#77 Jody Strittmatter | Wrestling Changed My Life

Jody Strittmatter was one of Pennsylvania’s most highly coveted wrestlers coming out of Cambria Heights High School in 1996. When Mountain Cat wrestling Coach Pat Pecora out-recruited some of the most powerful NCAA Division I schools in the country and got Mr. Strittmatter to become a Mountain Cat, it turned out that the final piece of the 1999 National Championship wrestling team puzzle was in place.
After red-shirting as a true freshman in 1996-97, Mr. Strittmatter burst onto the Division II wrestling scene and compiled a 44-2 overall record and an 18-1 dual meet record on his way to winning an East Region title and a National Championship at 118 lbs. in his first year of collegiate wrestling His 24 pins broke Carlton Haselrig’s previous school-record of 19 set in 1986-87, while his 37 regular season victories and his 44 total victories both broke school records in his weight class and still stand today.
In most cases, that would be a season tough to top. However, 1998-99 would be even better. Mr. Strittmatter, who moved to 125 lbs., posted an impressive 43-1 overall record and a perfect 23-0 dual meet record. He won championships at the West Virginia University Open in November and the prestigious and Division I-dominated Midlands Open at Northwestern University in December. Just over two months later, Mr. Strittmatter won another regional title and was named the National Tournament’s Outstanding Wrestler after winning his second straight National Championship. In the process, Pitt-Johnstown claimed its second NCAA Division II National Championship in three years by holding off the University of Nebraska-Omaha in its home gym.
In two seasons at Pitt-Johnstown, Mr. Strittmatter had an 87-3 record. His .967 winning percentage is second only behind Carlton Haselrig.
Mr. Strittmatter also proved he was a true student-athlete by earning First-Team National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic Team honors in both 1998 and 1999 as a Biology/Pre-Medicine major.
Following the 1999 season, Mr. Strittmatter took his talents to Division I national power University of Iowa and became a two-time Big-Ten Champion and a two-time All-American with a third-place finish in 2000 and a national runner-up finish in 2001. He also earned his second team national championship when the Hawkeyes won the Division I title in 2000.
Mr. Strittmatter was inducted into the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, the District 6 Hall of Fame in 2007, and the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2010.
Mr. Strittmatter, a native of Ebensburg, Pa., will marry Stephanie Blackstone this August. He, along with former Iowa teammate Eric Juergens, co-founded Young Guns Wrestling Club in 2002. Mr. Strittmatter currently runs Young Guns practices in Pennsylvania with the help of his brothers, John and Joey. Young Guns has grown to become one of Pennyslvania’s premier wrestling clubs and has gained recognition nationally.