John Poznanski is already on pace to be one of Colonia’s best wrestlers of all time, and his commitment to highly ranked Rutgers may secure him the top spot.
Poznanski has two seasons of high school wrestling under his belt, and throughout that time has won 75 matches. He has also been able to win a Greater Middlesex Conference championship. Along with this he has also won District 16, and Region IV tournament titles. Last year, Poznanski was able to place third at the state tournament in Atlantic City.
Going into his junior year, Poznanski held offers from Rutgers along with Cornell and North Carolina. “I picked Rutgers because of the amazing coaching staff they have there and it felt like all the guys on the team were like family when I got to spend time with them.”
It is easy to see why Poznanski ultimately made the decision to go to Rutgers. There is the convenience of being only a short drive away that is definitely appealing. “My friends and family can come watch me compete throughout my college career, which is a huge bonus.” Also, Rutgers has been ranked as a top 10 team in the nation over the past few years. According to InterMat Wrestling, Rutgers is the 13th ranked wrestling team in the country. This, being updated quite recently, is what fans can assume their ranking will be around when the season actually starts.
Although already being committed to a top wrestling program, Poznanski sees no reason to start slowing down. “My goals for this season are to win the Beast of the East Tournament and the ultimate goal is to be a state champion.” These goals are very attainable for Poznanski this year. He took a huge jump in success from his freshman year to sophomore year. There is no reason for that not to be the case for his junior year too.
It is not hard to see that Poznanski is nowhere near satisfied with his accomplishments last year. He is looking for so much more. Being only a one-sport athlete in high school, Poznanski does a lot of training over the off-seasons. “I train everyday. If I’m not wrestling then i’m lifting weights, but I make sure to do something everyday.” he said. This stuff is not easy for Poznanski, as just like any other student, he goes to school and gets homework. He does get all of his work done before he trains, which is a great strategy. However, the hardest part for him is dieting. “A big part of my success is eating right to be able to train and work hard everyday.”
Even with all of this success, Poznanski gives the credit to everyone but himself. He said, “I would not be where I am today without my coaches and family. They are a huge part of my success.” This is the type of mindset coaches and scouts love, and it probably helped him make a great impression on the Rutgers wrestling staff.
All eyes will be on Poznanski this upcoming wrestling season, but it seems like he is ready for the challenge. He does not mind this though and even said, “My goals for this season are the same. Committing to Rutgers even relieved some stress and saves me time that I used to use to talk to other schools.” All New Jersey wrestling fans are excited to watch Poznanski this year, and see what type of hardware he brings back to Colonia high.
