Male Athlete of the Week

Name: Keith Gavin Year: Senior Major: Philosophy Favorite movie:… Name: Keith Gavin Year: Senior Major: Philosophy Favorite movie: “Fight Club” Favorite thing about Pittsburgh: So much to do

When asked how much of his time at Pitt is taken up by wrestling, Keith Gavin answered, “All of it.”

Keeping the No. 1 spot in the country isn’t easy.

“It’s a lot different from team sports. It’s just me out there wrestling. In a team sport, if something went wrong, you could always blame someone else,” he said with a smile.

“But when you win, it’s all you. You’re the only one out there. It’s not like someone else did it.”

Last week, in a match against Lock Haven, Gavin pinned his opponent, senior Mike Metzger.

Pitt was holding on to just a one-point lead when Gavin approached the mat and earned a pivotal win, his 20th of the season.

The fifth-year senior is well on his way to the NCAA championship for the third year in a row.

At the NCAA last year, Gavin placed 2nd to the then-No. 1 Ben Askren.

Askren graduated, and Gavin has held the prime spot. He calls the tournament the best wrestling moment of his life.

“I’m just trying to take it one match at a time,” Gavin said. “The obvious goal is to win at the NCAAs.”

But Gavin won’t stop there. After graduation he’s going to shoot for some international medals or even the Olympics, getting a coaching job along the way to pay for his training. Gavin hails from Factoryville, a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania. He was recruited by Rutgers, Lehigh and Penn State, but when he came to Pitt he just “felt like he fit in.”

Gavin’s family, despite living across the state, makes it to a lot of his matches. His dad first got him into the sport through a friend’s youth wrestling program when Gavin was 5 years old.

In March, this year’s NCAA championship will take place in St. Louis, just after spring break. Gavin will be spending that break at Pitt preparing.