North Carolina State University Athletics
Speno Uses Redshirt Season to Set Up Final Campaign
4/14/2016 9:19:00 AM | Wrestling
RALEIGH, N.C. - An NCAA Qualifier in each of his first two seasons, Sam Speno was well onto his way to a third straight trip to the NCAA Championships when he got sick and was forced out of the lineup for a month in January of 2015.
During that summer, Speno and the NC State coaches made the decision to redshirt Speno this past season, setting him up for one last college season after a year of training.
GoPack.com recently caught up with Speno for an offseason Q&A.
Q: Going back to the 2015 season. You were ranked in the top-20 all season at 141 pounds, then got sick in February and missed a month of action. What kind of experience was that to go through?
Speno: Having mono towards the end of that season defiantly derailed my season. It threw me off, and didn't end up to well for me. I felt like I was having a decent year, but then just fell off at the end with that. It's just something that happened, that I couldn't control. I came back at the end, wrestling up at 149 pounds, but I didn't accomplish my goals.
Q: After that junior season, you decided to redshirt this past year, which would of been your senior season. What was that decision like to redshirt in 2015-16?
Speno: After last season, the coaches brought up the idea to me about redshirting this past year. To be honest, I have always been thinking about it, because it is a pretty common thing to do during your career and since I got here I've just wrestled a normal season. I thought it would be a great idea, especially if I was going to make the move up to 149 pounds. It gave me a year to get bigger and finishing off my shots, and improving my mat skills from on bottom.
Q: Tommy Gantt was in the exact situation as you, taking a redshirt after his junior season. Do you use his success this past season (All-American and ACC Champion at 157 pounds) as an example of the benefits of redshirting this late in your career?
Speno: Tommy's season was a great example and motivator for me this past season. He has always been a hard worker and really tough and consistent, and I got to see how he kept focused in redshirting before his senior year. He was a great example of watching how he practiced, knowing he wasn't in our lineup that season. It did provide me motivation to do it just as well as he did.
Q: What weight do you see yourself for next season?
Speno: 149 is the goal to be at for next year. I've been lifting a lot more, trying to get bigger. Coming out of high school I was at 126, and my first year here at 133 was a tough cut for me. I then bumped up to 141 for the next two years. This year as a redshirt, I started at 141 through the four tournaments, and then finished at 149 so I wouldn't have to do the weight cut.
Q: What are the advantages of moving up to 149 pounds?
Speno: At 149 pounds I'm not going to have to go to practice and worry about how much weight I have to lose, I can just go and focus on techniques and get better and stronger.
Q: How well on the mat, did your redshirt season go?
Speno: I got a good amount of matches in this year. The goal was to get 30 matches, and we fell a bit short because one tournament got cancelled. I did get to work on a lot of things because I wasn't weighing in as many times or traveling as much. So I got to be in the practice room a lot more and work on stuff. It was very beneficial, and hopefully we will get to see that next year.
Q: The team enjoyed one of its best seasons in school history this season. Was it hard not being in the lineup?
Speno: Of course it was a great feeling for this team to have the success that we did, but no actually being out on the mat for matches was a bit tough. It was hard to watch at times, just because you want to be out there with them. We are all a part of that success though, because we are one team working both on and off the mat. It just makes me even that more excited to get out there next year.
Q: The Pack is losing seniors Tommy Gantt and Nick Gwiazdowski, a pair of All-Americans. How do you replace that talent, and what is your role?
Speno: We are still really going to have a strong team, even losing those two guys. We have a lot of national qualifiers coming back that were in the practice room with those guys this past season watching their example. We also have some good freshmen coming in, so I do see us having another really strong team.
Q: What will you be working on this summer, leading up to the preseason?
Speno: I have to work on getting off bottom, and coming up on my shots and finishing. I need to get a bit more explosive off the mat, and work on scoring points.
Q: What is your major?
Speno: I'm majoring in sport management. I have an internship to complete this summer, then one more semester of classes. So I will be graduating in December. It will be an exciting time, especially because I want to accomplish all of my goals and find a good job.
