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NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPSMarch 22, 2013Robert HamlinDES MOINSE, IOWA THE MODERATOR: Robert Hamlin of Lehigh, 27‑3 on the year. For people that watched it through the half darkness, tell us about your match. ROBERT HAMLIN: Wrestled him a few times this year. Going through the match I knew I was going to have a takedown early. Did my best to get the offense going. Went over different positions with my coaches. Prepared me for the match. The second hurdle was to get off bottom. He's a beast on top. I was trying to catch the leg and throw it in and step behind. I was able to do that. Got into a scramble and was able to escape and that was pretty much the match. Q. Two years ago when you were in the finals, can you talk about how much your life changed after that? Did you have to change the way you wrestled. People maybe didn't wrestle you as hard? ROBERT HAMLIN: There was definitely some adjustment. After being in the finals I wasn't really a big name or anything until that point, I guess. I wasn't very‑‑ a big recruited wrestler and didn't have a great first year. After that, guys were trying to keep it close and maybe sneak a takedown and maybe ride it out. That can be frustrating. I want to go out and wrestle. That's just part of the game. Everybody has to do what they have to do to win, so I can't fault them for that. Otherwise, I just try to keep doing the same stuff. If they're not going to wrestle, get a stall call, I can't get to a leg. Q. When you wrestled Ed Ruth in the dual meet in November, he got out to a big lead and you came roaring back and made it a close match. What did you learn from that match that's going to help you in the final tomorrow night? ROBERT HAMLIN: Well, that he's human and he's a monster, a great wrestler, and he's extremely strong and fast. It was good to get a feel to wrestle him, so I'm not going into this match with no idea what to expect. But every match is different. I can't expect it to be the same as the last match we wrestled. I'm sure he's made adjustments. I know I've made adjustments. So, I don't know. I'm just excited. Q. People think that Ed Ruth is the most secure lock at the National title this year. How do you get yourself ready and prepared to go into that match? ROBERT HAMLIN: I know a lot of people are saying he's unbeatable, and he has had a great season. He's earned that representation. I don't know. I've gotten a takedown on him before. I know it's possible and I've stopped a few of his shots before, not as many as I would have liked. But I'm going to go out and wrestle my hardest. That's all I can do. Leave it on the mat. If I win, I win. If I don't, that's the way it is. Q. Lehigh is an academic school and to be able to compete at the level you are, how do you find the time to be both a good student and a finalist in the NCAA for the second time? ROBERT HAMLIN: Lehigh has been really great as far as classes go. I'm in material science and engineering which is a small department at Lehigh so there is a family feel to it. I know all my classmates well and my professors really well and that definitely helps a lot, just a great atmosphere. I can talk to my professors anytime. I had a lot of help. My coaches do a great job of keeping us honest as far as academics go, and I realize there isn't a lot for me to do in wrestling after my next match. So I'm going to have to do something with my life and I found something I enjoy. So it's not really work. It's kinda fun. Q. I know you suffered a bit of a hip pointer injury a couple of weeks ago. Have you worked that out? Did that slow your preparation down for the NCAAÂ’s at all? ROBERT HAMLIN: I think it was a blessing in disguise, honestly. Our sports medicine staff did a great job and it was a little scary at the Eastern Tournament. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to perform my best at this tournament, but they took great care of me, got me better and I came into this tournament rested. I think it might have been a blessing in disguise. It was frustrating at the time and I spent a lot of time after the mat, it was driving me nuts, pulling my hair out. But I'm back, and I'm back in the finals. So that's‑‑ I would say they did a good job fixing me up. THE MODERATOR: Robert, congratulations. Good luck in the final. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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