By: Greg Arnold
Staff Writer
Senior James Nicholson wrestled his last official match for Old Dominion in Philadelphia during the NCAA National Championships. One of the best ways to look at his collegiate wrestling career would be to examine some of his achievements. He was the first wrestler in the CAA to win four consecutive CAA Championships. He tied Chris Brown’s mark of 138 career wins for most in Old Dominion history. Nicholson was a three-time All-Academic honoree. He finished the regular season of this year with a perfect 29- 0. And the title he is most proud of, he is a two-time All-American.
Even with all these accomplishments Nicholson was not totally content with his career at Old Dominion. “I wish I had more end of the year accomplishments,” he said. This year at the NCAA Championship, he was one of the few favorites for national champion at his weight class of 125 pounds. Unfortunately he was upset in the second round, losing to Utah Valley senior Ben Kjar by a score of only 2-1.
In the consolation rounds, Nicholson was hoping to do well and still receive a high ranking. To do this, however, he would have to have wrestled four matches against wrestlers ranked in the Top- 12 in one day. Exhausted and sore, he lost the fourth of those matches to Stanford sophomore Ryan Mango. He returned the next day, still a little beaten up, to lose to Oklahoma sophomore Jarrod Patterson. “I was a little disappointed,” he said, “actually not a little, a lot.” He finished his senior year with a ranking of eighth in the nation.
Life after ODU wrestling looks bright for Nicholson. He plans on coming back to help out the wrestling program that has given him so much. “A lot of the guys on the team have a lot of potential,” he said of ODU’s future in wrestling. “It’s just that they’re young, I was there at one time. If I started as a true freshman I would have been in the same boat. We’re going to be a lot better dual team next year.”
One of those he plans on helping will be his brother, sophomore John Nicholson, who was redshirted this season mainly due to a shoulder injury. Nicholson was a part of Nicholson’s favorite moment in his wrestling career. When Nicholson received his first All-American honor in his freshman year, Nicholson slipped past a couple of guards to give his big brother a hug. When Nicholson won his second All-American honor this season, his even younger brother, Joseph Nicholson, managed the same feat.
Throughout Nicholson’s time at ODU, he has come to appreciate all that his Head Coach Steve Martin has done for him and the rest of the team. Nicholson now sees the long hours and hard work Coach Martin puts in to get the best out of his wrestlers. Nicholson said, “He called me at 11 from the office last night.” And despite these hours, Coach Martin never shows the effects of the stress. “It’s not even flipping a switch; he always has a positive attitude.”
Nicholson was joined at the NCAA Championships by two other Monarchs. Senior Kyle Hutter, who wrestled at 133 pounds, won two of his four matches. And senior Joey Metzler lost both of his matches at the 149 pound weight class.
James Nicholson will be a big part of Old Dominion’s athletic history. Despite the current sting of the rough road he went down in the NCAA Championships this year, as two-time All-American and tied for the most wins in ODU history, he has something to be proud of as he graduates and starts a new chapter in his life.
Photo by: Danielle Buxton
