Notes
| Head coach Troy Sunderland |
State College, Pa. - March 29, 2006 - Penn State Nittany Lion wrestler Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) fell in the national title bout at 197-pounds two defending champion Jacob Rosholt of Oklahoma State, but finished as national runner-up as a sophomore. The two-time All-American, just a sophomore, led head coach Troy Sunderland's Penn State team to a ninth finish at the 2006 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Penn State left Oklahoma City, host site of this year's event, with three All-Americans.
Davis became Penn State's first-ever national runner-up at 197. He went 4-1 on the tournament and ends his sophomore year with a 25-4 record. In two years, he is a two time All-American (7th last year, 2nd this year), the 2006 Big Ten Champion and has a 62-14 record. Davis is also 8-3 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, the 20th best NCAA tournament winning percentage (.727) in Penn State history. He is the 24th national runner-up in school history as well.
Davis became Penn State's first national runner-up since Josh Moore and Pat Cummins finished 2nd in 2004. Davis and Eric Bradley (Plaistow, N.H.) became the fifth and sixth repeat All-Americans under Sunderland. Junior James Yonushonis (Philipsburg, Pa.) became the 13th different individual to earn All-America laurels under Sunderland as well. Both Bradley and Yonushonis took eighth place in their respective weight classes (184 and 174). In all, the veteran Nittany Lion mentor has now coached 18 All-Americans (including multiple winners who earned their second titles in Sunderland's first year).
Penn State finished the 2006 NCAA Championships in ninth place with 53.5 points. Oklahoma State won the team title with 122.5 points, far in front of runner-up Minnesota's 84.0. Oklahoma was third with 80.5. Iowa finished fourth with 70.0, followed by Cornell (62.0), Arizona State (61.5), Michigan (57.5), Edinboro (56.0), Penn State (53.5) and Lehigh (53.5). Penn State's ninth place finish is its best since placing sixth in 2003. The 53.5 total points is the 14th most ever scored by the Nittany Lions in the NCAA Championships.
The Nittany Lions ended the tournament with a 22-17 overall record (0-3 today, 12-7 Friday and 10-7 Thursday). Penn State's three All-Americans are the most for the school since it had four in 2003.
Sunderland's Nittany Lions received a bulk of its scoring from bonus points. During the course of the tournament, the Nittany Lions had seven pins (worth two bonus points each) and three majors (worth one bonus point each) for 17 bonus points.
Penn State concluded an outstanding 2005-06 season with its ninth place finish with three All-Americans at nationals. Sunderland's Nittany Lions went 13-4 in dual matches, including a 5-3 mark in Big Ten action. The Lions crowned one Big Ten Champion and placed fourth at the Big Ten Championships.
HEAD COACH TROY SUNDERLAND
Troy Sunderland (Penn State, '93) was just completed his 8th year at the helm of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling program. Sunderland has coached two NCAA Champions, 16 All-Americans as a head coach (26 overall) and six Big Ten Champions. He was also the 2003 Big Ten Coach of the Year. Sunderland is 79-68 overall.
As a wrestler at Penn State from 1988-93, Sunderland was a three-time All-American and a two-time NCAA Runner-Up. He earned both EWL and Big Ten Individual Championships during his days as a student-athlete and was a University and Espoir National Champion. Sunderland's accolades are as follows: EWL Champ at 150 (1992); Big Ten Champion at 150 (1993); NCAA Runner-Up at 150 (1992 and 1993) and 4th at 150 (1991); Career NCAA Tournament record of 13-4; Three-time All-American (1991, 1992 and 1993); 100 career victories (100-13-3 overall record).
BROADCAST INFO (RADIO AND/OR TV)
Local radio station WBLF 970 AM broadcasted the entire season of Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling. Continuing a long-standing tradition of full season coverage, each of Penn State's dual matches and four major tournaments was carried by the station. Jeff Byers, long-time voice of Nittany Lion wrestling, was at each event to call the action. In addition to the full schedule of duals, WBLF aired the Big Ten Championships on March 4-5 and the NCAA Championships on March 16-18. Nittany Lion wrestling fans have been treated to a full season of radio coverage for over 26 years.
