CRANBERRY TWP— Mike Rossetti has done more than win a national championship.

The former Seneca Valley wrestler has been on a national championship tour in Greco- Roman wrestling.

Rossetti, a sophomore at Northern Michigan University, won a national title in the 96-kilogram — or 211-pound — weight class at the FILAJunior National Greco-Roman Wrestling Championship in Las Vegas April 23.

Two days later, he competed in the U.S. National Championships at the same site and fell one win short of making the top eight and all-American status.

"I thought I was going to beat the guy in the final five seconds, but it didn't happen,"Rossetti said.

Rossetti placed second at the University National Championships April 11 at the University of Akron (Ohio).

He's also competed in a national tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo., in November and participated in a Greco-Roman competition in Bulgaria during spring break.

Because Greco-Roman is not an official NCAAsport, Rossetti trains and competes with the U.S. Olympic Education Center in Michigan.

"There's a lot of travel, and maintaining your academics is very difficult,"Rossetti said. "You have to take a lot of tests without being able to go to class.

"You have to be disciplined with your reading, getting notes online or from a friend in class. It's not easy."

Still, Rossetti is carrying a 3.1 grade point average this semester as a management major and is on full scholarship at Northern Michigan.

"This is a very individual sport," he said. "Guys on our team have different sponsors who help pay for all these trips."

Rossetti has another big trip coming up: the FILAJunior World Tryouts May 18 to 24 in Colorado Springs.

If he wins his weight class there, he will be on the team that is traveling to Turkey for the world championships in July.

"Since I won the FILAnational title earlier, I don't wrestle at the tryouts until the champion is determined. Then I face him in a best-of-three format for the berth on the world team," he said.

"I'm expecting to win that. I'm planning on going to Turkey."

Because of previous accomplishments, Rossetti drew a bye to the semifinals at the junior nationals, then defeated his two opponents to win the title.

Ultimately, his goals are to reach the U.S. Senior Nationals and to earn a berth on the U.S. Greco-Roman Wrestling Olympic team in 2012 or 2016.

Rossetti was a successful high school wrestler at Seneca Valley, compiling a 19-6 record and winning a section title as a junior, before foregoing his senior year at the school to commit to Greco-Roman wrestling.

The sport emphasizes upper body strength and allows a wrestler to throw his opponent.

Rossetti described it as a year-round activity. He's either practicing his craft or hitting the road to a tournament.

"There's always a challenge in front of you, and that keeps you motivated," he said.