By Kenny Varner

BURNHAM – Excellence personified! Mitchell Mesenbrink is everything a National Champion wrestler should be. The defending Penn State 165-pound National Champion recently was the guest speaker at the annual Mifflin County Hall of Fame banquet. The national champion showed all in attendance what the personification of what a true champion is and what it should be as he is everything that is right in Sports.

His positivity showed from his very first statement to the crowd.

“I feel honored to be here where we have people being inducted into the Hall of Fame. I feel very humbled that at I’m only 21 and hopefully that can be decades into my future,” said Mesenbrink. “I am very appreciative for you (MIfflin County Hall of Fame committee)thinking that highly of me to speak in front of you.”

His intelligence and humbleness shows through his well thought out speech as he talked to his audience about difference makers.

“One of the things I wanted to speak about is difference makers and people that strive for excellence whether it be in buisness or in things like sports,” said Mesenbrink . “I am so greatful to be at Penn State with some of the best, not only wrestlers but men that I ever met.”

The 165-pounder talked about how his career was started and the people that helped mold him to the person he is now.

“I grew up in Wisconsin, right in between Madison and Milwaukee. My dad was a really good coach,” said Mesenbrink. “He became a teacher at the school I ended up going to called Arrowhead. One of the coaches ended up being an Olympian. His name was Ben Askren and he ended up being my coach as well. Ben and my dad ended up coaching me so I’ve been very lucky all of my life to be surrounded by people that were able to coach and wrestle, not only that but intellectual minds and be very smart and think about things intellectually and to conceptualize things in every way. I’ve been very lucky to be surrounded by great men.”

It wasn’t just his coaches that were a strong influence on him growing up, he also gave strong credit to his mother.

“On the other side was my mom. She was always there. One thing about my mom and dad is that they really didn’t care if I won or lost. They just wanted me to go out there and bring it and put it on the line and do the best I can,” said Mesenbrink. “There were three things. Whether it was I was playing Pee Wee Soccer or competing at my chess club or wrestling, my dad would just say “Do your best, bring the hustle and never give up. That is something that has always stuck with me for a decade and a half later. And it will. This is something my parents taught me and my coaches preached and what I will teach my kids. So basically through that time it wasn’t about the outcome of things but it was just the process of getting better and growing into the man that I’m so grateful to have people say that about me in their opening speeches. As for myself.”

“I never felt that I was very good at wrestling. It was something I did. I wanted to be good at it but it never really clicked until my senior year,” said Mesenbrink. “At that time it really became clear to me that if you’re not having success right away, it’s not a matter of if it will happen but when.”

He continued to talk about his riding through the wrestling ranks and how to keep things in perspective.

“These things that I’m saying about difference makers is it’s way more than sports. My coaches, especially coach Cael (Sanderson) when I go up to wrestling offices and talk to them. They talk about this is so quick  in terms how long to be wrestling,” said Mesenbrink. “ Even if I wrestle the next 10 years that’s a very small portion of my life. That is not even half my life. So you need to be cognisent about on that I’m not going to be wrestling forever. It’s about building things. Building things that matter. Being a good man, that is one. Having faith. To believe in everything is to believe in nothing. Pick something you want to believe in. Then everything you do, do it 100 percent.”

His journey was not an easy one but when it started to happen for the Wisconsin native it was a fast and furious rise.

“I ended up In my senior year I was able to have that difference. The difference makers where I was able to jump levels and was able to be more of a high prospect in terms of a recruit and colleges wanting me,” said Mesenbrink. “I had already committed to a school in California. I really wanted to stay local but I went out there.”

The road was a bumpy one early but with the help and love from his parents, things ended up working out.

“Unfortunately, it didn’t work out (in California) and I ended up going back home after the first semester. I heard a quote and it said how anything your parents do for you after 18 is just out of pure love. My parents  took me back in and I was able to live at home from December until June,” said Mesenbrink. “I was able to enter the transfer portal and I was able to look at different schools that I wanted to go to.”

A childhood dream was about to come true for the rising star.

“Ever since I was about seven of eight one thing that my dad and I did for fun was watch Penn State. It’s funny, the first duel meet at Rec Hall that. I ever got to see was the first one that I wrestled in,” said Mesenbrink. “So we never got to go out and watch something but whether it online at NCAAs or Big Ten my dad would take us to it.”

Watching it with his father, Mesenbrink knew that it would be a good fit for him.

“Just the way that the wrestlers and the coaches competed that was exactly what I wanted to do,” said Mesenbrink. “That’s exactly where. I wanted to be as a man and that’s exactly how I wanted to compete as a wrestler.”

“So, when I entered the transfer portal to be able to look at other schools

As moms usually are..they are always right. My mom said that if you don’t go to Penn State you are always going to wonder what could have been. The first trip I made up here (Penn State) was an official visit. I remember watching practice and I looked at my dad and said I think this is where I wanted to go.”

He made that commitment that day in his mind that Penn State will be his next designation.

“So, I went home and before I even got home I called Coach Cael and told him I don’t think, I know Im going to be there,” said Mesenbrink. “He said Oh! It’s pretty soon do you want to pray about it. No, there is not a doubt in my mind that I’m supposed to be here. Again, the difference maker there was gratitude and understanding that I wanted to be there. So, I’ve been so lucky since then.”

It would be a decision that both himself and the Penn State wrestling program would never regret.

“It was only two years ago since I committed and honestly two years is so quick,” said Mesenbrink. “And it’s just flew by and I am so lucky to be trained by the best men and women in the entire world. I truly believe that.”

On that night all that heard his speech were the better for it and all were blessed to hear this champions story.