WBLF is owned by Magnum Broadcasting, which owns and operates four stations locally, including WPHB 1260 AM in Philipsburg. WPHB will also carry select wrestling events.
| National Runner-Up Phil Davis |
DAVIS ENDS STELLAR SEASON AS NATIONAL RUNNER-UP AT 197
Sophomore Phil Davis, a freshman All-American in 2004-05, certainly suffered no 'sophomore jinx'. The Harrisburg native was the event's No. 6 seed ended the 2005-06 campaign in the national championship final at 197, advancing to the weight's final bout at the 2006 NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City. While falling to three-time national champion Jacob Rosholt of Oklahoma State in the finals, Davis ended the year with a multitude of outstanding accolades: National Runner-Up, All-American (for second time), 2006 Big Ten Champion, Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (11/16), Outstanding Wrestler at Pennsylvania Duals, 25-4 overall record, 14-1 dual match record, 8-0 Big Ten dual record, 56 dual points, six points, four majors.
BRADLEY CLAIMS SECOND ALL-AMERICA HONOR
Senior Eric Bradley earned his second All-America honor with an eighth place finish in the 184-pound weight class at the 2006 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Bradley, who was the No. 8 seed, went 3-3 in the tournament and finished in eighth place. Bradley ended the year as a two-time All-American, with a 14-6 record, a 9-1 dual match record and a 6-0 mark in Big Ten action.
YONUSHONIS BECOMES ALL-AMERICAN AT 174
Junior James Yonushonis, who began the year unranked and unheralded, had such an outstanding regular season that he entered the 2006 NCAA Championships as the No. 9 seed at 174. He emerged as an All-American after a 4-3 showing and an eighth place finish. The Philipsburg-native ended 2005-06 with his first All-America laurel, Penn State's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, a 24-9 overall record, a 14-2 dual match mark, a 6-1 Big Ten dual record and 49 dual match points.
STRAYER AND EDWARDS END SEASONS IN 'ROUND OF 12'
A wrestler who ends his season in the NCAA Championship's 'Round of 12' can take pride in the knowledge that, while finishing just one win shy of being an All-American, they were one of the 12 best wrestlers in the nation at their respective weight. Two Nittany Lions advanced to the 'Round of 12' at the 2006 NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City.
Red-shirt freshman Jake Strayer went 3-2 at 133 and was eliminated in the critical round. Still, Strayer had an outstanding rookie campaign. He earned Big Ten Wrestler of the Week laurels (1/11), owns a win over national champion Matt Valenti of Penn, ended the year with a 26-6 overall record, a 14-2 dual record, a 6-2 Big Ten dual mark and 49 dual points.
Senior heavyweight Joel Edwards dropped a heart-breaking double-sudden victory decision in the 'Round of 12', losing the bout on just :11 of riding time criteria. Edwards concluded an outstanding campaign, his first full campaign at heavyweight, with a 20-8 record, a 9-3 mark in duals and a 4-3 record in Big Ten duals.
VETERANS SCORE AT NATIONALS AND HELP PENN STATE TO HIGH TEAM FINISH
Three seasoned veterans competed at the 2006 NCAA Championships, adding a bevy of important scoring to Penn State's team total and helping the Nittany Lions to a ninth place finish. Senior DeWitt Driscoll competed at 141, senior James Woodall competed at 149 and junior Nathan Galloway competed at 157. Combined with Penn State's three All-Americans and two 'Round of 12ers', Penn State had eight national qualifiers.
| Senior DeWitt Driscoll |
Driscoll went 3-2 at 141 and, in the process, picked up plenty of bonus points with two pins and a major. He ended the year with a 19-11 overall mark and was 11-6 in duals. Driscoll was 5-3 in Big Ten duals and had 54 dual points. His team-leading nine pins gave him moved him into an 11th place tie all-time at Penn State. Galloway went 2-2 at 157. His two wins were both pins (one in :26 seconds, the other in :34 seconds) and one of his losses was a hard-fought 2-0 decision to No. 1 seed Trent Paulson of Iowa State. Galloway ended the season with a 15-16 overall record with four pins. Woodall went 0-2 at 149 and ended his senior campaign with a 10-9 record, including a 7-5 dual match mark.
NITTANY LIONS FINISH NINTH AT NATIONALS WITH 14TH HIGHEST TEAM POINT EVER
Penn State returned to the national top ten with a ninth place finish at the 2006 NCAA Championships. The Nittany Lions eight national qualifiers garnered the team 53.5 points, the 14th highest tournament total in Penn State history. Penn State also had three All-Americans, the most in one tournament since the Nittany Lions had four in 2003. As a team, Penn State went 22-17 with seven pins and three majors. Oklahoma won the team title with 122.5 points, out-distancing second place Minnesota, which had 84.0. Iowa (70.0), Michigan (57.5) and Penn State (53.5) gave the Big Ten four teams in the tournament's final top ten.
