Max Wessell uses judo background to excel for Lehigh wrestling

Max Wessell has had a different collegiate wrestling career at Lehigh compared to most.

The nationally-ranked heavyweight has struggled with injuries and even deferred a year of eligibility to qualify for the U.S. Olympic judo team.

Wessell has competed in judo since he was 4 years old. Some of his fondest memories growing up are of doing judo with his dad. His combination of size, skill and competitive nature enabled him to not only become a great wrestler, but also rank No. 1 nationally in judo.

Wessell missed all of last year with an ankle injury and battled through smaller injuries that limited his action on the mat as an underclassman. Although he has not always been able to compete on the mat, he has contributed behind the scenes to the Lehigh wrestling program.

Fellow redshirt senior Mason Beckman has seen first hand what Wessell does for the program. The two have been through a lot in their time at Lehigh, and they’ve formed a bond through wrestling that he said not many people could understand.

“Our journey together has been a blast,” Beckman said. “(Wessell) is a great teammate, leader and person. We’ve had a lot of laughs over the years, and I’m blessed to call him my teammate and friend. He works as hard as anyone and lives his life the right way.”

Finally healthy, Wessell has progressed into one of the best heavyweights in the country. He has enjoyed a successful senior season for the Mountain Hawks. He is the No. 14 heavyweight wrestler in the country and Lehigh is ranked seventh as a team in nation.

Wessell doesn’t set long-term goals like being an All-American or a national championship. Instead, he focuses on the little things.

“I think setting long-term goals like that create a lot of pressure and stress,” Wessell said. “I’ve always just tried to focus on what is right in front of me and what I can control.”

His main goal is to do everything from training to eating and even recovering, to the best of his ability, and the results will happen as a byproduct.

Beckman and Wessell focus on setting the bar high for their teammates and bringing a positive attitude every day to practice. They expect a lot of themselves and everyone in the program, but really focus on making the wrestling program feel like a family environment.

“Part of what makes our team special is the fact that we all lean on one another and pull strength from our teammates,” Beckman said.

Sophomore All-American Darian Cruz has Wessell to thank for keeping him positive throughout the season. The two are roommates on the team’s road trips, and Cruz relies on Wessell through the good and bad times.

“Even in a hotel room, (Wessell) knows how to keep me focused,” Cruz said. “He always knows how to handle things even after I’ve had a rough match.”

Cruz has learned from Wessell’s adversity through injuries to keep a positive mindset and to be ready to shine when the opportunity presents itself.

Last week, Wessell and Lehigh took on Penn State, the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, in front of a record-breaking crowd of 5,909 people in Stabler Arena. The match was a great test for Lehigh as it enters the postseason.

“The atmosphere in Stabler was electric,” Wessell said. “I’m so glad I was able to be a part of a program that has one of the greatest fan bases in the country.”

Wessell was one of three Mountain Hawks to pick up a win, beating freshman Nick Nevills 5-4. Lehigh ended up losing the duel 28-9, but the team gained valuable experience that will better prepare them for the postseason.

Wessell envisions himself ending his collegiate wrestling career positively. No matter how much adversity he has faced, he said it has been worth it.

“I’m going to stay focused on doing the little things that I do right and big things will happen this March,” he said.