Terrapins 125-pound wrestler Michael Beck was engaged in a tight match in the third period against Rider’s Zach Valcare on Saturday.
But in an instant, the bout’s complexion changed.
Beck snapped Valcare’s body downward onto the mat and peeked over toward an animated Terps bench. He then swung to his left, positioning himself on top of his Broncs opponent, and gained hip position to secure the two-point takedown.
The takedown secured Beck’s 5-1 victory in the closing moments of the third period and marked his second straight dual win after struggling earlier in the season.
“It’s been a while since we got back-to-back wins at 125 [pounds], so for him to start us off that way was great,” coach Kerry McCoy said. “He’s starting to give himself that chance. He’s going to continue to grow as time goes on.”
On Feb. 14, Beck pinned George Mason’s Bill Prochniewski to pick up his first dual win of the season. This triumph came after the Ellicott City native endured a seven-match losing streak spanning more than a month.
And with two straight victories, Beck’s attitude has changed, too.
“Feels great getting the past two and getting on a roll,” Beck said. “It definitely helps your mindset. You feel a lot better about the work you’re putting in because you see it paying off.”
Beck first suffered a high right ankle sprain early in the season, delaying his season debut until the Nittany Lion Open on Dec. 6. Once he returned, though, Beck continued to get nicked up with suffered knee injuries and other bruises.
Now nearing 100 percent, Beck has replaced 125-pound Jhared Simmons, who began the season but has lost two of his seven dual-meet matches.
McCoy also believes that Beck’s previous experiences have helped him with his collegiate wrestling. In high school, Beck qualified as a FILA Junior Nationals finalist in both wrestling disciplines, freestyle and Greco-Roman, and finished his international career representing the United States at the Junior Pan Am Games.
“In under-over positions and upper-body positions, I think I’m a lot more comfortable than a lot of guys because of that experience,” Beck said. “Keeping your hips down facing the mat, that’s what international styles teach us.”
McCoy said the redshirt freshman has developed consistently through practice and hard work. This past week, Beck practiced twice against 133-pound Geoffrey Alexander, a team captain and the No. 10 wrestler in his weight class.
Despite the disparity in ranking, Alexander believes the grappling and scrambles have paid off for his younger teammate.
“He’s getting better,” Alexander said. “Maybe it didn’t help, but maybe it did help. Honestly, I can see that I helped him a little bit this week and help him finish off strong.”
With the regular season over, Beck will now prepare for the Big Ten Championships in early March. While he certainly won’t be one of the top seeds, Beck watched the tournament last season and has taken note for this campaign.
Now, he’ll attempt to make the most of his opportunity.
“I won’t be one of the top seeds, so I’ve just got to let it fly,” Beck said. “Get a couple upsets and keep it rolling. I’ve got nothing to lose out there. Hopefully get some big wins and some big upsets.”
