Franklin & Marshall wrestling captain James Conway ’26 left it all on the mat at last weekend’s Division I NCAA championships to conclude one of the most decorated careers in school history. He’ll graduate with 108 wins and the only Elite 90 Award in school history. 

What’s next for Conway? 

Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, where he’ll put his biochemistry and molecular biology major to practice. While sports medicine has piqued Conway’s interest, he remains open-minded to other areas in his path toward becoming a doctor.  

“I want to stick around athletics, because it's been such a big part of my life,” Conway said. 

The standout student-athlete’s decision to pursue medical school was largely influenced by Dr. Carl Becker ’87, a former Diplomat wrestler. 

The summer prior to sophomore year, Conway shadowed Becker to get a glimpse of the life of an orthopedic surgeon.

“That shifted my path toward medical school and becoming a physician,” said Conway, of Towson, Md.  

Outside of the hours spent training, Conway could be found in the lab for various research endeavors. One such project was studying the synthesis of new molecules to enhance Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), a spectroscopic technique similar to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

With the wrestling season behind him, Conway looks forward to more free time to pursue hobbies like guitar, reading, and his minor, Spanish.

“I really love my Spanish classes, specifically Spanish literature,” Conway said. He’s even put his foreign language skills to use as a participant in 1976 graduate Dr. Dan Weber’s International Healthcare Professionals Program.

Conway’s recent NCAA campaign ended one victory short of his goal to achieve All-American status, but the visibility he brought to the Diplomat wrestling program is undeniable. 

“Representing F&M at the NCAA Championships with James was special—he carried himself with confidence, preparation and pride,” said Mike Rogers, F&M’s W. Roy Phillips ’34 wrestling coach. “Competing on that stage at the Division I level puts F&M on the map alongside the biggest programs in the country and shows that we can compete with anyone.” 

Last weekend’s season finale was Conway’s second appearance at NCAAs. He made a splash at the 2024 event, becoming the first F&M student-athlete to win the Elite 90 Award. The honor is awarded for the highest cumulative grade point average among all Division I wrestlers who qualified for the national championship.

"Of course I want the trophy. But when I don’t have that, what I’ve got is who I've become in the process."

James Conway '26

Reflecting on the last match of his career, Conway’s stance is both stoic and nostalgic.

“Of course I want the trophy, I want the medal, I want the award. But when I don’t have that, what I’ve got is who I've become in the process,” he said. “It's not really about the accolades and the awards. It's about enjoying the process. This is the last time I'll ever do this.” 

While it’s not about the accolades, Conway will graduate with plenty: Three-time team captain. Elite 90 Award winner. Two-time NCAA qualifier. Four-time NWCA Scholar All-American. Four-time EIWA Academic Achievement Award. 

And of course, Diplomat. 

“James is a true example of what being a student-athlete at F&M is all about—excellence, discipline and representing something bigger than yourself,” Rogers said. 

Would Conway have done anything differently? 

“I have no regrets,” he said. 

Athletics at F&M

F&M sponsors 28 varsity sports, the largest offering among Centennial Conference colleges and universities. Nearly 40% of our students are Division III athletes (or in the case of wrestling and women's squash, Division I). We also offer intramural sports and numerous club sports.

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