Andrew Koponen was born August 12, 1971 to parents Brian and Mickie Koponen. He was raised and educated in Livermore, California. An accomplished wrestler throughout high school and college, he went on to take the Bronze Medal at the 1990 United States Olympic Festival. Andrew accomplished his dream of becoming a police officer for Oakland, California; though after 8 years took an early retirement. He also served as an Infantryman in the U.S. Army National Guard, deploying to Kuwait in 2002. His experiences in the police and military helped him begin a career as a professional actor. He possesses a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and a Master's Degree in Education.