How this York County athlete rediscovered his passion after leaving the Division I level

Note: Dalton Rohrbaugh finished his college wrestling career as the NCAA Division III runner-up at 133 pounds last Saturday. The York College senior lost, 3-1, to North Central’s Robert Precin in the final. Here's the York Daily Record's story on Rohrbaugh's collegiate journey from last March:

Midway through his sophomore year of college, Dalton Rohrbaugh gave away every pair of wrestling shoes he owned.

He gave away every singlet he owned.

He had been obsessed with wrestling his entire life. He made his college decision based on wrestling. He planned to become a wrestling coach.

But the 2018 Spring Grove grad could no longer stand to be reminded of the sport. He had just left the team at NCAA Division I Lock Haven after struggling to compete at 125 pounds ― the lightest weight at the college level.

"I told everyone I knew that I didn't want to step foot on a wrestling mat again," he said. "I just didn't want to do it anymore."

But Rohrbaugh realized he wasn't done with wrestling. Now at York College, he earned NCAA Division III All-American status after taking third in the country at 133 pounds two weeks ago. His loss in the semifinals was his only defeat of the season.

It was the first time he finished a wrestling season since spring 2019.

More importantly, he rediscovered his passion for the sport. Motivated by what he considers a "disappointing" finish, the senior recently decided to return to York College for a fifth season and another attempt at a national title.

He's learned several lessons over the past few years ― about life and athletics.

Perhaps the most important: It's OK to end up on a different path than the one you originally intended.

"Things change," Rohrbaugh said. "In a couple years you might not be where you think you'll be. You can't let it get the best of you."

More wrestlingHow Lebanon County's freshman phenom became a state champion

Related:Top YAIAA football players are opting to play NCAA Division II over Division I. Here's why.

The pitfalls of NCAA Division I athletics

In high school, Rohrbaugh wouldn't answer emails or phone calls from wrestling coaches at the Division II or III levels.

He was the winningest wrestler in his school's history. He had a District 3 title and multiple state medals. In his mind, it wasn't a question if he was meant to wrestle at the highest level.

He now realizes that was the wrong mindset.

"Looking back, it was ridiculous that I did that," Rohrbaugh said. "The high school mindset of Division I or bust is terrible. Everyone does it, and I had it, too."

Still, Rohrbaugh was good enough to earn a handful of Division I opportunities. While Lock Haven competes at the Division II level in most sports, it's wrestling program is often a top-25 Division I team that regularly sends wrestlers to the NCAA championships. Kennard-Dale legend Chance Marsteller was a two-time All-American at Lock Haven.

And Rohrbaugh had some early success there. He started for much of his freshman year at 133 pounds and went 20-14.

But new challenges presented themselves early the following season.

Rohrbaugh said he had a "difference of opinion" with the coaching staff over what weight he should compete at. He felt more comfortable at 133 pounds but was asked to open the season at 125. He said it took him a month and a half to cut the weight and he didn't feel strong enough once he did.

He quit the team in November 2019 after starting the season 3-4.

"I wasn't going to be able to compete at a high level at that weight," said Rohrbaugh, who currently weighs around 140. "It just killed any passion I had for the sport. I just didn't want to do it anymore.

"I've got nothing against the Lock Haven coaches. I was watching the NCAA championships and rooting for their guys. It just didn't work out for me. It wasn't a place I could succeed."

He admitted he didn't handle the following few months well. He felt lost and withdrawn. After visiting Spring Grove wrestling practices as a freshman, he stopped going even though he was back in town.

He eventually returned to his alma mater to get advice from his mentor and high school coach, Tony Miller.

"My message was: Take a deep breath and ask yourself if you still love it," said Miller, who is still an assistant at Spring Grove after stepping down as head coach in 2018. "If you don't do it anymore, do you want it to be for this reason? It's great to go to a big school but it's not for everyone, and you don't know where your path will take you."

Miller coached a number of Division I wrestlers over a decorated 21-year tenure as Spring Grove head coach. But he said it's important to make sure student-athletes understand the time commitment and scrutiny that comes at that level.

He added that athletes don't have to go Division I to face strong competition. Current Spring Grove head coach Tyke Conover wrestled for an NCAA Division II national championship team at Pitt-Johnstown.

"You look at those Penn State kids that just won national titles, they live in a whole different world," Miller said. "When you go to that level it's like a job and everyone is really good. You have to ask yourself: What do you want out of it and what is the ultimate goal?"

Rohrbaugh said he realized he wanted to go to school close to home. He also understood that while talented, he was not going to make a career competing on the international level and training for the Olympics.

Still, he knew the answers to the questions Miller asked him. Yes, he still loved wrestling. And he didn't want a bad experience to be the reason he stopped.

After considering Shippensburg and Millersville, he enrolled in York College in January 2020.

"My brother plays guitar and maybe one day he'll teach me that, but right now wrestling is all I've got," Rohrbaugh said. "I'm a wrestler. It's what I'm good at. It didn't sit well with me to not wrestle. I wanted to make another run at it."

Finding happiness in Division III

Rohrbaugh faced more adversity at York College for reasons outside his control.

Last season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. And after getting off to a strong start this season, he tore his hamstring in November and then rolled his ankle and missed more than two months.

While frustrated by those setbacks, Rohrbaugh said there's a reason he's stayed positive.

"I was happy," he said. "Wrestling wasn't a job when I got to York. I walked into practice and thought, 'I've got an hour and a half of fun.' It wasn't, 'ugh, I've got an hour and a half of this." Wrestling was fun again.

"There's a little more freedom at Division III. In Division I, you're there in the offseason and there winter break. You're almost forced to do everything. Here, it's all on you. I'm surrounded by guys who want to get better, but you don't have to. If you want to get better, your coach will give you the tools you need."

Rohrbaugh still wants to get better. He's motivated by the fact that he's always been "one big match away" throughout his entire career. He took third at the PIAA tournament twice and was ranked second in the country when he took third at the NCAA championships this month.

He has a clear goal for his final season of competitive wrestling next year.

"If I'm healthy there's no one in the country who can beat me," he said. "After I got hurt, I told my family I thought it was my last year and I was gonna hang it up. But I can't walk away with another third place."

A sports management major, Rohrbaugh currently coaches youth wrestlers at Mayfield Mat Academy in York County. He previously wanted to be a high school coach and teacher but is now more interested in running athletic events at a complex like Spooky Nook.

Still, Miller thinks Rohrbaugh's experiences would make him an excellent addition to the Spring Grove coaching staff.

"In junior high, Dalton was an average wrestler but his work ethic got him to where he is," said Miller, who thinks Rohrbaugh is the first college All-American wrestler in Spring Grove history. "He finished third in the state but there was also (his junior) year when he didn't make it (to the state podium). And then his Division I experience and landing in York. He has all these tools to share with people, and you can see his personality when he's working with the kids.

"If we have an opening, I know where I want him. But wherever he winds up, we'll be proud of him."

Rohrbaugh said he already gives advice to high school athletes going through the recruiting process.

Most importantly, he gives them "the advice that I did not take and should have."

"Go to a school where if you didn't wrestle you'd stay," he said. "Because unless you're (Olympic gold medalists) Jordan Burroughs or Kyle Snyder, wrestling is going to end at some point. Once you step off the mat, you need something that will sustain your livelihood."

Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on Twitter at @bad2theallibone.