DAVIS CLAIMS BIG TEN CROWN AT 197
Sophomore Phil Davis became Penn State's first Big Ten Champion in the 197-pound weight class by going 4-0 and claiming the crown at the 2006 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. Davis, who entered the tournament as the No. 2 seed, downed No. 1 seed Tyrone Byrd of Illinois to grab the championship trophy.
PENN STATE FINISHES FOURTH AT BIG TENS WITH EIGHT NATIONAL QUALIFIERS
Penn State finished fourth at the 2006 Big Ten Championships, hosted by Indiana University. The Nittany Lions crowned one champion (Phil Davis at 197) and qualified eight for nationals. Minnesota won the team crown with 138.0 points, followed by Illinois (125.0), Michigan (115.0) and Penn State (91.0).
STRAYER GRABS 133-POUND BRONZE MEDAL AT BIG TEN TOURNAMENT
Freshman Jake Strayer posted a 4-1 overall mark and claimed third place at the 2006 Big Ten Wrestling Championships by downing Michigan's Mark Moos in the Bronze Medal bout. Strayer lost to Moos in sudden victory in his first bout at the tourney, but rebounded with four straight wins.
BRADLEY HAS THREE-PEAT DENIED; TAKES FOURTH AT 184 IN BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
Returning All-American and two-time defending Big Ten Champion at 184 Eric Bradley had his run at a rare three-peat in big ten titles denied this year with a fourth-place finish at the 2006 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. Bradley was looking to become only the 46th person in the long and storied history of Big Ten wrestling to win three crowns. Bradley went 2-2, falling 2-1 via tie-breaker in the semis, and placed fourth.
| 2006 All-American James Yonushonis |
YONUSHONIS AND EDWARDS TAKE FIFTH AT BIG TENS
Junior James Yonushonis and senior Joel Edwards each placed fifth in their respective weights at the 2006 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. Yonushonis advanced to the semifinals at 174 and ended the tourney with a 2-2 mark while Edwards advance to the semis at HWT and went 3-2 overall.
DRISCOLL, WOODALL AND GALLOWAY WIN SEVENTH PLACE BOUTS AT BIG TENS TO EARN SPOT IN NCAA FIELD
Senior DeWitt Driscoll (141), senior James Woodall (149) and junior Nathan Galloway (157) each won their do-or-die seventh place bouts at the 2006 Big Ten Wrestling Championships to fulfill the dream and earn a spot in the field for the 2006 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Wrestling almost simultaneously in Indiana's Assembly Hall, the trio each posted convincing victories to grab the automatic spot. Driscoll and Galloway each went 2-2 while Woodall went 3-2.
TRUE FRESHMEN PATAKY AND ERWIN CLOSE OUT SEASONS ON TOUGH NOTES
Two of Penn State's three freshmen, and the duo of true freshmen, in the Lions' line-up for the 2006 Big Ten Championships both closed out their seasons with tough 0-2 performances, missing out on qualifying for nationals in their first go-rounds. Brad Pataky (125) and David Erwin (165) each bowed out of the tournament with 0-2 marks. Pataky lost to the top seed and then suffered a surprise pin while looking to pin his opponent himself in his first consolation bout. Erwin suffered a knee injury that did not allow him to wrestling at 100% and dropped two straight.
TEAM FINISH AND QUALIFIER TOTAL HIGHEST FOR PSU IN THREE YEARS
Penn State's eight qualifiers is the team's highest total since qualifying eight in 2003. The Nittany Lions' fourth place team finish is also its best since finishing third in 2003. Since joining the Big Ten, Penn State has qualified ten twice (1993, 1997), nine twice (1998, 1999) and now eight twice (2003, 2006). The team has also finished in the top four of the team race eight times, including this year.
LIONS CLOSE OUT REGULAR SEASON WITH TWO RUNAWAY ROAD WINS
Penn State closed out the 2005-06 regular season with two runaway road wins the weekend of Feb. 17-19. First, Penn State won 39-7 at Ohio State. Then the Nittany Lions downed Purdue in Conseco Fieldhouse 32-8. In all, the Nittany Lions won 16 of 20 bouts on the trip and outscored its two Big Ten foes by a combined score of 71-15.
