Alumnus establish endowed scholarship with wife in support of Lock Haven wrestling’s ‘The Rise’ campaign

LOCK HAVEN-Lock Haven wrestling wasn’t just a sport to 1976 Lock Haven State College graduate, Jim Schuster, it was a lifeline at a time he needed one most. From an injured high school football player to a record-breaking wrestler at Lock Haven, Schuster’s journey is a testament to resilience, determination and the transformative power of wrestling in Mat-Town, USA.

Schuster and his wife, Ann Marie, recently made a transformative six-figure gift to The Rise campaign – a $3.5 million fundraising effort to endow Lock Haven’s world-renowned collegiate wrestling program.

Schuster’s path to Lock Haven wrestling was unlike most. After dedicating his athletic youth to his lifelong dream of playing professional football, a torn ACL led doctors to believe his athletic career was over. But when Lock Haven wrestling coach Ken Cox approached him at a wrestling tournament with an offer to wrestle collegiately, Schuster seized the opportunity to explore a new path to competitive greatness, even though he only had three years of wrestling experience.

“When I arrived at Lock Haven, I wasn’t sure I belonged,” he said. “Everyone else had cauliflower ears and had wrestled most of their lives. But wrestling gave me structure and direction – something I would’ve lost after football.”

Despite wrestling on “1 legs,” with a knee that Cox often had to pop back into place mid-match, Schuster excelled. He earned NCAA College Division All-American honors, finishing fifth in the country at heavyweight as a freshman, and eventually went on to break Lock Haven’s all-time dual meet wins record – finishing his career with 43. By the end of his Lock Haven wrestling journey, he was a two-time national qualifier who held the school record with 36 pins, and his 73 total victories were sixth best.

“Wrestling teaches you about life,” Schuster said. “There’s no hiding on the mat. You learn how to face challenges head-on, and that resilience has been invaluable throughout my life.”

After graduating with an English degree from Lock Haven, he held senior executive positions with numerous multi-billion-dollar international corporations. Despite competing against Ivy League MBAs, he never felt disadvantaged by his Lock Haven education.

“The corporate world respects wrestlers,” Schuster said. “The discipline and tenacity you develop in wrestling translates to success in any field.”

Although his professional accomplishments took him around the globe, he always remained connected to Lock Haven. One of his favorite memories dates back to 1999, when he was on the Great Wall of China with a group of Chinese businessmen. A conversation about wrestling started and one of his Chinese counterparts was familiar with Lock Haven wrestling’s esteemed reputation in the international wrestling community.

It was about 20 years later when an old wrestling teammate, Austin Shanfelter ’80, invited Schuster to the NCAA Division I Men’s Wrestling Championships to watch this generation of Bald Eagles compete at the highest level. It was there that he officially reconnected with the Mat-Town, USA wrestling community and his deep passion for the program. After being inducted into Lock Haven’s Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2024 and standing in Thomas Fieldhouse for the first time in more than 40 years, his decision to give back was solidified.

“When I closed my eyes, I could still hear the crowd and feel the energy,” Schuster said. “It was like I never left.”

Ann Marie’s involvement in the gift was equally significant. After experiencing Bald Eagle wrestling in Thomas Fieldhouse and sharing in the camaraderie of meeting current student-athletes and coaches, her desire to support the program became just as strong.

“She saw a part of my life she had never known, and it inspired her to join me in this commitment,” Schuster said.

The Schuster’s major gift to The Rise campaign is a blended contribution of immediate-use and endowed funds, allowing head coach Scott Moore to maximize its impact now and in perpetuity. The James Schuster ’76 Wrestling Scholarship will be awarded to Lock Haven wrestlers who exemplify the program’s values. The scholarship is renewable, ensuring recipients can benefit throughout their wrestling careers.

“On behalf of our program, our student-athletes and the entire Lock Haven wrestling community, I want to express our deepest appreciation to Jim and Ann Marie for their belief in, and commitment to, The Rise,” Moore said.

“Everything this program aims to achieve is just as much about honoring the past, as it is about securing the future,” he added. “When inspirational Lock Haven legends like Jim Schuster invest in our success, we know the best is yet to come.”

The Schusters hope their story serves as a catalyst for the Mat-Town, USA community to do their part to ensure the program’s continued success.

“Wrestling gave me an identity and lessons I carry to this day,” Schuster said. “I want to ensure future generations of Lock Haven wrestlers have the same opportunities. Together, we can secure the legacy of this incredible program.”