The U.S. Naval Academy's wrestling team feature a pair of seniors who are defending EIWA champions, Matt Stolpinski at 174 pounds and Ed Prendergast at 285 pounds. Both are competing in their final EIWA Championships, but have their gaze beyond this weekend's tournament.

Both are unexpected stars on the college level, and are basically self-made successes in wrestling, according to Navy coach Bruce Burnett.

"Ed Predergast is a one-time placewinner from Missouri, winning it that one time. Matt Stolpinski has a different background but Masschusetts is not known for its wrestling. They both made themselves winners. Both of them have worked real hard on their weaknesses, and it shows in their performance," said Burnett.

Stolpinski came out of Philips Exeter Academy in Westfield, Mass., where he was a four-time state champion and three-time New England Prep champion. He spent a year training full-time at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. before going to college at the U.S. Naval Academy. It seems to him that his college wrestling career has gone past quickly.

"Out of season goes real slowly, but in season, it just flies by," said Stolpinski about the final few weeks of his college wrestling career.

Stolpinski had a breakthrough season last year, winning the EIWA and going on to place fourth at the NCAA Championships. Of the current Navy team, he is the only wrestler to compete at the EIWA meet all four years. He is Navy's all-time winningest wrestler, passing Mark Conley in career wins earlier this year.

Prendergast went to DeSmet Jesuit in St. Louis, where he was Missouri state champion. He spent a few years at the Naval Academy behind another top star at heavyweight, Tanner Gardner.

"The time has gone fast. The academics are tough and you have all of the military training. It is hard to believe we can balance it all, but we do," said Prendergast.

After making the varsity last year, Prendergast won the conference meet. He was injured in his second match at the NCAA Championships and went 2-2. He has picked up his effort this year, with 21 straight wins coming into the tournament and 14 pins for the year. Prendergast is second in career pins in Navy's record book with 37, behind only John Reich with 63 pins.

"They have earned the right to be where they are at. I am proud of them, both in the wrestling room and outside of it. They are going to be great leaders. They have been good leaders in the wrestling room," said Burnett.

Both senior wrestlers set the same goals for the year, winning the EIWA championships again, then claiming the gold medal at the NCAA Championships.

"It is always the goal. I has always been taught, and Coach Burnett pounds it in hard, that being the national champion is our goal. If not, you are in the wrong sport," said Stolpinski.

"My goal is to be the EIWA champion and the national champion," said Prendergast. "I had a good season last year until my second match at the NCAA Championships when I hurt my knee. I had surgery and had to work hard on rehab. I started the season a little slow. It took awhile and I felt a bit rusty. I am doing better. We will see what happens at nationals."

Stolpinski was ranked as high as No. 2 in national rankings in the early season. He is 34-6 for the year, and seeded No. 2 in the conference behind Steve Anceravage of Cornell, an EIWA champion last year who moved up from 165 pounds. Stolpinski lost to Anceravage at the Southern Scuffle, 5-3 this season. 

"I don't like rankings. I don't look at them. You show up every day and you take it as it comes. It was an honor to be there, and hopefully, I will move up there again at the nationals," said Stolpinski. 

Stolpinski feels he is better now than when he was fourth last year at the NCAAs. 

"I am better at everything, all around," he said. "I am a better wrestler than I was a year ago. I have been working to fix little mistakes in every practice. I have done a good job at that."

Prendergast is highly motivated for a strong showing at the NCAAs this year, which will be held back in his home state. His older brother Jim was an NCAA Div. I All-American at Southwest Missouri State, and Ed hopes to match or better his brother's feat.

"That is why I started wrestling, because of him," said Prendergast at his brother.  "He got me into the sport. I guess I wanted to do better than him. I am from St. Louis and the NCAA Championships will be there this year. He will be there with a bunch of his friends from Southwest Missouri and they will be cheering me on."

Both are in the EIWA semifinals on Sunday, and are expected to have high seeds at the NCAA Championships. It would be fitting if these Navy seniors were able to complete their careers as All-Americans side-by-side.

"Ed had an opportunity last year. He even won some matches after he was hurt. He is a mentally tough guy. He can get on the podium at the nationals. He is truly a good big wrestler," said Burnett.

"Matt has wrestled 11 of the top 12 guys in the country. He hasn't won all of them. However, he has gone head-to-head with them. I think he's on track to win this and become an All-American again," he continued.

Although both wrestlers have high goals for the next few weeks on the mat, they are also looking ahead to their future serving the nation as U.S. Naval officers. Stolpinski will serve with the Navy SEALS program. Prendergast will be assigned to a destroyer down in Norfolk, Va. Both are proud of their achievements as students, and are motivated to make a difference in their military careers.

"I am looking forward to moving on and seeing what lies ahead for me," said Prendergast.  "I kind of knew what to expect, but I really didn't. People can tell you about it, but when you experience it firsthand, it is totally different."

"It has been a great journey. I would trade it for the world," said Stolpinski. "There is no way to explain what we have gone through. It is both good and bad. It is an experience that none of us will ever forget. I would recommend it to anybody. The Naval Academy is a special place."