Internships For Big Red Student-Athletes Prepare Duo For Careers in Business World
Ithaca – When asked to name the biggest ‘M’ name in Cornell University’s lineup most wrestling fans would come up with Manotti, three-time All American Dustin that is. Cornell also features a big ‘N’ name in highly-touted freshman Troy Nickerson. However, most fans would be hard pressed to come up with the two other ‘M’s who serve as the backbone of the Cornell’s lineup. They are both senior captains and NCAA qualifiers. These two are the consummate student-athletes balancing wrestling with the rigors of an Ivy League education. Both of them carry GPAs of 3.2 or better and have bright futures in the business world. They both grew up within a one hour drive of New York City. In high school they were both New York State Champions. Give up yet? Here is one more hint - they start at 133 pounds and 184 pounds respectively. If you have not already figured it out these two wrestlers are Mike Mormile (Monroe, NY) and Joe Mazzurco (Mahopac, NY).
The connections between these two do not stop there. “When we both knew we were going to Cornell Joe asked me if I wanted to room with him,” says Mormile.
They have been roommates ever since.
In addition both of them moved up one weight class this year. For Mazzurco this will be his fourth weight class in as many years. He started his career at 157 pounds. After finishing fifth at the 2005 NCAA tournament and earning a preseason ranking of fourth at 174 pounds Mazzurco says the move to 184 will benefit him.
“I wrestle better when I’m eating healthy and not cutting a lot of weight,” he said.
His coaches feel his speed and technique will overcome any weight advantage his opponents have at the new class.
Mormile, a two-time NCAA qualifier at 125 pounds, will look for his first All-American honors in his new weight class. Like Mazzurco, Mormile likes his new weight class. He was cutting a lot of weight last year to make 125. “I feel a lot better health wise (at 133),” said Mormile. “I’m bigger and stronger than I was last year.”
Cornell seems to go against traditional weight management philosophy in wrestling. They stress weightlifting and wrestling at one’s natural weight. Over the years they have practiced this philosophy with great success. Wrestling fans should remember Travis Lee won national titles at 125 in 2003 and 133 in 2005. Current senior Dustin Manotti is also moving up one class from 149 to 157 this year.
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Rob Koll’s Cornell Big Red Wrestling Camps
Mormile and Mazzurco even share the same major, both studying Applied Economics and Management. Both have also positioned themselves for very successful careers with summer internships. Mormile spent this past summer working as an intern with Deutsche Bank and the summer before that with a capital venture fund. Mazzurco spent his summer interning at J.P. Morgan.
During the first semester of their senior years both of these young men have already received job offers upon graduation. Mormile has accepted a position as an Investment Banking Analyst with Deutsche Bank. Mazzurco, who wants to go into sales and trading is considering a job offer from J.P. Morgan.
Mike Mormile
Wrestling has prepared them well for the business world.
“Being a wrestler you kind of become accustomed to being in a faced paced aggressive style,” says Mazzurco.
He used a similar line when asked in interviews how athletics had prepared him for a job in sales.
“Wrestling builds a lot of time management skills with losing weight, lifting, and wrestling,” states Mormile. “They [businesses] want you to be individually accountable, but also a team player.”
Those are certainly values that the sport of wrestling instills.
Cornell assistant Coach Steve Garland has nothing but positive things to say about these two great student-athletes.
“Mike is one of the hardest working wrestlers I have ever coached at Cornell,” said Garland. “What separates him from most is that he NEVER gets tired. Whether it be doing sprints, wrestling a 45 minute go, or a 7 minute match on Saturday, you will never see Mike winded. This makes him pretty darn tough to wrestle.”
Joe Mazzurco
“Mazzurco is so methodical,” adds Garland. “If he has a weakness or needs to improve somewhere he is the type of kid that drills this specific technique for months until he gets it right and forces himself to learn it. He has improved so much since he has been here and now when I watch him wrestle I just sit back and say wow! His technique is amazing and if you have ever seen him in a singlet you see where all his hard work in the weight room has paid off.”
“They are the salt of the earth and I will be hard pressed to find two more like them.”
Whether it’s on the mat or on Wall Street these are two young men worth keeping an eye on. Wrestling fans can see Mormile and Mazzurco in action along with the rest of the Cornell team Friday and Saturday at the 2005 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational at the Cashman Center. These two then hope to become players in a key tournament in March, before becoming key players in their next stage of life – in the business world.
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