SV grad Geyer at nationals
CEDAR RAPIDS, Ia. — All Jason Geyer wanted to do was wrestle.
So when the 2019 Seneca Valley graduate arrived at New York University for his freshman season and saw an opening in the lineup at 141 pounds, he did the only thing he could do.
Get there.
“It wasn’t easy. I probably weighed 160 or so,” Geyer recalled. “But we had senior All-Americans coming back at 149 and 157 pounds ... and I wanted to wrestle.”
“Jason Geyer is all about team,” NYU wrestling coach Bruce Haberli said. “He was willing to do anything to be in the starting lineup. Every coach wants 20 guys like that. He’s a quiet guy, a silent leader.”
Geyer compiled 120 wins in high school with the Raiders. He was 13-12 his freshman year at 141 for NYU, winning eight bouts by pinfall. Then NYU — as did all of Division III — lost the 2020-21 season to the COVID pandemic.
Geyer stayed home that season, taking classes online while training at the OMP Wrestling Club in Evans City and lifting weights.
“In retrospect, it was up to the wrestler to stay in condition during that year off,” Haberli said. “As a coach, I maintained steady communication with all of them. With Jason, I never had to worry. I knew when he was training, when he was lifting. He set up a schedule and did it relentlessly.
“It’s all paid off for him.”
This season, wrestling at 184 pounds, Geyer has put together a 23-5 overall record, placed second in the Northeast Regional and qualified for the NCAA Division III Nationals this weekend in Cedar Rapids, Ia.
Geyer has won nine matches by pin, six by major decision and one by technical fall this season.
“I got a lot stronger during that year off,” Geyer said. “I worked out quite a bit. I’m more comfortable at the weight I’m wrestling now.”
After having to cut weight to wrestle at NYU as a freshman, Geyer is giving away weight in wrestling at 184. His natural weight right now is 174.
“When you’re cutting weight, you’re expending a lot of energy as a wrestler,” Haberli said. “Jason doesn’t have to worry about that now, which has helped him. The disadvantage is that he’s wrestling against bigger boys now. But this is the path he’s chosen to follow and it’s working for him.”
Geyer’s goal is to place among the top eight at nationals this weekend, thus earning All-American honors. Next season,. he hopes to come back and go for the national championship.
“Ten years ago, I’d have been against such a strategy,” Haberli said. “I mean, why not go for it now? But that mindset doesn’t mean it can’t happen now. Put yourself into All-American position, go one match at a time and see how far you can go.
“Jason is very serious about academics and he’s very serious about wrestling. And he’s very successful at both.”
Geyer made UAA Winter Sports All-Academic this season. Besides placing second at regionals, he was second at the UAA Championships and finished first at the Racich Rumble.
“I came back this year ready to go,” Geyer said. “I couldn’t wait for this season to arrive. I’ve missed the competition.
“I want to go as far as I can this weekend. Reaching All-American, I believe, is a realistic goal. If I win it, even better.”
Geyer is one of four NYU wrestlers to reach nationals this season. Haberli said he’s gotten four wrestlers through annually over the past few years.
Haberli is 307-191-3 in 27 years as wrestling coach at NYU. His teams have won 11 UAA championships. He’s coached 22 Division III All-Americans and has had one national champion.
