, losing 6-5.
It was one of the most talked-about bouts of the two-day tournament, enhancing Mike's visibility -- and reputation -- in the rest of the wrestling world. What's more, Mike's performance helped the Illini capture their third straight Midlands team title.
The Next Steps…
Right now, Mike is focused on the rest of the season, anticipating matches with Illinois' Big Ten rivals. When asked if he is concentrating on any specific match-ups, Mike answered, "I really don't care who I'm wrestling. I just go out with the idea of getting the win."
Mike is also working hard to achieve success in the classroom. Although he has yet to declare a major, Mike is leaning towards kinesiology. He talked about the challenges of keeping up with his coursework and the demands of being a starting wrestler for a top-ranked program, then said, "I've been given an incredible opportunity. Illinois provides great resources for student-athletes."
Coach Mark Johnson says, "Mike is a good student who puts a lot of effort into whatever he does, athletically and academically."
"I look forward to coaching him throughout his career here at Illinois."
As for the future beyond the Champaign/Urbana campus, Mike says, "I can't see my life beyond wrestling. I am definitely considering a career in coaching."
Right now, that future is far away. In the meantime, wrestling fans can expect to see Mike Poeta continue to step up his performance after stepping up to the challenge of being the Illini's man at 165 pounds.
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