Q: How will it be to compete in a newly renovated Reynolds Coliseum?
Speno: It is going to be great to see, and wrestle in it. Not only the renovations, but also all the new fans we brought in this year, should make for a great home environment.
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During that summer, Speno and the NC State coaches made the decision to redshirt Speno this past season, setting him up for one last college season after a year of training.
GoPack.com recently caught up with Speno for an offseason Q&A.
Q: Going back to the 2015 season. You were ranked in the top-20 all season at 141 pounds, then got sick in February and missed a month of action. What kind of experience was that to go through?
Speno: Having mono towards the end of that season defiantly derailed my season. It threw me off, and didn't end up to well for me. I felt like I was having a decent year, but then just fell off at the end with that. It's just something that happened, that I couldn't control. I came back at the end, wrestling up at 149 pounds, but I didn't accomplish my goals.
Q: After that junior season, you decided to redshirt this past year, which would of been your senior season. What was that decision like to redshirt in 2015-16?
Speno: After last season, the coaches brought up the idea to me about redshirting this past year. To be honest, I have always been thinking about it, because it is a pretty common thing to do during your career and since I got here I've just wrestled a normal season. I thought it would be a great idea, especially if I was going to make the move up to 149 pounds. It gave me a year to get bigger and finishing off my shots, and improving my mat skills from on bottom.
Q: Tommy Gantt was in the exact situation as you, taking a redshirt after his junior season. Do you use his success this past season (All-American and ACC Champion at 157 pounds) as an example of the benefits of redshirting this late in your career?
Speno: Tommy's season was a great example and motivator for me this past season. He has always been a hard worker and really tough and consistent, and I got to see how he kept focused in redshirting before his senior year. He was a great example of watching how he practiced, knowing he wasn't in our lineup that season. It did provide me motivation to do it just as well as he did.
Q: What weight do you see yourself for next season?
Speno: 149 is the goal to be at for next year. I've been lifting a lot more, trying to get bigger. Coming out of high school I was at 126, and my first year here at 133 was a tough cut for me. I then bumped up to 141 for the next two years. This year as a redshirt, I started at 141 through the four tournaments, and then finished at 149 so I wouldn't have to do the weight cut.
Q: What are the advantages of moving up to 149 pounds?
Speno: At 149 pounds I'm not going to have to go to practice and worry about how much weight I have to lose, I can just go and focus on techniques and get better and stronger.
Q: How well on the mat, did your redshirt season go?
Speno: I got a good amount of matches in this year. The goal was to get 30 matches, and we fell a bit short because one tournament got cancelled. I did get to work on a lot of things because I wasn't weighing in as many times or traveling as much. So I got to be in the practice room a lot more and work on stuff. It was very beneficial, and hopefully we will get to see that next year.
Q: The team enjoyed one of its best seasons in school history this season. Was it hard not being in the lineup?
Speno: Of course it was a great feeling for this team to have the success that we did, but no actually being out on the mat for matches was a bit tough. It was hard to watch at times, just because you want to be out there with them. We are all a part of that success though, because we are one team working both on and off the mat. It just makes me even that more excited to get out there next year.
Q: The Pack is losing seniors Tommy Gantt and Nick Gwiazdowski, a pair of All-Americans. How do you replace that talent, and what is your role?
Speno: We are still really going to have a strong team, even losing those two guys. We have a lot of national qualifiers coming back that were in the practice room with those guys this past season watching their example. We also have some good freshmen coming in, so I do see us having another really strong team.
Q: What will you be working on this summer, leading up to the preseason?
Speno: I have to work on getting off bottom, and coming up on my shots and finishing. I need to get a bit more explosive off the mat, and work on scoring points.
Q: What is your major?
Speno: I'm majoring in sport management. I have an internship to complete this summer, then one more semester of classes. So I will be graduating in December. It will be an exciting time, especially because I want to accomplish all of my goals and find a good job.
Q: How will it be to compete in a newly renovated Reynolds Coliseum?
Speno: It is going to be great to see, and wrestle in it. Not only the renovations, but also all the new fans we brought in this year, should make for a great home environment.
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