It can become an overwhelming feeling for an athlete when he climbs atop the elevated platform to wrestle in the finals of the NCAA Championships.

But not for Pittsburgh's Keith Gavin.

When he stepped on the mat to face heavily favored Ben Askren last March before 18,000 fans in Auburn Hills, Mich., Gavin said there were no butterflies churning in his stomach.

And there was no need to calm his nerves.

Even though nearly everyone in the sold-out arena expected him to lose to the Hodge Trophy winner from Missouri, Gavin had other ideas for their 174-pound final.

"I was very relaxed - there was no pressure on me and no one expected me to win," said Gavin, who is 8-0 and ranked No. 1 this season. "I expected to win, but you always have to think that way."

Gavin surprised many observers when he took Askren down with an inside trip to grab a 2-0 lead against a guy who had pinned him twice during the season. Following Askren escapes in the first and second period, the match was tied 2-2 entering the final two minutes.

Gavin chose neutral in the third period. Askren, now in the running for a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, then came out on top in a third-period scramble to score a takedown and three back points en route to an 8-2 win.

While many wrestlers changed weight classes to avoid facing Askren or wrestled defensively when they did meet him, Gavin never backed down. And if you know the story of Keith Gavin, that shouldn't surprise you. The Pitt senior has spent much of his career trying to prove himself.

Gavin never won a state title, which raised a question he hears a lot. "People ask me, 'How can you not win a state title and be in the NCAA finals?'" Gavin said.

The highest Gavin finished in the always-tough Pennsylvania state tournament was third as a senior. But that may be a little misleading when you consider the wrestler he lost to in the semifinals was Ryan Hluschak, an NCAA All-American for Drexel this past season.

Gavin said he was recruited by a number of smaller colleges, primarily at the NCAA Division III level, but had no Division I offers. Feeling he was more than capable of wrestling at the top collegiate level, Gavin set his sights on competing at the D-I level.

"I actually called Pitt - they didn't really contact me," Gavin said. "I really felt I could compete at this level. I always felt that way. Just because I didn't win a state title didn't mean it should rule out my chances of wrestling at a Division I school."

Pitt gave Gavin an opportunity, and nearly five years later, Gavin's call to Pitt has paid huge dividends for the Panthers.

Gavin is in his fourth year as a starter. He qualified for the NCAA tournament as a sophomore in 2005 before taking a redshirt the next season. He then pieced together a memorable 28-4 junior season that culminated with his second-place finish at the 2007 NCAA Championships.

Gavin is off to a strong start for his senior season. He won the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this past weekend, outlasting No. 3 Steve Luke of Michigan 3-2 in double-overtime in the finals. He earlier downed No. 2 Matt Stolpinski of Navy 8-4 in the NWCA All-Star Classic.

"I know I can beat anyone in the country because I was there in the finals against Askren last year," Gavin said. "I have the skills and I have what it takes to win a national title. So far, so good this year. I'm just going to keep trying to improve and keep trying to get better every day."

Gavin is on a mission to become Pitt's first national champion since Pat Santoro won back-to-back NCAA crowns for the Panthers in 1988 and 1989.

Gavin and Carl Fronhofer, who finished second nationally in 2003, are the only Pitt wrestlers to reach the NCAA finals since Santoro's second title in 1989.

Long-time Pitt coach Rande Stottlemyer marvels at the progress Gavin has made over the last five years.

"We knew Keith had a good high school career and had done well wrestling freestyle and Greco-Roman in the summer, and you hope a kid like that develops in college," Stottlemyer said. "He has such a tremendous work ethic and such a high commitment level to wrestling. He loves the sport. The progress he has made each year he's been here has been pretty impressive. He's being rewarded now for all of his hard work."

Gavin's road to becoming an NCAA finalist last season and earning a No. 1 ranking this season was anything but smooth.

He was scheduled to redshirt his first season at Pittsburgh, but an injury to the Panthers' 165-pounder forced Gavin into the starting lineup.

"My first dual meet was against (NCAA champion) Troy Letters of Lehigh," Gavin said. "It was a last-minute deal and I wasn't expecting to wrestle. I only weighed about 160 at the time and I went out there like a deer in the headlights. I was a little nervous. He ended up tech-falling me. It was a very overwhelming experience and kind of embarrassing."

Gavin, from Factoryville, Pa., lost the first five matches of his college career. He was a part-time starter as a true freshman and finished with a 21-17 record. He did not wrestle in the postseason when the injured starter for Pitt returned to the lineup.

Gavin started his sophomore season at 157, but had trouble dropping down to that weight class.

"It was a pretty hard cut and by the end of the year I just couldn't do it anymore," he said. "We had a hole in the lineup at 184, so I bumped all the way up to 184. I made the (Eastern Wrestling League) finals and lost to (NCAA champion) Greg Jones. My natural weight was about 175. I qualified for NCAAs, but went 0-2."

Gavin followed by redshirting during the 2005-06 season, compiling a 23-7 record in open tournaments while competing unattached at 174. That set the stage for his breakthrough season in 2006-07.

So how did Gavin go from NCAA qualifier to NCAA finalist?

"Every year I've improved," Gavin said. "I really made a lot of progress my redshirt year. I focused a lot on my technique and it gave me time to sit back and look at what I did wrong. I really became a student of the sport. I totally changed my wrestling and watched a lot of greats of the sport. I kind of found my style. I like to control the pace and control the tie-ups. I like to wrestle from my feet, and I'm really flexible and I try to use that to my advantage."

Stottlemyer said Gavin's wrestling style is "really creative."

"Keith has developed a lot of his own technique and kind of his own style," Gavin said. "His defense is outstanding - he's hard to take down. He also has good leg attacks and he can throw you. He's really improved on the mat as well. He can keep people on the mat and wear them down.

"Keith is a real student of the sport. He watches tape all the time and it has really helped him."

Gavin compiled a 130-21 record during his career at Lackawanna Trail High School in northeast Pennsylvania. He placed seventh at state as a junior before going 38-3 and placing third as a senior.

"Pennsylvania is a really tough state for wrestling," Gavin said. "Even if you don't win a state title, you can still be successful at a D-I school."

Gavin was a Junior Nationals All-American in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.

A philosophy major, Gavin said he plans to compete internationally in freestyle wrestling after his college career comes to an end.

"I am sure I am going to wrestle as long as I can," he said.

Said Stottlemyer: "Keith could do real well internationally. I think he could be successful in freestyle or Greco."

The guy who wasn't recruited by any Division I schools coming out of high school now is on a full scholarship at Pitt.

"The people here at Pitt are really great," Gavin said. "It's worked out real well for me."

Especially for a guy who started his career 0-5.

A 5-0 finish to his career likely would result in an NCAA title for Gavin.

"Keith is type of kid who stays on an even keel - he doesn't get too high or too low," Stottlemyer said. "He has a great demeanor where he does a good job of handling the pressure. We all know how difficult it is to win the NCAA tournament. But if Keith can stay healthy, I think he has a good chance to win it."