SUNDERLAND POSTS BEST DUAL MATCH RECORD AS PSU COACH
Veteran head coach Troy Sunderland led Penn State to a 13-4 dual match record this year, including a 5-3 mark in Big Ten action. The 13-4 record is, by virtue of its .765 winning percentage, the best of Sunderland's coaching career at Penn State. The 5-3 mark in conference action also ties a Sunderland high.
DRISCOLL LEADS PENN STATE IN FALLS
Senior 141-pounder DeWitt Driscoll posted a team-best nine pins this season, tops on the squad. The nine falls give him 24 for his career, 14th all-time at Penn State. Driscoll was a perfect 9-0 in matches decided by a pin.
| Freshman Brad Pataky |
PATAKY LEADS SQUAD IN TECHNICAL FALLS
By virtue of two technical falls on the regular season's final weekend, true freshman Brad Pataky collected a team-best six on the season. Pataky was a perfect 6-0 in matches decided by a TF.
| Freshman David Erwin |
ERWIN LEADS TEAM IN MAJOR DECISIONS
True freshman David Erwin posted a team-best nine major decisions this season. The 165-pounder was a perfect 9-0 in majors this year.
STRAYER, ERWIN AND PATAKY A STRONG TRIO OF FRESHMEN IN PSU'S LINE-UP
True freshmen Brad Pataky and David Erwin and red-shirt freshman Jake Strayer combined to form an outstanding trio of freshmen in Penn State's starting line-up during the dual match season. Pataky, at 125, went 15-8 overall this year, including a 6-2 mark in dual matches and a 2-1 record in Big Ten action. He was 0-2 at the Big Ten Championships. He led Penn State with a perfect 6-0 mark in matches decided by a technical fall as well. Strayer, ranked No. 9 at 133, ended the year with a superb 26-6 overall record. He went 14-2 in duals and was 6-2 in Big Ten action. Strayer posted a 4-1 mark and took third place at the Big Ten Championships and qualified for nationals. In Oklahoma City, Strayer went 3-2 as the No. 7 seed and advanced to the 'Round of 12.' Strayer was third on the team in dual points earned this past year with 49. Each of his losses came against wrestlers ranked in the top ten. Erwin, ranked No. 12 at 165, posted an outstanding 23-8 mark. Erwin went 0-2 at the Big Ten Championships. He led the squad with a 9-0 mark in major decisions. Erwin went 10-2 in dual matches and was 5-1 in Big Ten action.
DAVIS SHUTS-OUT RICHARDSON IN TOP TEN BATTLE TO LEAD LIONS OVER HOOSIERS
Sophomore All-American Phil Davis posted a 6-0 shut-out of talented Indiana 197-pounder Brady Richardson in a battle of two top ten wrestlers. Davis entered the bout ranked No. 6 while Richardson was No. 8. The Davis victory helped propel Penn State to a 27-8 win at Indiana.
BOMBERGER STEPS IN FOR YONUSHONIS AND GETS FIRST CAREER DUAL WIN
Freshman Phil Bomberger moved up to 174 to fill in for starter James Yonushonis and came away with an impressive 6-3 win over Indiana's Marc Bennett. The victory was the dual opener and helped propel No. 8 Penn State on to a 27-8 win over No. 16 Indiana. The decision was also Bomberger's first career dual match win in three attempts.
LIONS SPLIT BOUTS WITH CYCLONES, BUT LOSE BATTLE OF BONUS POINTS
Penn State went 5-5 on the road vs. the No. 8 Iowa State Cyclones, but dropped a heart-breaking 20-18 decision due to ISU's 5-3 advantage in bonus points. The Lions got three majors in the dual, but Iowa State had two majors and a pin to grab the close victory.
LIONS WIN VS. (AND AT) IOWA FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1998
Penn State's 21-12 win at Iowa on Feb. 3 was the first Nittany Lion dual victory over Iowa, or in Iowa City, since Penn State claimed a 25-17 win in Carver Hawkeye Arena on Jan. 3, 1998. The Lions won four of six bouts vs. the No. 7 Hawkeyes, including a pin from sophomore Tim Haas at 125.
| Freshman Jake Strayer |
STRAYER NAMED BIG TEN WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
Penn State Nittany Lion freshman Jake Strayer was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for the week ending Sunday, January 9. Strayer became the second Nittany Lion to claim a conference W.O.W. award this year as sophomore All-American Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) was honored on Nov. 16. Strayer continued the hot start to his rookie campaign by posting a 17-5 major decision over Lehigh's John Stout to help the Nittany Lions throttle No. 11 Lehigh 24-12 in Bethlehem. Two days later, Strayer posted a 6-1 win over No. 10 Mike Mormile of Cornell to help the Lions crush No. 10 Cornell 27-7 in Rec Hall.
