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(article posted by Jeremy Rushing, Student Sports Information Assistant)

Mar. 10, 2014 - For over a decade, North Central College wrestler Nathan Segal has been lucky enough to compete in the sport he loves.  Having been on the mat since the second grade, Nathan's skills have grown and he has become one of the premier wrestlers for a program that produces national qualifiers on a yearly basis. 
 
"I played nearly every sport when I was younger," recalls Segal.  "In high school I started to become really committed to wrestling year-round."
 
At the collegiate level, a yearlong commitment is a necessity to reach the top, and what is done outside the regular wrestling season tends to determine championships.
 
"The sport has grown so much that there's really no offseason," explains Segal.  "You're wrestling all the time."
 
The Cutler Bay, Fla., native's commitment to wrestling stems from the amount of passion for the sport.  And if you ask Nathan, that passion has only grown during his 13 years competing on the mat.  It's the individuality of the sport that sparked Segal's interest and has kept him competing at a high level for such a long time.
 
"There aren't too many sports that are as individual as wrestling can be," says Segal.  "You don't have anyone else to blame if you lose. It's a very personal sport."
 
Segal made a huge splash in only his second year in the program last season.  He posted an overall record of 25-17 at 149 pounds and won the 149-pound College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Championship as only a sophomore. 
 
This past season, as a junior, Segal won 15 matches by decision, eight by major decision and posted seven pins at 149 pounds.  The Miami Palmetto graduate placed third at the CCIW Championships and finished the season with an overall record of 33-15.
 
The sociology major didn't start at 149 pounds until the beginning of his sophomore season, but the results show that it was a very good move for him.
 
"I feel more comfortable at (149) every day," says Segal.  "I feel like I've really grown into that weight."
Being an upperclassman in college athletics means more than producing on the mat, track, field or court.  There's a critical element of being a good leader in the locker room that becomes crucial to a team's success.  As an upperclassman this season, Segal has taken that leadership role in stride.
 
"I've noticed that if one of our younger guys has a question they are more prone to ask me since I've been here for three years now," says Segal.  "I always try to be positive in the locker room as well."
Studying sociology and minoring in education, Segal has a lot of options after graduation.  He has an eye on a couple of specific career paths that appeal to him.
 
"I'm thinking about either being a social worker or going back home to get my teacher's certificate to become a P.E. teacher or school counselor," says Segal.

It's at home, back in south Florida, where Segal draws much of his inspiration both on and off the mat.  His biggest role model is his mother.

"She's such a strong woman," says Segal.  "She's always so positive no matter that the situation is."