Grappler Morici appeals to fans with unshakable work ethic

No matter what the sport, there are some athletes almost everyone cheers for, whether they are fans of that sport or not.

That's the way Penn State wrestling fans view Frank Morici. No, he did not change the sport, as Michael Jordan did with basketball. Morici has a great work ethic and is respected by the fans, similar to baseball's Cal Ripken Jr.

Many fans root for Morici because he had struggled since he began wrestling for Penn State. This was uncommon for him, since he is the all-time winningest wrestler in Notre Dame High School history and, along with Penn State, was recruited by Wisconsin, Clarion, North Carolina State and Bucknell.

"Frank was probably one of the best high school wrestlers I've seen in my 25 years of coaching," said Kurt Weaver, his high school coach.

He was a runner-up in the state tournament in his junior year -- a year that saw him wrestle the whole season with a broken arm. To Morici, it was just another injury in a career full of injuries.

However, during his senior season, he was sidelined again, and this time it was not just another injury. He developed an infection in his knee, causing his leg to swell up three times its normal size.

"At the time, he was undefeated," Weaver said, "and a shoe-in to win the state title."

Weaver thinks that injury has slowed Morici's progress at the college level. During the 1995-96 campaign, the first season in which he did not sustain an injury, he was 17-14 overall and 10-10 in dual meets.

But he did not hang up his headgear. He was determined not to let college wrestling beat him.

"Early in the off-season, we saw something in his eyes," Lion coach John Fritz said.

He returned for this senior season with a certain desire his coaches had not yet seen. The reason may be in the fact that this is Morici's fifth (he was redshirted as a freshman) and final year. Because of that, he does not have a scholarship. He gave it back to the team so the Lions could give it to someone else.

But Morici has held on to his three goals he set for himself early in his college days. Like everyone else, he wants to be a Big Ten champion, a national champion and an All-American.

However, unlike everyone else, he has the ability to do it. And this year, Morici has been opening up his wrestling more, something he has been trying to do since he arrived at Penn State.

"I feel that this year he's got a more positive attitude," said fifth-year senior Kerry McCoy.

Fritz also has seen a change in the manner Morici conducts himself on the mat this season. He said Morici has come out of his natural element, that of a great person, and has developed some of the cockiness a wrestler needs to be successful. This season, unlike in years past, Morici expects to have a good performance.

The first monumental point in his Penn State career came last weekend at the National Team Duals in Lincoln, Neb. Morici posted a 4-1 record at the 177-pound class, including a victory over No. 3 Barry Weldon of Iowa St. With that performance, which improved his season record to 17-5, Morici may find his first national ranking.

The successful tournament also may have secured his part in the lineup because redshirt freshman Ross Thatcher has been challenging for the slot.

"It's good for both of them," Fritz said. "Frank has helped Ross out a lot, and Ross keeps Frank on the ball."

Thatcher said he respects Morici because he helps him in the wrestling room even though he is trying to take Morici's position.

"He's helped me step it up," Thatcher said, "and I'm trying to take his position. I don't think many people would do that."

Throughout the year, Morici also has been in the shadows of redshirt sophomore Glenn Pritzlaff, who is 25-1, and McCoy, who has gotten most of the attention with a 24-0 record this year after returning from a redshirt season.

There is not anyone else on the team Morici would like to see play the part McCoy has because the two are the closest of friends. The two were assigned as roommates during their freshman year and have lived together ever since.

They share many of the same delightful stories, one a result of Morici's many injuries to his elbow that have required screws to hold it into place.

"Sometimes he sets off the security systems in the airports," McCoy said, laughing as he thought about it. "It always happens in Chicago."

Along with being best friends, Morici and McCoy are the captains of this year's squad, something that has caused many to label Morici "the other captain."

His teammates don't see it that way. They see him as a leader as much as they see McCoy as a leader.

"Frank has been an integral part of the team this year," McCoy said. "There are certain guys on the team that identify with me, and there are certain guys that identify with him."

If Morici continues to wrestle his best this year, those goals he set five years ago may be reached, and more than just his teammates will identify with him.