LIONS SHOW PROWESS IN DUALS VS. LEHIGH AND CORNELL
In less than 48 hours time, Penn State downed two higher ranked teams, one on the road no less, by a combined score of 51-19 as the Nittany Lions showed their mettle with their full line-up intact. Penn State, ranked No. 12 at the time, downed 11th-ranked Lehigh on their own mat by a 24-12 score. The Lions then hosted No. 10 Cornell less than 48 hours later and crushed the visitors 27-7. In all, Penn State won 14 of the 16 bouts and collected nine bonus points.
| Two-time All-American Eric Bradley |
BRADLEY MAKES 2006 DEBUT
Nittany Lion senior Eric Bradley made his 2006 debut in duals at Lehigh on 1/6 and vs. Cornell in Rec Hall on 1/8. Ranked No. 1 in the nation at 184 and a returning All-American, Bradley posted a workmanlike 5-2 win over Lehigh's David Helfrich on 1/6 and then majored Cornell's Dan Miracola 12-4 on 1/8. Bradley injured his ankle on Nov. 6 in Penn State's Wrestle-Offs.
LIONS DOMINATE MILLERSVILLE TOURNEY
While the Nittany Lion dual starters prepped for their impressive win at Lehigh on 1/6, 16 other members of the Penn State wrestling team took part in the 2006 Floyd 'Shorty' Hitchcock Memorial Tournament at Millersville University. Brad Pataky, wrestling attached at 125, took the crown at 125, beating Pitt-Johnstown's Derrek Bosso 20-4 in the finals. Bryan Heller won the crown at 133 with a 12-2 major over Millersville's Cory Becker. Mark Friend won the title at 165, defeating teammate Phil Bomberger 4-3 in the title bout. Mike Ward, unattached at 174, won the crown with a 5-2 win over Lehigh's Manuel Schubert. Heavyweight Joe Farina took the HWT crown, pinning Slippery Rock's Seve Kocevar in 4:43. In addition to Bomberger's runner-up finish at 165, Jason Lapham was third at 149. Jack Decker, unattached at 165, was third while Chad Unger and A.J. Cummins, both attached at 197, took second third respectively
DRISCOLL A FINALIST AT RENO T.O.C.
Senior DeWitt Driscoll had a superb showing at the 2005 Reno Tournament of Champions, advancing to the finals at 141. Driscoll scored a pin and a technical fall to advance to the quarterfinals, where he pinned Fresno State's Garrett Spooner at 1:45. A 7-2 win over Northwestern's Ryan Lang got him to the title bout, where he dropped a tough 6-4 decision to top-seeded Daniel Friskhorn of Oklahoma State.
| Junior Nathan Galloway |
NINE LIONS PLACE AT RENO T.O.C.
Led by finalist DeWitt Driscoll's second place showing at 141, nine Nittany Lions earned spots in the top six at the 2005 Reno Tournament of Champions. Tim Haas was 4-3 and placed sixth at 125; freshman Jake Strayer went 5-1, was a semifinalist and finished third at 133; Bryan Heller went 7-2 and was fifth at 141; Nathan Galloway went 4-2, was a semifinalist and placed fourth at 157; James Yonushonis went 5-2 and was fifth at 174; Phil Davis went 3-2, was a semifinalist and finished sixth at 197; Aaron Anspach went 5-1 and was fourth at HWT; and Joel Edwards went 5-1 and was third at HWT.
MANY LIONS FARE WELL AT UNATTACHED HOLIDAY TOURNEYS
Many different Nittany Lions competed unattached at three different holiday tournaments. Highlights of the action included Mike Ward going 4-1 and reaching the finals at the Cleveland State Open, dropping the title match at 174 to unattached Keith Gavin. At Buffalo, Mark McKnight went 4-0 at 125 at the Buffalo Invite to take the crown. He had three majors in his four wins. Jon Clemens was 4-2 at 157 and took fourth.
ERWIN MAKES DUAL DEBUT
True freshman David Erwin, who had amassed a 10-2 mark unattached in tournaments, made his collegiate/dual debut with wins at 165 vs. Navy (7-1 dec. over John Jarred) and Penn (9-4 dec.) over Jeff Zannetti.
