May 11, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson and his outstanding staff of assistant coaches has announced the newest class of Nittany Lion wrestlers. Eight talented young men are set to join the defending NCAA National Champions for the 2011-12 season (the incoming class could expand over the summer as well).
The class features a number of top-ranked high school wrestlers, including Intermat's National High School Wrestler of the Year, and the eight incoming wrestlers combined to win 15 individual state championships during their prep careers.
"We are very pleased with the recruiting class that we have coming in," Sanderson said. "We believe that this class has the talent and, most importantly, the attitude to keep moving Penn State Wrestling forward."
The incoming class includes (listed alphabetically): Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah), Collin Campbell (Hurdle Mills, N.C.), Jordan Conaway (Abbottstown, Pa.), Luke Frey (Montoursville, Pa.), Morgan McIntosh (Santa Ana, Calif.), Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.), Scott Syrek (Chester Springs, Pa.) and Michael Waters (Advance, N.C.).
Brown comes to Penn State after a two year Mormon mission. The three-time Utah High School State Champion was a red-shirt during the 2008-09 season at Iowa State for Sanderson before his two year mission. He posted a 22-6 record as a red-shirt at both 157 and 165. Brown amassed a superb 149-4 career record at Cyprus High School in Utah, won three state titles, finished fourth as a freshman and was a two-time high school All-American. He will be red-shirt freshman in 2011-12.
Campbell is one of two North Carolina natives in this year's recruiting class. The two-time North Carolina state champion wrapped up a stellar high school career with a second-straight heavyweight title in 2011. Campbell went 31-0 as a senior to win the crown for Person High School. A year prior, he posted a 37-0 mark to claim his first state title and leaves PHS with 119 career wins. An accomplished freestyle wrestler, Campbell was a Fargo All-American this past summer.
Conaway is coming off an outstanding senior season at New Oxford High School. Conaway claimed his first Pennsylvania state title at 112 this past March, capping off a 38-3 senior season. The title follows a strong finish in 2010 that saw Conaway claim third place laurels at 103. Conaway continued his prep ascent this spring with a win over his Team USA opponent at the 2011 Dapper Dan Classic. Conaway leaves New Oxford with a 146-20 career record.
Frey comes to Penn State from Montoursville High School where he was a Pennsylvania state champion and took second, third and fourth during four stellar high school years. Frey, the No. 39 ranked recruit in the nation at any weight by Intermat, leaves MHS with a 157-5 career record. He won the 103 pound title as a freshman, going 42-1. Frey took fourth at 112 the next year with a 41-2 mark and then placed second at 135 in 2010, finishing the year with a 33-1 record. Last year, Frey placed third at 140 and concluded his senior season with a 41-1 record.
McIntosh, a California native, comes to Penn State as the No. 1 ranked recruit at any weight by Intermat. Named the national High School Wrestler of the Year by Intermat, McIntosh won three state titles in California, capped off by a 189 pound crown this past season. The Calvary Chapel High School product also won the 189 pound title in 2010 and the 171 pound crown in 2009. He took fifth at 160 as a freshman. McIntosh comes to Penn State after posting a stunning 189-5 career record (including 128 pins), will all five losses coming his freshman season. McIntosh went 41-5 during his first year of high school wrestling, and then reeled off three straight undefeated seasons (43-0 in 2009, 59-0 in 2010 and 46-0 in 2011). McIntosh also won the 2011 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award, named in honor of the Olympic and World Champion and given to the top wrestler in the nation based on athletics, academics, character, citizenship and community service (future teammate and All-American David Taylor won the same award in 2009). An outstanding freestyle wrestler, McIntosh won the Fargo Junior National Championship this past summer.
Megaludis, like McIntosh, comes to Penn State with a lofty overall national ranking. The Pennsylvania product is the No. 5 ranked recruit in the nation at any weight by Intermat. Megaludis was a three-time Pennsylvania State Champion, finishing his stellar high school career with a 170-1 career record. Megaludis began his career by posting a 37-1 record and taking third place at 103 as a freshman. A year later, the Franklin Regional product began a string of undefeated seasons that would lead to three straight PIAA titles. He went 46-0 in 2009 and took first at 112 and followed that up with a 36-0 campaign in 2010, taking the crown at 119. This past March, Megaludis capped off his high school career by winning the 125 pound championship in Hershey, ending the year with a 51-0 record. Megaludis joined future teammate McIntosh on the list of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award finalists. He won the Northeast Regional honor, one of only five finalists for this year's honor. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in athletics, academics, character, citizenship and community service.
Syrek had his senior year at Owen J. Roberts High School cut short by injury but looks to be ready to go for the start of the 2011-12 season. Despite only wrestling in 12 matches this past year (going 9-3 at 215); Syrek compiled an impressive 112-30 career record with 45 pins. He went 33-7 as a junior, 31-10 as a sophomore and 39-10 as a freshman.
Waters, Penn State's other North Carolina native in this class, had an outstanding career at Davie High School. The Advance, N.C., native capped off his stellar prep run by posting a 55-5 record as a senior and winning the 125 pound North Carolina state title. Waters won the 112 pound crown as a junior in 2010 and took second at 112 as a sophomore in 2009. As a freshman, Waters took sixth.
The Nittany Lions are coming off a thrilling 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.