Get to Know Your Raiders: Cody Myers

In three seasons wrestling for the Raiders, senior Cody Myers has compiled an impressive 28-12 record with 10 of his career victories coming by fall.

The Three Springs native qualified for the NCAA Championships at 133 pounds last season after finishing fourth at the NCAA Super Region 1 Championships, capping off a 19-8 junior campaign.

This season, Myers, a criminal justice major, has gone 6-1 at 141 pounds with half his wins on pins. Myers posted a 3-1 record last weekend at the Mid-Penn Duals at Millersville, and he and his teammates will now travel to Newberry, S.C., for the Super Region 1 Duals this Friday and Saturday.

Get to know Cody Myers…

What is your favorite pre-match ritual?

After weigh-ins I always eat a blueberry bagel, a king size Hershey's bar with almonds (have to have some crunch in my chocolate) and drink a small Powerade while I'm getting dressed. Then I like to just sit by myself until 20 minutes before the match when I start to warm up.

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

On campus I've come to like the Rec Center because I’m always in there getting extra workouts on the bikes. As for the town, I enjoy the University Grill on wing night.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

It would have to be Criminal Law and Procedure with Dr. [Stephanie] Jirard. Her energy every day in the classroom made it fun, and the fact that she would randomly call on people made everyone study that much harder.

If you weren't majoring in criminal justice, what would your major be?

I don't think I would be in college if I couldn't do criminal justice. I've always wanted to have a career in criminal justice. Growing up I used to play cops and robbers with my brother, and I was always the cop.

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

My favorite day would have to be Thursday because of the anticipation of the weekend and it’s usually the day we have a light practice.

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

My favorite would have to be Millersville because with them being located so close to us it feels like an old high school rivalry match. It also makes for a bigger crowd. The other school would have to be Gannon because our teams are usually very similar, and we match up well with them. It comes down to which team or individual will be on its “A game,” and the intensity level of our team increases.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

This is a rough one to answer, but I'm sure they would say you mean “old man Myers.” I feel they would say that I'm a very straightforward and intense person. They would also say that I'm not afraid to be loud and vocal at them, but yet I'm the first one to step in and help them in any situation they are in.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

There is one moment that stands out the most and it has nothing to do with material winnings. In high school I was wrestling in Oklahoma during the summer. I had just wrestled one of the best matches of my life, beating one of the top kids in the country. Cael Sanderson was there and he personally congratulated me on my win. Being young and for him to come to me like that was the greatest moment in my career.

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

Time management is a big one of course. Being able to balance studying, practice and extra workouts is tough, but I enjoy the constant need to be somewhere or do something.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

Sacrifices and personal motivation. It isn't easy to miss social time with friends in order to get in that extra workout or stay caught up in the classroom, but when you succeed in the classroom and athletically you think of all the sacrifices you made and it makes the success that much better.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

"Run Fast, Jump High,” is a saying my mom tells my brother and I before any event we do. It's her way of saying, “do good.” “Don't believe in luck. Take advantage of the opportunity," is my dad's favorite thing to say because it's not luck that you've succeeded, it’s all the work that you've put in to get the opportunity to succeed at that time. So take what you've been learning and working on, and apply it.

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in wrestling, what would you tell them they should focus on?

Don't focus on the wins and losses, but focus on the fact that you keep taking steps to getting better. Most importantly, keep it fun.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

Leadership. Always strive to be the best. Be a leader, not a follower.