April 3, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The Penn State Wrestling Club held its annual awards banquet on Sunday at the Nittany Lion Inn. Over 10 team and academic awards are presented each year at the event and this year's banquet featured a celebration of Penn State's first NCAA Championship since 1953 and its first-ever Big Ten title.
Red-shirt freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) took home a total of five awards. Taylor was awarded the William N. Neidig Award given to the outstanding wrestler of the Year. He also claimed the Joe Scalzo Award, given to the wrestler who scored the most points during the course of the season. Taylor won the Most Bonus Points Scored Award, given to the wrestler who scored the most bonus points during the year. The red-shirt freshman also took home the Charles M. Speidel Award, given to the wrestler with the most takedowns during the season. Taylor's freshman campaign was nothing short of amazing. The St. Paris, Ohio, native posted a stunning 38-1 record, reeling off 38 straight wins to reach the NCAA finals at 157, ending the year as the 2011 NCAA National Runner-Up. Taylor racked up a stunning 34 bonus point wins, a new Penn State record, thanks to eight pins, 15 technical falls and 11 majors. He was named the 2011 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, 2011 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, won the 2011 Big Ten individual title at 157 thus making him a first team All-Big Ten selection.
Junior Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) won the Leadership Award, given yearly for dedication, hard work and team support by a specific wrestler. Molinaro's already stellar Penn State career reached even grander heights this year. Now a three-time All-American, only the 19th in school history, Molinaro went 32-3 this season and advanced to the NCAA finals at 149. He ended his junior year as the 2011 NCAA National Runner-Up and the 2011 Big Ten Champion at 149, thus earning first team All-Big Ten laurels. Molinaro had three pins, three techs and ten majors during the course of the season and will carry a 88-29 overall record into his senior campaign.
Sophomore Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) won the Kaye Vinson Award, given to the Most Improved Wrestler of the Year. Wright's improvement vaulted him to the top of the NCAA mountain this March with his stellar 9-0 run through the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. The local high school product red-shirted a year ago and vaulted over numerous in-season hurdles to earn the 2011 NCAA Championship at 184. Wright's perfect 5-0 run through nationals was preceded by a 4-0 run through the Big Ten Championships, earning the Nittany Lion sophomore the 2011 Big Ten Championship and first team All-Big Ten honors. Wright, now a two-time All-American, went 21-12 this year with six pins and five majors. He will head into his junior campaign, looking to defend his national title, with a 54-25 overall record.
True freshman Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) took home the Bill Koll Award for most pins in a season. Alton blazed his way to a 30-10 overall record as a true freshman, amassing 18 pins, which is good enough for fourth all-time on Penn State's single-season pins list. Alton also had a tech fall and four majors and ended the year just one win shy of All-America honors, finishing in the `round of 12'.
Senior Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.) was given the Total Commitment Award, given yearly to the wrestler who shows total commitment and courage at all times in reaching team and individual goals. Lynch's story is one of total selflessness as the already matriculated grappler returned for one more year with the Nittany Lions. Lynch, who started at 141 last year and was ranked nationally by Intermat, went 7-3 this season at the Southern Scuffle and Nittany Lion Open. But his impact was greatest as a veteran leader, vaunted practice partner and driven teammate, helping guide a young Penn State team featuring seven underclassmen in its starting line-up to NCAA and Big Ten titles. Lynch leaves Penn State with a 46-34 overall record.
Junior Clay Steadman (McKean, Pa.) was given the Community Service Award. The award is won yearly by the wrestler who provides the highest contribution to the community during the year. Steadman did not wrestle this season due to on-going injury problems.
Five Academic Excellence Awards are given each year, one for each class of grapplers. True freshman Kyle Moran (Oxford, Pa.) won the first year award with a 3.59 grade point average as an undeclared freshman. Taylor won the second-year award with a 3.54 GPA in RPTM. Red-shirt sophomore James English (York, Pa.) won the third year award with a 3.69 GPA in chemical engineering. Steadman won the fourth-year award with a 3.64 GPA in finance and Lynch won the fifth-year award with a 3.23 GPA and a diploma in Kinesiology.
Penn State's five All-American were also honored. Joining Taylor, Molinaro and Wright were red-shirt freshman Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) and red-shirt sophomore Andrew Long (Creston, Iowa). Ruth posted a stellar 38-2 overall record, overcoming an injury in the national quarterfinals to win his way through the consolation bracket and take third place at 174 in his first trip to NCAAs. Ruth collected 13 pins, five techs and four majors during the course of the season, won the 2011 Big Ten Championship and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors. Long joined the Nittany Lions in late-December and blazed his way to a 20-2 overall record. The Iowa native advanced to the national semifinals at 133 and rebounded from a setback there to take third place in his second NCAA Championship run. Now a two-time All-American, Long had three pins, a tech and seven majors this year, won the 2011 Big Ten Championship and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors.
Three other very important team awards were given at the event. Senior manager and affiliate club member Kara Bryan won the Carl A. Winterburn Award given to the manager who exhibits enthusiasm, leadership and year-round support for the program. Dr. Jim Martin was honored with the Outstanding Alumnus Award and Jeff Byers, the radio voice of Penn State wrestling, won the Edward Sulkowski Award. This award is given yearly for dedication and hard work that has helped the Penn State Wrestling program.
The Nittany Lions are coming off a stunning 2010-11 season that saw them post a 17-1-1 dual meet record, claim their first ever Big Ten Championship and win the 2011 NCAA Championship for the first time since 1953. Fans wishing to purchase 2011 Penn State Wrestling NCAA Championship gear can do so now by visiting the online store at www.GoPSUsports.com/store . Season tickets for the 2011-12 season are disappearing fast as well. Fans may make deposits on new season tickets by following the information available online at is www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets/m-wrestl-tickets.html . Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstatepat and on Penn State Wrestling's facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2010-11 Penn State Wrestling season has been presented by The Family Clothesline.