Two weeks ago the floor of Rec Hall was packed, literally. A week after Valentine's Day, the students of Penn State were again showing love, this time by dancing in the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon for children who can only hope to get the chance to walk around University Park as a student.

Walking through Gate E1, spectators were awakened to a world of awe and wonder. There, in Friday's early-evening hours, stood DeWitt Driscoll. Adorned in a navy blue muscle shirt and powder blue gym shorts, the Penn State wrestler seemed to be having the time of his life.

Always wearing an ear-to-ear smile, he wasn't hanging out with the fellow Student Athlete Advisory Board dancers or chatting with the hoards of Penn Staters in attendance. There was Driscoll, focused on a child in a camouflage bandana.

Twirling the child over his arm, facing the challenge of a hula-hoop version of "Dueling Banjos" and eventually showing off his hula expertise in front of his own small audience. Driscoll loved it. His personality could not have been a better match for this event -- a personality he has made well known among his teammates and coaches.

Penn State wrestling coach Troy Sunderland described his young wrestler as a ball of energy; a likeable, energetic guy who is "all over the place." Sunderland recalled Driscoll's high school coach summing the wrestler up with something to the effect of being like a 24-hour day packed into seven hours.

Energy, Driscoll said, has always been the key to his style of wrestling. He thrives off of the physical challenge and physical exertion, which has bled its way into his wrestling philosophy as well.

"I try to walk on the mat and my goal is to not be able to walk off the mat when I'm done," Driscoll said. "When I get myself in good enough shape to where my body can handle it, I can step on the mat and go wild."

Going wild was something Driscoll wasn't doing on the second day of his non-sleep weekend. His clothes had changed now, to a black University of Maryland sweatshirt and sweatpants. Standing at one of the chest-high tables, Driscoll was surrounded by other dancers resting on the wooden surface as they ate.

He wasn't one of the leaners. Instead, he stood there, eating whatever was in the Styrofoam container, not letting himself rest or letting the smile off his face. This was a distinct change of scenery from earlier, but his resiliency remained the same. Much like this season for him on the mat.

Driscoll was much like a platoon wrestler, a guy who came off the bench to pinch-hit when called upon. In a sport governed by weight classes, the Penn State redshirt freshman helped his team out by wrestling in three of them.

"It gave us the depth we needed to have a solid team," Sunderland said.

Listed at 133 pounds in the media guide, Driscoll only wrestled that low for a short time. He quickly moved up to "his" weight of 141 pounds. While at this weight he captured wins in dual meets against Lehigh and Navy, as well as his biggest victory of the season.

Back on Nov. 30, Driscoll was a no-name wrestler competing in the Mat-Town USA tournament held at Lock Haven. He soon made a name for himself by beating four nationally ranked wrestlers, including then-No. 3 Mike Maney of Lock Haven, to win the 141-pound title. For his efforts, Driscoll was named the outstanding wrestler of the tournament.

The only problem was that teammate Scott Moore, whom Driscoll beat for that title, was starting what was a phenomenal season at 141. Driscoll realized it was not his time or place to try to take the starting job. He was just as happy seeing Moore win and the team be successful.

Driscoll likes it better that way. Being the unknown guy, the one that can surprise his opponent at any moment. He would rather leave the spotlight for those more comfortable with it. Besides, if he took the spotlight, he wouldn't have the advantage.

"I love wrestling and people not knowing who I am," Driscoll said. "It makes my job a lot easier. Nothing to lose, nothing to worry about. I like it being that way."

Later in the season, Penn State's regular 149-pounder, freshman Nate Galloway, was having a bit of a slump. Sunderland wanted to jump-start him, maybe have him sit and focus on what the other wrestlers were doing. Driscoll was called upon to wrestle at 149 pounds. Without hesitation he said he would do it. That is his style.

"It didn't really matter what weight I was or who I was wrestling," Driscoll said. "I don't worry about that stuff. [The coaches] tell me to wrestle and I go out and do it."

He was thrown into an unfair situation -- having to wrestle Iowa's nationally ranked Ty Eustice. The size of Eustice was "overwhelming" to Driscoll, but that did not stop the scrappy Lion from showing his resiliency by fighting to the very end.

That loss was just a pair of setbacks on the season for Driscoll. He proved his value to the team, posting a 6-2 record for the season. He said he still isn't ready to be the star of the team, and he let his chance to start this season slip away, but he is prepared and able to make a run at being a starter next season. Sunderland agrees.

"He's right there," Sunderland said. "If he continues to improve it will be a good battle between him and Scott Moore."

As the Rec Hall festivities were winding down Sunday, Driscoll once again took another role. No hula-hoop in his hand, no exhibitions, no audience. He was lost again -- lost in the sea of people, quietly doing what it takes to get the job done.

He liked that role best.