Kutztown University redshirt senior wrestler Evan Yenolevich has had a tremendous collegiate career thus far.

However, Yenolevich, a 2009 graduate of Northwestern High School, recently suffered a setback that has kept him off the mat for over a month.

Yenolevich, who has not wrestled since a November 22 match against Pitt-Johnston, suffered from a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection that forced him into the hospital and away from the wrestling mat for a number of weeks. MRSA is a strain of staph bacteria that is resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. He had surgery nearly a month ago to treat the infection.

Despite being sidelined for quite some time now, Yenolevich's determination and heart has been key in his ongoing return to the mat.

"I got MRSA real bad, and I had a surgery in my elbow," Yenolevich said. "It's a pretty serious disease.

"It might be a little bit of a good thing that it happened. It gives me that extra drive now."

Yenolevich was cleared to return to the mat and begin workouts on January 20. It will certainly take some time, but he'll be the first to tell you he's looking to get back to his former self.

"I definitely don't want to lose; that's the number one goal," Yenolevich said. "Just take it to everybody. I want to practice on my fine-tuning in these last matches."

Prior to that infection, Yenolevich put together a 7-1 record at 133 pounds for the Golden Bears this season. All of his wins have come by fall, technical fall or major decision.

Over the course of his first two seasons as a member of the Golden Bears, Yenolevich accumulated a 49-19 record. He wrested at Edinboro University as a freshman.

Before the setback in his final collegiate season, Yenolevich started the 2013-14 campaign much like his others. He entered the season ranked second in the NWCA Division II Super Region 1 preseason rankings and No. 6 in the NCAA national ranks. He remains ranked second in Super Region 1 and is now seventh in the national rankings.

"The kid who is ranked above me [in Super Region 1], I've seen him wrestle last year when I was at nationals and he was tough," Yenolevich said. "I'm just going to have to take one match at a time."

When it comes to his performance on the mat, Yenolevich won't accept anything but being the best. He won the NCAA Super Region 1 Championships as a sophomore, and placed fourth last year for the Golden Bears. In the NCAA Championships, he earned a fourth-place finish as a sophomore, and made it to the final 12 last season.

Despite undergoing a tough stretch in the middle of this season, Yenolevich still has his eyes set on the top of the mountain.

"I always like to progress forward," Yenolevich said. "And last year, not placing at nationals kind of hurt. In high school, I was second [as a sophomore], second [as a junior] and then I won states [as a senior]. It's a different mentality being a senior."