Rick Springman, University of Pennsylvania
Class of 2002

Richard Springman attended Norristown Area High School in Montgomery Country, PA, where he recorded a 149-15 overall record. Always in pursuit of the pin, his record included 102 true falls, placing him third in state history. He was a 3x State place winner in Pennsylvania AAA States, State Champion in 1997, and a 2x All-American in USA National Freestyle Championships, among others.  Off the mat, Springman attained academic success named as a 4x All-State Academic Team, 2x NHSCA Academic All-American, and 1st Team USA Wrestling Academic All-American in 1997.

Springman's combined athletic and academic prowess enabled him to pursue his collegiate career as a highly touted recruit at the University of Pennsylvania. Springman was a 4x EIWA Finalist, only the 16th wrestler in EIWA history with that achievement. He claimed the EIWA crown once while being a 4x NCAA Qualifier, 2x NCAA Semi-Finalist, and 2x NCAA All-American at 174 pounds. He would also earn two of the four EIWAs special championship awards in 2002, the John Fletcher Memorial Trophy and the Bill Sheridan Memorial Award. His undergraduate wrestling accolades also include being a Senior US Open All-American, placing 5th in freestyle, and qualifying for the US Senior World Team Trials where he placed 5th once again in freestyle.

Springman obtained his Bachelor of Science and Engineering (BSE) in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics (MEAM) from Penn's School of Engineering and Applied Science and would follow in fellow inductee Clinton Matter's footsteps by winning the Class of 1915 Award as the top male student-athlete in Penn's 2002 graduating class. His academic achievements were recognized by the wrestling community by appointment in two separate years to both the Academic All-Ivy and NWCA All-Academic Teams. Soon after his undergraduate degree, Springman returned to the University of Pennsylvania to obtain his MEAM doctoral degree, during which time he was a volunteer coach for Penn's wrestling team and ran his own wrestling clinic to give back to the sport that had given him so much.

Dr. Springman entered the energy sector where he quickly advanced to the position of Senior Vice President of International Projects and Executive Committee Member at Holtec International, responsible for Holtec's international business and five oversees operations centers. He also holds three patents at the company and has contributed to the development and (nuclear) licensing of numerous products. Springman now lives in Media, PA with his wife Laura of 11 years and their three children.