Dan Covatta wasn't sure how he would fit into college wrestling.
"It was always a dream of mine," Covatta said. "[But] I wasn't quite sure what kind of impact I could make."
He shouldn't have worried.
Three years ago, Covatta exploded onto the scene at Duke, rolling to a 20-11 record and a spot in the NCAA Tournament as a freshman. Covatta became only the fourth Duke wrestler in seven years to qualify for the Tournament, and just the second ever at 142 pounds.
"Freshman year was exciting," Covatta said. "A lot of wrestlers out there were real brutes, not technical wrestlers-while my whole game was technique. Most of my losses came from being overpowered, not being out wrestled. I had to adjust to wrestling stronger guys."
That adjustment didn't take long, and coach Bill Harvey could sense he had something special in the Collegeville, Pa. native right away.
"I thought he had the ability to qualify [from the start,]" Harvey said. "He's the complete package. He's got desire, quickness, strength... he can do it all. "
But with early success came the weight of high expectations, both from others and from Covatta himself. And despite posting a 44-14 record over his sophomore and junior years, Covatta has fallen short twice in his quest to get back to the Tournament.
"[Last year] was an extreme disappointment," Covatta said. "The opportunity was there, and I just didn't capitalize on it."
Covatta finished fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament a year ago, dropping a heartbreaking 8-6 match to Shane Mack of Maryland in the consolation final. That loss denied Covatta a shot at a wild-card berth in the NCAA Tournament, like the one he earned for placing third as a freshman.
"Even though I haven't made it back to the NCAAs, I feel like I've become a better wrestler every year," Covatta said. "People always said I was a small 142 [pounder]. This year I fit into the weight [class] a little bit better. I'm not getting overpowered."
Covatta's record shows a progress that can't be overshadowed by postseason disappointment. Wrestling at 142 lbs. all four years, he has compiled a total of 76 wins, good enough for seventh on Duke's all-time list. He has earned the school's Outstanding Wrestler Award two years in a row, by virtue of his team-leading point totals. With a 12-1 start already this year, Covatta has a shot at history.
"I think with a little luck this year, he can make 26 or 27 more matches this year," Harvey said. "With that, he can maybe break 100 wins."
Bradd Weber holds Duke's all-time mark with a hefty 105 wins, but Covatta needs just 15 more to surpass Mike Darlington for No. 2. Climbing the victory ladder may not be the first thing in Covatta's mind, but it goes hand in hand with his stated goal: climbing the podium on March 22 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, as one of eight NCAA All-Americans at his weight class.
Covatta's early returns have been impressive this year. Along the way to his 12 wins, he has picked up individual titles at both the Bloomsburg and Kutztown Invitationals. It's a good start, but a far cry from the competition he'll see in March.
"There's always room for improvement," Covatta said of his record. "I'm 12-1, but I still feel like there's a long way to go to be an All-American. I'm going to have to stay focused, get in better condition and just remember that I'll never get another chance to do this again."
That now-or-never approach seems to be working for the two-time Blue Devil captain, and he's ready to put past disappointments aside.
"After I started winning a little, I think I was going out there not to lose," Covatta said. "I was trying to live up to [too many] expectations, and I wasn't necessarily [focused] on trying to win every match."
But experience has brought a new level of confidence to Covatta, if not a certain sense of urgency.
"My basic change this year is my mental outlook," he said. "More or less, I just go out there to have fun, because these are the last four months I'll have on the mat. Then it's all over."
As Covatta glances down the road, he doesn't have to look far to find the obstacles standing between him and a return to the NCAA Tournament. In fact, a quick peek down Highway 15-501 will do it-North Carolina's Khalil Abdul-Malik is rated No. 11 in the nation at 142, and will be Covatta's stiffest challenge. Not to mention Maryland's Mack, of course.
"I was a little disappointed [by last year's loss to Mack]," Harvey said. "[Covatta] suffered probably a mental lapse more than anything else. I think he's actually ahead of where he was last year."
Does that mean he has what it takes to be an All-American?
"Oh yeah, absolutely," Harvey said. "He can go with those people. You just have to go with them four times [to make All-American]."
Harvey's Blue Devils have a long break before their home opener on Jan. 7 against Davidson. But Covatta isn't taking a rest-he plans to wrestle in at least one open tournament in Pennsylvania over the semester break. He will need the extra work, given his lofty goals.
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