Confident Radsky Not Satisfied Just Being There by Mark Brumbaugh “And the home crowd rewards myself, but I was confident going Radsky’s takedown with a big in.” round of applause!” blared pub- lic address announcer and com- And then, without a hint of arro- mentator Ryan Lang at the 73rd gance, he adds, “I just told annual Southern Conference myself that I am the best wrestler, Wrestling Championship. so there is no reason why I should lose this tournament.” “Davidson hasn’t had a confer- ence champ in…” he paused Radsky’s journey to the top of the briefly, “…quite a few years!” podium is hardly typical. Born June 12, 1988, in Odessa, Ukraine, As Alex Radsky and his oppo- identical twins Alex and Vitaly nent, Josh Statum of Radsky and their parents moved Chattanooga, reset at the center to the United States before the of the mat, Lang’s comment cut collapse of the Soviet Union since freshman year,” said first match of the day.” the tension temporarily for the when they were just three years Radsky. “I had a really disap- Davidson fans, many of whom old. They spent a year in Chicago pointing season and I worked Refreshed and relaxed, Radsky’s could not resist cracking a smile with relatives before moving to hard over the summer and confidence only rose as his finals at Lang’s generosity. the Columbus, Ohio, area. expected a breakout sophomore match went on. year, but it never really hap- Quite a few years? Actually, a Making the transition to America pened. I just went back after the Said Radsky, “I felt good because few decades. 41 years to be exact. was not easy for the twins. season and kept working hard during the first two periods, I over the spring and summer.” made most of the attacks. Taking a 3-1 lead in the final “I didn’t even speak English [Statum] really wasn’t putting me period, Radsky was in position to until I was about five years old,” From competing in freestyle in any danger. I remember think- punch his ticket to the NCAA explained Alex. “I spent two wrestling tournaments to ing, especially during the second Tournament. Statum managed to years in preschool because it took wrestling with high school and third periods, that ‘I need to escape quickly though, not allow- awhile for me to learn it. There friends in Ohio, Radsky dedicat- open up more, because I need to ing the Davidson faithful to relax were a couple kids that spoke ed himself to improving. The get this takedown.’ I knew that over the final minute. Davidson Russian and translated every- work paid off, as he carried a 15-4 one takedown was probably head coach Bob Patnesky was thing for my brother and I. I record into the 2010 SoCon going to decide the match. In the wrestling right along with Alex don’t remember much of it, but Championship. third period I got a good shot off from the corner of the mat, acting according to my parents, it was a and finished, and that was the out each move and countermove. stressful time.” Satisfied? Not Alex Radsky. match. I would have had to have Finally, the buzzer sounded and done something to blow it to lose Radsky’s NCAA berth was The Radskys mainly played soc- “Even this year hasn’t been after that first takedown.” secure. cer growing up and did not get straightforward,” lamented into wrestling until seventh Radsky. “I got injured at the Again, he’s being completely Anything less would not have grade when a friend encouraged beginning of the year, and I was- serious and not gloating at all. been acceptable. them to join the team. Both n’t wrestling very well. I lost all excelled in the sport in high of my matches immediately Winning did not change Radsky’s “In my mind I was the favorite, school. Vitaly qualified for the before and after winter break. It focus, though. Following the vic- and it was my tournament to state championships three times was really rocky at the beginning tory, he was already focused on lose,” said Radsky. “If I didn’t and Alex once. Both performed in of the year, but at the end of the the next step. win the tournament, it would the classroom as well, earning year, things started clicking, and I have been a huge disappointment Academic All-Ohio honors. finally started winning all of my “It feels great to win,” said for me. I put some pressure on matches.” Radsky after the awards ceremo- The two had trained together ny. “This was the culmination of throughout their careers and Earning a first-round bye as the a season’s worth of work, but it’s wanted to continue to do so in second seed, Radsky needed to not over