BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Whether it’s on the wrestling mat, or engineering lab, Phillip Springsteen stands out.
The University of Mary senior, an All-American wrestler, is plenty capable of flexing his brain as well.
Springsteen has won 77 percent of his matches for the Marauders, including a seventh-place finish at 174 pounds at nationals last season. But his greatest achievement, if not the most interesting, came off the mat.
An electrical engineering major at U-Mary, Springsteen recently completed the design of a four-wheel articulated vehicle. An articulated vehicle features a permanent or semi-permanent pivot joint like a semi-trailer, bus or train. What makes Springsteen’s design unique is that it can be controlled remotely by his cell phone.
“Primarily what I did was take bits and pieces of what other people have done and use it to fit my purposes,” said Springsteen, who is a senior academically. “People have been able to take temperature readings from distances using thermometers and a Wi-Fi chip. I used that idea on the app I created to be able to control my design wirelessly, just as they were able to send and receive data with temperature sensors.”
This is not some remote-control type-vehicle a kid might find wrapped under the Christmas tree. Springsteen’s design is under consideration to be expanded to fit the purposes of a remote skid-steer loader.
To do that, however, would require some advanced engineering.
“Rather than having a jack of all trades, it’d be necessary to have a team of engineers with really specific skills to focus on each portion to build a prototype, you might say, to take it to the next level,” Springsteen told The Bismarck Tribune.
That could come down the road for the Graham, Washington, native, but finishing his degree and his wrestling career are on the front-burner. Springsteen, who has moved up to 184 pounds this season, will graduate in the spring, but still has one year of athletic eligibility remaining.
There’s also the issue of getting healthy. He’s missed time the past two years with meniscus injuries to both knees, which required surgery.
“I’m expecting to come back full stride at the start of next semester,” he said. “It’s frustrating to be hurt, to not be able to compete, but I’m confident I’ll get back to where I need to be.”
Springsteen has gone up 10 pounds in weight class each of the past two seasons. He feels most comfortable where he is now.
“There are pros and cons like everything else, but at this weight (184), I feel like I can focus more on developing my skills and technique rather than having to spend so much time keeping my weight down like in past years,” he said. “On the other hand, I have to deal with more strength from my opponents at this weight, but once I get adjusted and comfortable, I feel like I’ll be able to perform at my best.”
As he’s proven on the mat and in the classroom, he sets the bar high.
“I definitely have the same goal every year and that’s to win a national title, to get to the top of the podium,” he said.
Wrestling is in the Springsteen DNA. Phillip’s brother Dante transferred to U-Mary this season and is competing at 165 pounds. Their father Oscar wrestled at Eastern Washington University.
“I’ve really enjoyed it actually,” Phillip said of having of having Dante on the team. “It’s nice to have your little brother out there, just like back in high school. I think he likes it too.”
Whether the brothers are on the same team next year is still to be determined. Academic and athletic considerations will factor in.
“I’m not entirely sure,” Phillip said. “We’ll see how everything turns out this year with school and wrestling. I do have another year of eligibility if I choose that path.”
When it comes to engineering, Springsteen’s original passion was in the mechanical discipline. He said having the opportunity to work in mechanical and electrical at U-Mary has been the best of both worlds.
“The professors here give you the opportunity to do a number of things and that part has been great,” he said. “With mechanical engineering you’re focusing a lot on engines and materials and stuff like that. With electrical you’re focusing on pretty much everything because electrical basically hits on everything from micro-electronics all the way up to power plants and power distribution.
“To be able to learn in all of those areas has been a great experience.”
The Marauders return to action Jan. 10-11 at the NWCA National Duals in Louisville, Kentucky. Despite an uneven start to the season, Springsteen said hopes remain high.
“I still think we have a good opportunity of attaining the goals we set for ourselves at the beginning of the year,” he said. “Coach (Adam) Aho has assembled a lot of talent, definitely the most talent since I’ve been here. We just need to get everybody healthy, get everybody performing at their best, and I think things will come together for us.”
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