Franklin Gomez (2021) - Hall of Fame - Michigan State University Athletics

Franklin Gomez

Induction:
2021
Class:
2010

Franklin Gomez
Wrestling (2006-10)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
MSU Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2021

HIGHLIGHTS:
• 2009 NCAA National Champion (133 pounds)
• Three-time All-American (2008-10)
• Three-time NWCA Scholar All-American (2008-10)
• Two-time Big Ten Champion (2008, 2010)
• Three-time Olympian representing Puerto Rico at 2012, 2016 and 2021 Olympic Games

HALL OF FAME FEATURE: CLASS OF 2021

When Franklin Gomez was a student-athlete wrestling for Michigan State, he would often see all the plaques for academic and athletic honors in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center and wonder what it took to get there. Well, Gomez doesn't have to wonder anymore, as his picture and name will be up there as a member of the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I wasn't really expecting it, because I've been so consumed with my training and competing, but hadn't really realized that I was even up for this honor," Gomez said recently while training for the Tokyo Olympics, his third representing Puerto Rico, the first Puerto Rican to qualify to three Olympics.

"But after thinking and reflecting on it, I'm just super honored," Gomez said proudly. "It's a blessing, because I remember being at the Smith Center, walking in and seeing all the pictures of all the Academic All-Americans, and then all the Athletics Hall of Fame of all those great Spartan athletes and wondering how those people got there. I saw the wrestler, Kelvin Jackson, and lots of other, older folks, wrestlers and other athletes, and just thinking 'wow, how do people make it up there, that's got to be really tough and what an honor for them.'"

Gomez is the Spartans' last National Champion, winning the 2009 NCAA title at 133 pounds. A two-time Big Ten Champion for MSU at 133 pounds in 2008 and 2009, Gomez amassed 119 career wins for the Spartans from 2006-10 and is tied for sixth all-time on the career wins list at Michigan State. A total of 15 of his wins came in NCAA Championship action, tied for fourth on MSU's all-time NCAA Tournament wins list.

That success helped Gomez earn selection for the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, and he beams with pride knowing that his plaque will be in the Smith Center.

"I think it's going to be really special in the sense that it's not necessarily because my image is there, but special in a sense because I remember the Smith Center being such a huge advantage and help for me with my education at Michigan State. Coming from Puerto Rico, I needed a little extra help with school, so I was always in the Smith Center and all those people that helped me in my education mean so much to me to help me get to where I am today. So in that sense, I have an extra emotional connection to the Hall of Fame in the Smith Center, because I know I wouldn't have been able to make it without the Smith Center and the help I received there, so to have my picture in the Hall of Fame in that building is extra special."

Gomez will be able to laugh to himself thinking about his first impressions of the Smith Center in his early days at MSU.

"I used to think that it was just for academic honors, and didn't know all the criteria and I didn't think I would ever make it," Gomez said with a laugh. "But then when I learned that the Hall of Fame was for athletic success as well, I thought, 'well maybe someday I can be good enough to be up there.' The Smith Center is all about helping people with their academics as well as athletics, so it's a great honor to be in there."

Gomez earned his bachelor's degree from MSU in human resources and went on to earn his master's in business administration from Penn State, where he coaches freestyle wrestling and trains with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, making sure to proudly wear his Spartan gear.

Gomez was an extra special Spartan wrestler, but knows that he came from strong roots at Michigan State, and has a strong understanding and appreciation that he was able to accomplish everything that he did with hard work and some help from lots of people, including many in the Smith Center. He has an extra sense of gratitude and hopes to pay-it-forward to current and future Spartans.

"It's a tremendous honor to be in the Hall of Fame. Being in the Smith Center and being able to have other Spartan student-athletes see that, and to see that diversity. Coming from my background and a different country kind of shows that you can come from anywhere, any town, any country and if you go to the right place with the right resources like Michigan State, you can definitely accomplish everything and anything you prepare for, because they'll help you succeed and help you do anything, for me completing the American dream," Gomez said beaming with pride.

Gomez was shocked when he learned that he was selected in his first year eligible.

"I'm very, very honored to be included my first year I could, that's a tremendous surprise. I kind of thought that there was a waiting list and they picked from there. Wow, that's crazy to be selected like this," Gomez said surprisingly.

The humble Gomez is appreciative of his coaches and teammates from his time as a Spartan to help him reach the success that he's being recognized for by being selected to the Athletics Hall of Fame.

"I remember that a lot of work was put in on the wrestling mat with the huge help from my coaches and my teammates. If it wasn't for my teammates and all their help, I wouldn't have done what I did, and for the coaches, Coach (Tom) Minkel, Roger (Chandler) and Chris (Williams)," Gomez said. "I just have a lot of gratefulness and thankful for the opportunity to be a Spartan, and I'm proud to forever be a Spartan. I'm grateful that my journey has been helped along the way by so many great people to make it this far in my coaches and teammates, and the support system surrounding me."

Gomez's appreciation to his teammates isn't limited to just wrestling, as they helped him with life and adjusting to America. Born in the Dominican Republic, Gomez moved with his mother and two brothers to Puerto Rico after his fisherman father died in 1991. He wrestled for a high school in Tampa, Florida, and continued learning English at Michigan State.

"There's lots of great memories. I remember lots of talks with my teammates, including Rex Kendle and David Cheza," Gomez said. "I had a lot of problems with past-tense in English, and I would have to take an exam for a class, and one time, David said 'so how did it go?' and I was confused and asked him, 'do you mean how did it went, because went is the past and it's already happened and go is present?' And he said, 'no, how did it go?' So we were going back-and-forth, and they helped me, and we had a lot of fun together teaching me the English language better. So have a lot of good memories with my wrestling teammates just hanging out and them helping me and correcting me."

Along with helping him with his English, Gomez remembers and credits his teammates and coaches for his success, including then assistant coach and current head coach Roger Chandler, as well as assistant coach Chris Williams.

"I remember trying to take down Roger Chandler was a big deal for me and trying to navigate around Chris Williams, so I have lots of great memories of my teammates and coaches helping me in the wrestling room, and wrestling with my teammates in Jenison Field House and giving everything we had to the Spartans," Gomez said. "One time Coach Minkel asked me to lead the team in prayer before a match, and I was so nervous, I'd never prayed or even spoken in front of a group of people very much, but it was a very special moment."

While he admits that he didn't take down Coach Chandler very much, he does vividly remember one of his highlights of doing so.

"There was one time at practice we did a shark bait drill with someone in the middle and had to take them down, and Roger was in the middle and man, I was able to take him down," Gomez said proudly. "That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but you talk about an accomplishment, man that felt great and I knew if I could do that, then I could almost do anything, I felt like I was in a sci-fi or action movie!"

While he took the athlete path and not that of an actor in a movie, Gomez is proud to have taken the path that he took and forever grateful of his mother for allowing him to take that path from humble beginnings to Hall of Famer.

"I'm very appreciate of my mother, Margarita Matos for all the sacrifices she made for me in order for me to get to where I am today, for letting me come to the U.S. trying to pursue a higher education," Gomez said. "I'm also forever grateful to Mike and Debbie Joyce, who lived in Florida and took great care of me, and Dalimar Velez and Pablo J. Cordero, who took care of me at Michigan State."

Franklin Gomez, Hall of Famer, has a nice ring to him, but he knows that he didn't get there alone.

"There's a lot of things in life that take lots of sacrifice and dedication and I'm grateful for all the sacrifices that people made for me. We need people around us and mentors, not just growing up, but always, and I am the result of the many, many people that made contributions to my life, and I thank God for them and them helping me."