biggest part was that everybody in the program was completely selfless. Some parents would drive 10-15 hours to get every- body to the tournaments. No egos were involved. Financially, people raised the money so we could get there. It was a total team effort and commitment to help us pursue our dreams.
USA Wrestler: You started making World Teams and winning medals for the USA as a Cadet and a Junior. What was it like to compete internationally while you were still in high school? McCoy: It was unbelievable. When I look back at it now, I can appreciate it more, but at the time, I had no idea how significant it was. It was great to go to the Cadet Worlds in Hungary as a 16 year old kid. I had barely been out of the state very often, let alone out of the country. I was fortunate. It was that if you work hard, these are the things you get to do. I was spoiled to have that opportunity, but I believed that if I worked hard, these were the benefits. Looking back 30 years, it was amazing as a 16 year old I was wrestling in Hungary, and it led me on to bigger and better things. It was a priceless experience.
USA Wrestler: Why did you choose to attend Penn State, and what was it about the wrestling program there that made a difference for you? McCoy: It was very similar to my high school program. My coaches were passionate in high school and in college. When I went to Penn State, I didn’t feel like I was a recruit, I felt like part of the family. They showed me what it would take to be there, to work hard and to achieve my goals. That was the biggest differ- ence for me. It was not an easy process, but when it came down to it, it was an easy decision. It was where I fit. What put it over the top was the commitment to me as a person. You want to be an NCAA champion, an Olympian, get your MBA. Everything that was set up for me to do, there were people who supported me towards that.
USA Wrestler: You faced some top heavyweights during your years in college, such as Stephen Neal, Tolly Thompson and Justin Greenlee. How did those opponents help you become a better wrestler? McCoy: My freshman year at 190, wrestling guys like Keith Davison, Joel Sharratt, Emilio Collins, Rex Holman, they pound- ed me. I was always positively reinforced after a match, hey, we will get them next time, let’s get better. That set the tone. When I was ready to face tougher competition my sophomore year, I had gone through the ringer as a freshman. I knew all I had to do was just wrestle, work your hardest and good things will hap- pen. The level I faced after freshman year was really high, but I had seen it as a freshman. I had to focus on getting better every day. Once that happened, the wins started piling up. I always took it that I was an underdog, that I was trying to get better. When I started in seventh grade, I was the worst guy in the room, and I kept that mentality my entire career.
USA Wrestler: You were Bruce Baumgartner’s training part- ner for the 1996 Olympics. How did working with Bruce help your quest to become an Olympic champion yourself? McCoy: I can’t say enough about being Bruce’s training part-
ner. Wrestling with him every day solidified that I could be great one day. It wasn’t just wrestling him. It was spending time with him, talking to him, getting to know his family. I was immersed in the culture of a great athlete and a great person. If you want to be successful, be with successful people. I talked to Kendall Cross during the training camps. He said to me that once you go to the Olympics, you’ll never want to miss another Games. To get there and be exposed to it in ’96, I finally understood
what he was talking about. It’s an amazing thing and I owe it to Bruce for opening my eyes to that.
USA Wrestler: You made your first World Team in 1998, plac- ing fourth at the Worlds. What do you remember from that event that affected your career? McCoy: That was the most bittersweet trip ever. I was fifth at nationals that year, but came back and made the World Team. It was a big turnaround for me. The Worlds were in Iran and it was a huge experience. We trained in Italy for a week and a half, and were in Iran for a week before the tournament. Just to get that international culture was a great experience. Competition wise, I was ready and wrestled really well. I won my match in the semifinals and was set up to wrestle the Iranian who I beat in the Goodwill Games. I was tracking to be a World champion. I was sitting in the hotel room, getting ready for finals, and Bruce Burnett came and told me they protested and they overturned the decision. I was in disbelief. I shook it off. I was 24 years old and was thinking I had a lot of teams ahead. I made it to the bronze medal match and lost to a guy I beat earli- er in the tournament and placed fourth. It was hard for me; I was so close to being a World champ and finished without a medal. It helped me understand to take nothing for granted, and as often as you can, take advantage of opportunities.
USA Wrestler: Stephen Neal won the 1999 Worlds and became your top challenger. What was the key for you in beat- ing him at the 2000 Olympic Trials and the following seasons? McCoy: Going into 2000, we were 4-4 in our competitive
career. I knew I was capable of beating him. I had to make some adjustments. I made the commitment to move to Colorado Springs to be a part-time resident, working out 10-20 days a month. I was around the best of the best, I worked with coach Kevin Jackson and immersed myself in freestyle. That was the first big step. I had to beat the defending World champion so I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. There wasn’t a ton to figure out. He had a monster double leg. If you stop his double leg, you have a good chance to win. He was hard to beat, but we had a strategy. That year, I knew if I got on top of him I could turn him. All the greats have a couple of moves. You know they are coming but it’s hard to stop. You can’t stop it, you can only hope to contain it. I was able to contain the double leg.
USA Wrestler: You won a World silver medal in 2003 when the event was held in your backyard in New York City? What do you remember about winning a medal in that setting? McCoy: To wrestle in Madison Square Garden, in a World Championships in your home state was unbelievable. The organizing committee and USA Wrestling did such a great job. I couldn’t have felt better with the preparation and the event over- all. Words can’t explain how exciting it was to be up on that stage. I would have liked to have been a little bit better. I was second best wrestler in the World. I lost to a guy who was a World champion and Olympic silver medalist at the time, and went on to win three Olympic golds. I can’t beat myself up too much. So many people don’t ever get a chance to compete in a World Championships, let alone medal.
USA Wrestler: What was the Olympic experience like for you, and how did the two Games differ? McCoy: On my first Olympic team, I had complete tunnel vision. I joke that I was in Australia for two and a half weeks, and didn’t see a kangaroo or a koala bear. I was there to get the gold. I didn’t see other events, I had family there and would see
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