STRAYER TAKES DOWN MATT VALENTI OF PENN, EVENTUAL NATIONAL CHAMP
Red-shirt freshman Jake Strayer ran his undefeated season start to 6-0 with an upset win over then-No. 6 Matt Valenti of Penn. Strayer downed the talented Quaker senior 3-2 on Dec. 10 in Penn State's 25-6 win at the Palestra. Valenti would go on to win the national crown at 133.
NITTANY LIONS FAIR WELL IN THE NLO
Penn State won two titles and had six place winners in the 2005 Nittany Lion Open on Dec. 4. Wrestling attached, Brad Pataky placed sixth at 125 and was 5-2; Philip Bomberger was runner-up at 165 going 5-1; Bryan Heller was 5-1 and finished third at 133; Brian Cantalupi (165) and Mark Friend (157) were both 0-1. Junior Mark McKnight, unattached, won the title at 125 with a 5-0 record. True freshman David Erwin went 6-0 and downed Bomberger in the finals at 165 to claim the crown. Jeremy Hart was outstanding at 165 as well, going 5-1 and place third. Overall, with 20 total wrestlers involved, Penn State went 43-25. The six attached grapplers were 17-8 with 12 unattached Lions going 26-17.
YONUSHONIS WINS THREE STRAIGHT VS. RANKED OPPONENTS IN NOVEMBER
Junior 174-pounder James Yonushonis downed No. 11 Nick Roy of Michigan, 3-1 (sv), in Penn State's dual vs. Michigan on 11/26, posting his third straight win vs. a ranked foe. Yonushonis beat No. 10 Kelly Flaherty of Wisconsin, 5-3, on 11/20 and No. 7 Travis Frick of Lehigh, 6-4 (sv), on 11/13.
HAAS MAKES '05-06 DUAL DEBUT WITH WIN
Sophomore Tim Haas made his 2005-06 dual match debut with a 6-4 win over Michigan's Jim Shutich on 11/26. Prior to that, Haas reeled off five wins to claim the 125 pound at the East Stroudsburg Open on 11/19.
| Senior James Woodall |
PENN STATE NO. 8 WITH NINE RANKED INDIVIDUALS IN FINAL USA TODAY/NWCA COACHES DUAL MEET RANKINGS (2/21)
With nine ranked individuals, the Penn State wrestlers maintained their No. 8 in the final USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll for dual matches (2/21). Penn State wass one of nine Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25, four of which were in the top ten. Minnesota was No. 1 spot, followed by Big Ten rival Michigan. Oklahoma State (3) was next, followed by Central Michigan (4), Nebraska (5), Iowa State (6), Missouri (7) and Penn State (8). Illinois (9) and Oklahoma (10) rounded out the top ten. Iowa (11), Northwestern (13), Indiana (17), Michigan State (18) and Wisconsin (19) rounded out the Big Ten teams in the poll. Senior Eric Bradley led the strong contingent of ranked Nittany Lions with his No. 7 nod at 184. Sophomore Phil Davis wass No. 6 at 197, freshman Jake Strayer was No. 9 at 133 and James Yonushonis was No. 9 at 174, giving the Lions four in the top ten. Senior DeWitt Driscoll was No. 11 at 141, freshman David Erwin was No. 12 at 165, junior Nathan Galloway was No. 13 at 157, senior James Woodall was No. 13 at 149 and senior Joel Edwards was No. 19 at HWT.
PENN STATE 6TH WITH NINE RANKED WRESTLERS IN FINAL W.I.N. DUAL RANKINGS (2/21)
The Penn State Nittany Lions were ranked No. 6 in the final version (2/21) of W.I.N.'s NCAA wrestling rankings for dual matches. Individually, nine Lions were ranked in the top 20 at their respective weight classes. Penn State was the fourth highest ranked Big Ten team in the poll, behind No. 1 Minnesota, No. 4 Michigan and No. 6 Illinois. Freshman Jake Strayer was No. 8 at 133, senior DeWitt Driscoll was No. 9 at 141, senior James Woodall was No. 9 at 149, junior Nathan Galloway was No. 15 at 157, freshman David Erwin was No. 12 at 165, junior James Yonushonis was No. 10 at 174, senior All-American Eric Bradley was No. 1 at 184, sophomore All-American Phil Davis was No. 6 at 197 and senior Joel Edwards was No. 13 at HWT.
LIONS SPLIT BOUTS WITH BADGERS BUT BONUS POINTS GIVE UW UPSET
The Penn State Nittany Lions, ranked No. 12 heading into its match with No. 15 Wisconsin, won the first three bouts of the Big Ten dual to bolt out to a 9-0 lead. Wisconsin answered with a pin and a major to take a 10-9 lead and post the bonus points that would ultimately decide the match. Penn State won five bouts as did Wisconsin, but the four points won in those two bouts were the difference in the dual as Wisconsin upset Penn State 19-15.