yet. I want to do well at college. Wanting to compete at win two matches for the confer- the national championships.” the Division I level for a small ence title. He wrestled smartly in college, Davidson College and its the first, taking an 11-8 decision Radsky’s first-round opponent excellent academic programs was to advance to the finals. Radsky Thursday in the NCAA on their short list from the start had a few hours to kill before the Championships is the fifth-place and ultimately where they decid- finals matches got underway at 7 finisher in the Big Ten ed to go. p.m., so with Davidson hosting Championships, Ohio State’s Ian the SoCon Championship for the Paddock. The two met this past Following a difficult freshman first time since 1988, he made use summer and practiced, but did year, both improved during their of the hometown advantage and not wrestle an actual match. sophomore year. Alex reached the went home for a nap. podium at 133 pounds in the con- What did he think of his oppo- ference tournament, but was any- “You have to relax,” said Radsky. nent? How does he think he will thing but satisfied with his per- “I was definitely more nervous fare? formance. for my first match then the finals match, just because it was the Let’s just say he’s confident. “I’ve been working hard ever Alex Radsky Jr. - 133 - Worthington, Ohio Match Notes davidson quick facts Alex Radsky - 17-4 (3-2 SoCon) - SoCon Champion General Information The Match School Name . Davidson College 2010 Division I Wrestling Championships Location . Davidson, N.C. March 18-20 - Omaha, Neb. - Qwest Center Founded . 1837 Enrollment . 1,800 Coverage Nickname . Wildcats Thursday, March 18 School Colors . Red (PMS 186) and Black Session I: 11 a.m. Central/12 p.m. Eastern on NCAA.com Conference . Southern Session II: 6:30 p.m. Central/7:30 p.m. Eastern on NCAA.com Affiliation . NCAA Division I President . Tom Ross (Davidson ’72) Friday, March 19 Athletics Director Jim Murphy (Davidson ’78) Session III: 9:30 a.m. Central/10:30 a.m. Eastern on ESPNU/ESPN360.com Home Facility . Belk Arena (5,700) Session IV: 6 p.m. Central/7 p.m. Eastern on ESPNU Coaching Staff Saturday, March 20 Head Coach . .Bob Patnesky Session V: 10 a.m. Central/11 a.m. Eastern on ESPNU Alma Mater/Year . .West Virginia, ‘01 Session VI: 6:30 p.m. Central/7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN/ESPN360.com Career Record (Years) . .35-68-1 (6) Record at Davidson (Years) . .Same DavidsonWildcats.com will feature extensive coverage of Radsky including Assistant Coach . .Joe Privitere blogs and video. Alma Mater/Year . .Binghamton, ‘03 Athletic Trainer . .Janah Fletcher Storylines Alma Mater/Year . .North Carolina, ‘04 - Alex Radsky is Davidson’s first conference champion since 1969 and the first Davidson wrestler to go to the NCAA Tournament since 1999. Team History First Year . .1920 - Radsky has won 14 of his last 15 bouts, including the last 10 straight. All-Time Record . .287-590-18 - Radsky is familiar with his first-round opponent, Ian Paddock of Ohio Team Information State. Radsky practiced with Paddock while training over the summer in his 2009-10 Team Record . .5-16 hometown of Columbus, Ohio. 2009-10 SoCon Record/Finish . .0-5/6th - Alex’s identical twin brother, Vitaly Radsky, also wrestles for Davidson (141 Sports Information pounds) and nearly joined Alex at the NCAA Tournament. However, he lost a Sports Information Director . Marc Gignac decision in the SoCon finals and was not selected for an at-large bid. The twins Office Phone . (704) 894.2123 moved with their parents from Ukraine to the United States when they were Wrestling Contact . Mark Brumbaugh three years old. E-mail . [email protected] Cell Phone . .(704) 439.6123 - Davidson is also being represented at the 2010 NCAA Women’s Swimming Office Phone . (704) 894.2931 Championships March 18-20 in West Lafayette, Ind. Lindsey Martin received Fax . (704) 894.2636 an at-large bid to become the first Davidson swimmer ever to go to the NCAA Website . www.davidsonwildcats.com Tournament. RADSKY’S CAREER STATISTICS Year Weight Record Pins Dual Conf. Pts. 2007-08 133 9-18 2 5-8 0-5 21 141 0-2 0 0-2 0-0 0 2008-09 133 13-15 2 9-9 2-3 39 2009-10 133 17-4 2 12-4 3-2 48 Total 39-39 6 26-23 5-10 108 w i l d c a t s -1- IT’S BEEN AWHILE: Alex Radsky is the first schedule/results Davidson Wildcat to reach the NCAA Wrestling Distinctly tournament since Ian Kaplan received at-large bids 5-16 Overall, 0-5 SoCon 1 in 1998 (150 pounds) and 1999 (157 pounds).