Wrestling hunts fifth straight title

Matter's mattter: The drive for a national title On March 9, 1996, 177-pounder Clinton Matter won his first EIWA wrestling title as a senior at Penn. Only moments earlier, younger brother Brett, a Penn freshman wrestling at 142, won his first EIWA title -- his first of three. Clinton captained the Quakers for two years. Brett is now in his second year at that position for the Red and Blue. While Brett may have passed older brother Clinton in EIWA titles, there is one category where he ranks No. 2 in the Matter household. Their father, Andrew, won two NCAA championships for Penn State, in 1971 and '72. The NCAA title is the one goal that has eluded Brett thus far in his Penn career. But for Matter, who finished fifth at Nationals last season, all that may change in his final season. The Delran, N.J., native is now looking to have his first national championship cap off a wrestling career that began way back in the third grade. Growing up in a home with a father who was a national champion and later an assistant coach at Big 10 powerhouse Penn State, it only seemed natural that Brett would become a wrestler. But, as much as wrestling might be part of the family legacy, neither Brett nor brother Clinton was ever pressured to follow in their father's footsteps. "The two of them chose to wrestle on their own, it had nothing to do with us," Matter's mother Rebeca said. "Wrestling was never pushed, they did it out of their love for the sport." That love of competition led Matter to an illustrious high school career at Delran, where he was a two-time state champion, as well as a national finalist and an Academic All-American. When it came time to apply to colleges, Matter had the strength of his wrestling record and his academics to rely on. With his pick of schools -- many offering full athletic scholarships -- Matter once again chose to follow in his family's footsteps. "In addition to Clinton graduating from Wharton, my dad graduated in '39 from the College of Engineering," Andrew Matter said, "and my father-in-law, Peter Earle, is a professor emeritus in the Romance Language Department." The Penn legacy was not the only factor in Matter's deciding to become a Quaker, however. His interest in business and Penn's academic reputation were the overriding reasons. "I knew I wanted to study business," Matter said. "So, if you combine the wrestling program and the business school, there is no better program than the University of Pennsylvania." And Penn is lucky to have him. As a freshman in '95-96, Matter went 32-4 for a Quakers squad ranked No. 23 in the final Amateur Wrestling News poll. Now, four seasons later -- Matter sat out the '97-98 season with injury -- Matter is just 16 wins from tying Penn's all-time victory mark. Furthermore, last season he led the Red and Blue to an 11th-place finish at NCAAs. Penn is currently ranked No. 10 in the polls. Throughout Penn's climb, Matter has contributed to the teams success in no small measure. In three years, he has compiled a 94-16 record, collecting numerous awards, including Ivy League Rookie of the Year and EIWA Rookie of the Year, along the way. This year -- in just one weekend of competition -- he has already won the Ivy Kickoff Classic, wrestling up at 165 pounds. He was also named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler after posting a 4-0 record. In addition to the regional recognition Matter has received, he has also made himself known on the national level. He has qualified for the NCAA championships every season at Penn. Last year he finished fifth at 149 pounds, earning All-America honors. Yet, for all the wins Matter has recorded, the tri-captain has contributed almost as much to the team away from the mat. "Brett is a great team leader, he leads the team into competition in whatever we do," junior Yoshi Nakamura said. "He has a very good insight into how people should handle themselves before tournaments. If anyone has a problem, he's a very good person to talk to." One person who has first-hand experience in relying on Matter in times of need is fellow captain Bandele Adeniyi-Bada. Last year was Adeniyi-Bada's first trip to the NCAA championships and he found the experience overwhelming -- so much so that he turned to the more experienced Matter for advice. "At Nationals I was actually real scared. I just felt the pressure, I couldn't sleep, I remember I was actually shaking," Adeniyi-Bada said. "So I told Brett and he was so matter of fact, he was like, 'I don't know why you're scared, personally I think I can win this.' "I don't think I'll ever forget that. I just looked at him and he was so calm and collected that I got confidence from him." Some may see Matter as a leader, others a confidant. Most importantly, though, is what Matter sees when he looks in the mirror -- and that is a future national champion. "I've gotten bigger, I'm a lot stronger and my attitude is better," Matter said. "Losing is unacceptable."

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