HAAS WINS TITLE AT EAST STROUDSBURG OPEN AS FOUR LIONS PLACE
Sophomore 125-pounder Tim Haas went 5-0 to claim the 125-pound title at the East Stroudsburg Open in action that went late into Saturday night. Haas was one of five attached Penn State wrestlers at the event, four of whom earned spots in the top eight. Haas claimed the title with an impressive 5-2 win over Jeffrey Sato of Columbia. Sophomore Bryan Heller won his first bout at 133, dropped his second, but reeled off six straight wins in the consolation bracket to place third. Junior Brian Cantalupi placed seventh at 165, going 5-2 on the day. Junior Aaron Anspach finished sixth at HWT, going 4-3. On route to his sixth place finish, Anspach downed Harvard's Bode Ogunwole, 3-2 TB, who entered the tournament ranked No. 12 in the nation. True freshman Jason Lapham was the other attached Lion grappler at the event, going 1-2 at 149.
ROHAN MURPHY QUALIFIES FOR WORLD PARALYMPIC POWERLIFTING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Penn State Nittany Lion wrestler Rohan Murphy (Long Island, N.Y.) has qualified for the fourth International Powerlifting Paralympic Championships in Buran, Korea. The 11-day event takes place April 1-12, 2006. Murphy, a bilateral amputee who is a member of the Nittany Lion wrestling team and head coach Troy Sunderland, posted a lift of 285-pounds, which sets a national record at 125-pounds for paralympians. The competition in Korea is the last international competition before the 2008 Beijing Paralympics. Murphy had a 1-2 weekend, wrestling unattached at the East Stroudsburg Open. The junior grabbed his first win of the season, posting an impressive 19-4 technical fall.
DAVIS NAMED BIG TEN WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
Penn State Nittany Lion wrestler Phil Davis was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (11/13/05). The sophomore 197-pounder shared the honor with Northwestern 141-pounder Ryan Lang. Davis, a returning All-American, was a perfect 3-0 last Sunday, recording falls in each of his matches to help lead Penn State to the title at the 2005 Pennsylvania State Dual Championships. His pin of Lehigh's Paul Weibel in 3:30 to spark a Penn State rally and help the Lions to an 18-17 win over the No. 8 Mountain Hawks. The Harrisburg native was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler and won the Most Pins in the Fastest Time Award, getting three in 13:35.
PENN STATE CLAIMS PA. STATE DUALS CROWN
Trailing by eight with just two bouts left, Penn State thrilled the nearly 2,000 fans in Rec Hall to come from behind and defeat No. 8 Lehigh 18-17, grabbing the title in the second annual Pennsylvania State Dual Championships. Sophomore Phil Davis got a pin at 197 at the 3:20 mark to turn a 17-9 Lehigh lead into a two-point deficit for the Nittany Lions. Senior Joel Edwards followed that up with a thrilling 8-7 win at HWT to complete the comeback and give the Lions the crown, avenging a team loss in the event's finals last year. Edwards scored a takedown with :20 remaining to tie his bout at 7-7 and posted a plus-2:00 riding time edge to get the RT point and the victory. Penn State got to the finals by defeated Pitt-Johnstown 31-10 in the opening round and York 47-3 in the semifinals. Both Davis and Edwards went 3-0 in the tournament as did 174-pounder James Yonushonis.
Complete team scores for the event are as follows - Opening Round: PENN STATE 31, Pitt-Johnstown 10; York 25, Clarion 15; Lehigh 50, Williamson 6; Lock Haven 25, Mercyhurst 17. Semifinals: PENN STATE 47, York 3; Lehigh 32, Lock Haven 3. CONSO SEMIS: Mercyhurst 48, Williamson 3; UPJ 26, Clarion 12. FINALS: PENN STATE 18, Lehigh 17; 3rd Place: Lock Haven 28, York 11; 5th Place: UPJ 30, Mercyhurst 7; 7th Place: Clarion 49, Williamson 0.
DAVIS PINS THREE AT DUALS; GETS O.W.
Sophomore All-American Phil Davis pinned his first three opponents of the year, going a perfect three for three in pins during the Pa. State Dual Championships on Nov. 13. Davis pinned his three foes in 13:35 to earn the Most Pins in Shortest Time Award. He was also voted Outstanding Wrestler.
