COLLEGE: TROY GRAD HINMAN MAKES NERVOUS, EXCITING DEBUT (2023-01-19)

BY BRIAN FEES
Southern Tier Sports Report
ELMIRA — You couldn’t script a better college debut.

Wrestling in her first match, in a home dual for Elmira College, in front of her former teammates and coaches, along with her family, Hinman flipped the script, throwing her opponent off the top of her to get a 50 second pin herself for her first collegiate win.

For Hinman it wasn’t until the night before that she realized she’d be in the lineup.

“Last night they asked me if I wanted to wrestle and I was really nervous, but I went for it,” Hinman said.

The night started with a dual meet between Athens and Horseheads. Hinman, who is Troy graduate, wrestled for Athens a season ago.

“It was great, I am glad they got a chance to wrestle here and see me continue my career,” Hinman said.

Having all of her family and friends in attendance just added a few extra nerves for Hinman.

“That put more (nerves on,),” Hinman said.

Getting a win in front of all those friends and family just made the day so special.

“It was exciting, obviously,” Hinman said. “All the nerves were there, so I was excited to win in front of my family and my friends who came out to watch.”

The freshman is new to the wrestling team, after just enrolling in school this semester. She had been away doing Advanced Individual Training for the Army.

For Hinman she’s been trying to learn college wrestling quickly.

“It’s a completely different style,” she said. “I’ve been trying to work on that for the past week or two that I’ve been back.”

For Hinman, she was getting her first collegiate win despite having less time than other wrestlers to get used to college wrestling.

“It is a little shocking ,because everyone already knows everything and I have to learn from the start,” Hinman said.

Early in the match Hinman found herself in trouble as Caira Jaynes of Delaware Valley had her in a head lock and on the ground. Hinman used her strength to flip Jaynes over and get the pin.

“I knew I had the strength to do it,” Hinman said. “It caught me off guard, so I was trying to push her off and do it.”

It is different at the collegiate level where all the wrestlers have a lot of experience in the sport.

“Seeing they are all head lockers and it’s my first time trying to get out of that and back into it,” Hinman said. “It was a shock.”

The one adjustment from high school to college is how serious everyone is at the collegiate level.

“Just their mindset,” Hinman said. “In high school it’s mostly just fun and games. In college you are here to be an athlete and continue your career.”

——

PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES