Cornell's Mack Lewnes (Photo by Patrick Shanahan)

Mack Lewnes' season has gotten off to a remarkable start, winning three tournaments (Body Bar, Reno TOC, and the Southern Scuffle) and earning a top five ranking nationally.  The freshman has only tasted defeat once in his young collegiate career.  The next time Mack and the Cornell team take the mat they will face Iowa at the NWCA National Duals, this weekend.  D1CW recently got to talk to the Annapolis, Maryland native....

D1CW: Mack, you have started the season impressively with three tournament wins, plus a top five ranking.  Is this how you pictured the beginning of your career?

Mack Lewnes: Well you could say that coming into the season I was hoping for the best.  Really, I was just excited to get out and compete.  But so far, I'm happy about the way things have gone here at Cornell.  That includes academics as well, not just wrestling.

D1CW: You spent last year at the Olympic Training Center.  How did that experience benefit you?

ML: Mainly I used it to get bigger and stronger.  It ended up being sort of like a redshirt season.  I also got to wrestle with some phenomenal partners.

D1CW: What have been some of the reasons for you success thus far?

ML: I would have to say our coaching staff.  Coach Koll, along with Cory Cooperman and Damion Hahn have been great.  Also Clint Wattenburg of the Finger Lakes Wrestling Club has been a big help to me.  I also have some great workout partners, Jordan Leen, Steve Anceravage, and Mike Moore all train very hard with me.

D1CW: What were your goals coming into the season and have they changed since you have gotten of to a great start?

ML: Nothing has changed since the beginning of the season.  All along I've wanted to come out and wrestle hard for seven minutes every match.  Really, I want to reach my full potential mentally and physically every time I step on the mat.  So far, I've been able to do this in almost every match.

D1CW: Recently, at the Penn State dual you faced an old high school nemisis Dave Rella.  In your high school days, you two wrestled three one point matches, yet Friday night you won by major decision.  What has been the biggest difference since then...

ML: Well, I have opened up a lot more since then.  I have been wrestling much more aggressive and I have more movement now, compared to what I did in high school.

D1CW: For people that have not seen you wrestle, how would you describe yourself as a wrestler, or your wrestling style?

ML: If I were to sum it up in one year I would say that I'm a scrapper.  I'm just someone who will go hard every match.

D1CW: Coming out of high school, why did you choose to attend Cornell?

ML: It was a very tough decision for me. My brother (Sam) wrestles at Oklahoma State.  I am very close to my brother so it was hard for me to turn them down.  Cornell has a great team and great facilities, which factored into my decision.  Also, Cornell has the best hotel administration program in the nation.  Hotel Administration also includes restraurants.  I would eventually like to own a restaurant like my father does in Annapolis.

D1CW: What is your outlook for Cornell as a team for the rest of the season?

ML: We've got a really good team.  We are young but talented.  The Scuffle really beat us up, we have a couple of shoulder injuries.  These things happen, and I hear they have happened here before, but they are just things that you will have to fight through. But eventually, once we get everyone back we will be very tough.

D1CW: Last question, when and why did you get involved wrestling?

ML: I started wrestling when I was six doing some exhibitions and stuff, but I didn't actually start until I was seven. My dad was a wrestler and then my older brother got into wrestling and I followed him because I look up to him a lot.  It also helped that I lived in Annapolis and there is a lot of interest in wrestling because of the Naval Academy.

D1CW: Thanks Mack!!