EDWARDS 3-0 IN PA. DUALS; CLINCHES TITLE
Senior Joel Edwards posted an exciting 8-7 win over Lehigh's Tom Curl in the tournament championship deciding bout. With Penn State trailing 17-15, Edwards erased an early 5-0 deficit to post the win and give the Nittany Lions an 18-17 victory over No. 8 Lehigh and the 2005 Pa. Duals crown. Edwards scored a takedown with :20 left and got the win with a plus-2:00 RT edge.
YONUSHONIS PERFECT IN PA. DUALS
With a number of Lions seeing action in the Pennsylvania State Dual Championships on Nov. 13 and many going 2-0, only three went 3-0 in the event. Senior HWT Joel Edwards and sophomore Phil Davis turned the trick as did junior 174-pounder James Yonushonis. Yonushonis posted a big win over No. 7 Travis Frick of Lehigh in the tournament's title match, grabbing a 6-4 sudden victory decision.
NITTANY LIONS FACE ONE OF NATION'S TOUGHEST SCHEDULES
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team faced one of the nation's toughest schedules in 2005-06 as 12 of the Lions' 17 dual matches were against teams ranked in the poll's top 25. The Nittany Lions went 8-4 vs. ranked teams this year. Penn State downed No. 8 Lehigh 18-17 on Sunday, Nov. 13, but were upset, 19-15, by No. 15 Wisconsin on Nov. 20. Penn State lost to No. 3 Michigan, 23-15, on Nov. 26. Penn State won road duals at No. 23 Navy, 28-6, on Dec. 9; and No. 25 Penn, 25-6, on Dec. 10. Penn State beat Lehigh again, this time downing No. 11 Lehigh 24-12 in Bethlehem on Jan. 6. The Nittany Lions then crushed No. 10 Cornell 27-7 on Jan. 8. Penn State downed No. 18 Michigan State 27-12 on Jan. 27 before falling to No. 1 Minnesota 25-16 in front of 5,419 fans on Jan. 29. Penn State won 21-12 at No. 7 Iowa on Feb. 3 and then dropped a heart-breaking 20-18 decision at No. 8 Iowa State on Feb. 5. The Lions won 27-8 at No. 16 Indiana on Feb. 10.
PSU ALL-TIME VS. RANKED OPPONENTS
The Nittany Lions went 8-4 vs. ranked teams this season. Penn State went 7-8 vs. ranked team's last year and 4-7 against ranked foes in 2002-03. Penn State is 44-64 under Head Coach Troy Sunderland against ranked teams, 7-41 against the Top 10 and 2-25 against the top five.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS GIVEN OUT AT ANNUAL WRESTLING CLUB LUNCHEON
The Penn State Wrestling Club held its annual year-end Luncheon today and, in addition to honoring Penn State's five graduating senior wrestlers and one manager, a total of ten team awards were handed out as well. Head coach Troy Sunderland and his team was the centers of attention at the well-attended event. The first order of business was honoring Penn State's five senior wrestlers and lone senior manager. Seniors Eric Bradley, DeWitt Driscoll, Joel Edwards, Jeremy Hart and James Woodall as well as manager Carly Sayers each received their senior blankets and awards. The first team award handed out was the Charles M. Speidel Award for the senior with the most career dual meet wins. Two-time All-American Eric Bradley claimed that honor with a 40-5 career record in dual matches. The Bill Koll Award for the outstanding freshman wrestler was given to red-shirt freshman Jake Strayer. Junior All-American James Yonushonis won the Kaye Vinson Award for most improved wrestler. The Larry Reilly Courage Award for showing courage in wrestling and helping the team was given to Rohan Murphy. The junior, who iss a bilateral amputee, will represent the United States in the 2006 Paralympics in Korea this summer, competing in the power lifting competition. Junior Brian Cantalupi won the Academic Excellence and Community Service Award. Junior heavyweight Aaron Anspachearned the Eleventh Man Award for leadership and dedication to the team. The Joe Scalzo Award for best freestyle wrestler went to freshman Brad Pataky. Sophomore All-American Phil Davis won the William Neidig Award for Most Outstanding Wrestler. Manager Tiffany Clark won the Carl A. Winterburn Award to the manager who demonstrates year round support to the Penn State wrestling program. Senior Jeremy Hart who went 5-1 at 165 before knee surgery ended his career, won the Nittany Lion Club's Academic Achievement Award.