Nov. 24, 2007
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - STATE COLLEGE, Pa.; November 24, 2007 - The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, under the direction of head coach Troy Sunderland, moved to No. 8 in the latest NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll as compiled by Intermat. Six Nittany Lion individuals are ranked, including senior Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) with a No. 2 nod 197.
The Nittany Lions, 2-0 overall, moved from No. 10 to No. 8 after a thorough 28-11 win over then No. 12 Hofstra on Nov. 17. Defending Big Ten and National Champion Minnesota holds down the No. 1 spot while Iowa State and Oklahoma State follow on the Gophers' heels. Iowa checks in at No. 4 followed by Big Ten brethren Michigan and Northwestern. Missouri is No. 7 with Penn State at No. 8. Central Michigan and Wisconsin round out the top ten. A total of six Big Ten teams are listed among the top ten with three others ranked in the top 20; Ohio State (15), Indiana (17) and Illinois (18).
Davis' No. 2 nod at 197 is tops among Penn State's ranked individuals with junior All-America Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) making the jump up to No. 4 at 141. Senior Mark McKnight (McDonald, Pa.) jumped from tenth to No. 7 at 125 while sophomore Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.) maintained his No. 7 slot at 149, giving Penn State four wrestlers with top ten rankings. Sophomore Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) is No. 12 at 157 and junior Phil Bomberger (Port Royal, Pa.) is No. 19 at 184 to round out Penn State's ranked individuals.
The Nittany Lions will return to action in two weeks when it takes part in the 2007 Nittany Lion Open in Rec Hall. Action for that event begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 2. The Nittany Lion Open is not part of Penn State's regular season ticket package. NLO tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students, $2 as part of a group package and free to Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members, Penn State students with ID and season ticket holders. Penn State will return to action on Friday and Sunday, Dec. 7 and 9, when it visits Lehigh and No. 3 Oklahoma State, respectively. Penn State's next home dual will be on Jan. 4, when Cornell visits Rec Hall for a 7 p.m. dual.