Fifth year senior Doc Vecchio will not be competing for the Penn State wrestling team in the upcoming season because his eligibility ran out.

However, that will not keep him away from the mats.

Vecchio will serve as a student coach while he completes his kinesiology degree. He will practice and work out with the team during the 2003-2004 season. Penn State wrestling coach Troy Sunderland said Vecchio will basically be a non-competing member of the team.

"I'm here and I'm still part of the team," Vecchio said. "The older guys helped me through the program so I want help the younger guys out."

Vecchio will take 12.5 credits in the fall and plans to graduate in the spring after a semester of student teaching.

After graduation, Vecchio hopes to find a teaching position and also coach high school wrestling.

In 1999, Vecchio made the team as a walk on and, by the time he graduated, served as team tri-captain for two years.

"If you just work hard, you can achieve what you want," Vecchio said. "At first I wasn't too good and then later I got better."

During his junior year, Vecchio received All-American honors and was ranked one of the top eight wrestlers in the country.

"Doc was a committed individual to the program," Sunderland said. "Any aspect he needed to take control of he did, such as his diet, conditioning, watching videos, and scouting his opponents."

Sunderland said with his wrestling experience, Vecchio relates to the members of the team and can guide them through their developmental years. According to Sunderland, Vecchio has a chance to develop some kids into great wrestlers as he did.

"Doc is a real hard working and down to earth wrestler that everyone seems to get along with," Sunderland said. "He is an all around guy."

Vecchio not competing in matches will be something both the player and coach will have to get used to.

"It will be different, but that is the nature of things," Sunderland said.

"Kids come in, grow, mature, and develop, and then they are ready to leave and pursue a career in their field of interest."

Vecchio said even though he will be wrestling, things will be a lot different. Having been a four-year starter, Vecchio was always in the heart of the action, and now he will have to watch from the stands.

"I'm going to miss it," Vecchio said. "It's the feeling of doing really great in a match that I'm going to miss the most."

For the first time in a long time, Vecchio said he will have some time to relax, and concentrate more on his school work. Prior to his wrestling career at Penn State, Vecchio was a four-year starter in wrestling and football at Governor Mifflin High.

"I won't have to worry about losing weight and who I'm wrestling next," he said. "I can concentrate more on my classes."