April 5, 2009
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - The Penn State Wrestling Club held its annual awards banquet on Sunday at the Nittany Lion Inn, and true freshman Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) was honored with three awards at the event. The annual event is held to honor and recognize the achievements of the Penn State wrestling team each year.
Wright, an All-American as a true freshman after his sixth place finish at 174 this year, won the William Neidig Award for the Outstanding Wrestler of the Year; the Joe Scalzo Award for the Best Freestyle Wrestler and the Bill Koll Award, given to the Outstanding Freshman Wrestler. The Bald Eagle Area graduate posted a team-best 33-13 record this season, including a 15-7 mark in duals. He went 7-4 n the post-season, going 3-1 and advancing to the 2009 Big Ten Finals at 174 to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. In St. Louis, Wright was seeded 11th but went 4-3 to claim sixth place and become Penn State's first true freshman All-American since 1998.
Fellow freshman All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) was honored with the Kaye Vinson Award as the Most Improved Wrestler. Molinaro capped off a stunning post-season run by claiming eight place at the 2009 NCAA Championships at 141 pounds. Molinaro posted a 23-19 mark in his first season as a starter for the Nittany Lions, including a 9-12 dual meet mark. He placed eighth at the 2009 Big Ten Championships but his solid RPI and strength of schedule earned him an elusive at-large wild card bid to nationals. The New Jersey native took advantage by becoming the second straight Penn State wild card to earn All-America status.
Senior Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) won the Charles M. Spiedel Award for the senior with the most career dual meet wins. Strayer leaves Penn State with an 82-29 career record and was a 2007 All-American (taking 7th at 133). He advanced to the `round of 12' two other times (missing out on All-America status each time by just one victory). Strayer went 18-10 at 133 this year and posted a 2-2 mark at NCAAs. He will leave Penn State as an multiple winner of Academic All-America and Academic All-Big Ten laurels as well.
Red-shirt freshman Colby Pisani (Ridgway, Pa.) was honored with the Larry Reilly Courage Award, for `showing courage in wrestling to help the team'. Pisani gallantly filled in for injured starter Bubba Jenkins at 149 pounds, moving up a weight class and wrestling with determination throughout much of the Big Ten dual meet season. Pisani competed in six dual meets for the Nittany Lions at either 149 or 157.
Sophomore Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.) won the Eleventh Man Award for leadership and dedication. Lynch went 16-12 at three different weights for Penn State and made his Nittany Lion dual meet debut against Purdue in January.
True freshman James English (York, Pa.) won the Academic Excellence and Community Service Award this season. English, a Central York High School graduate, posted a 4.0 grade point average in the division of undergraduate studies. English was also involved in many of Penn State's charity efforts and activities outside the wrestling room.
Senior manager Scott Ely (Kennett Square, Pa.) was given the Carl A. Winterburn Award, given to the manager who demonstrates year round support of the Penn State wrestling program. Ely is a native of Kennett Square, Pa., and is in his third year as a manager for the wrestling program. Scott is Co-President of the Wrestling Affiliate Club this year and served as Treasurer last year. He is a marketing major. Monty Christiansen won the Ed Sulkowski Award and W. Johnston Oberly was given the Outstanding Alumnus Award.