Seneca Valley graduate Hunter Swedish excelled on the wrestling mat and in the classroom at Washington & Jefferson College.Submitted Photo

The motto for Washington & Jefferson College's wrestling team is "Win at Everything.“

Hunter Swedish took it to heart.

The 2021 Seneca Valley graduate recently wrapped up his collegiate career with a third straight Presidents' Athletic Conference title and was named a Scholar All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association for the fourth consecutive year.

The honor requires an athlete to maintain a 3.25 GPA.

"It means a lot to me to succeed academically and athletically. It shows how I can balance things," Swedish said. "My parents (Sean and Kelly Swedish) taught me how to manage my time well, and my coaches always told me to keep my head down with my studies.“

He was named All-PAC First Team three years in a row.

"I always set my goals high, but I didn't expect to succeed as much as I did on the mat," Swedish said. "I had great practice partners and they helped me improve."

Swedish won his first conference title as a sophomore at 133 pounds. That was Sonnie Blanco's first season as head coach at W&J.

"From the moment I met Hunter, I was immediately struck by the clarity of his ambition and drive," Blanco said in an emailed interview. "It was inspiring to see how focused he was on achieving his goals, both on the mat and in life."

Swedish wrestled at 141 pounds the last two years. He ended his career with 94 victories for the Presidents.

"Throughout this season, he consistently demonstrated an impressive ability to open up on his feet and apply pressure on his opponents, which is crucial in our sport," Blanco said. "His confidence shone through, and it was evident that he was enjoying the competition."

A computing and information studies major, Swedish hopes to enter the data science field after graduation. He doesn't plan on straying far from the mat.

"Wrestling will never leave my life, and I would definitely be into coaching some day," he said. "I love how the sport teaches you about hard work and determination, things that apply to all aspects of life."

Hunter’s father, Sean Swedish, died suddenly in 2020. It was not only a tragic loss for the Swedish family, but to Seneca Valley wrestling, as well. He was a staunch and unwavering supporter of the program.

"He wrestled in high school at Montour, but his knowledge and interest in the sport picked up through my involvement," Hunter said. "His support of me and the entire team meant the world to me. He became like a second dad to a lot of the guys on the team.

"I would want him to be proud of me. I think about it every day with every decision I make. I'm sure he'd be proud of what I have accomplished."