Oct. 7, 2015
By Logan Mayo, Strategic Communications Student Assistant
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Jason Nolf, one of a vaunted group of red-shirt freshmen at Penn State, is setting out on his first year in a Nittany Lion singlet. But the talented wrestler has already begun the journey of excellence in the classroom, with a focus in the medical field. Coming into Penn State with a stellar high school record of 176-1 and a 4.5 grade point average, Nolf plans to graduate with a degree in Kinesiology and while he pursues his championship goals on the mat.
Growing up in Yatesboro, Pa., Nolf had never planned on staying in-state for his college career; he wanted to be different than everybody else. After his extensive search out west to find the school that was best fit for him, he soon realized that the perfect school for him was right in front of him and only about 120 miles away.
"I took the time to really think about it and I realized that Penn State has the best coaches, teammates, and facilities," said Nolf. "By coming to Penn State, I know I have the best chance to compete for four individual national titles and be apart of a team that has the ability to compete for four more national team titles."
Mirroring his high aspirations on the mat are similar aspirations in the field of Kinesiology. "I decided on Kinesiology because I would like to pursue something in the medical field," said Nolf. "I am pursuing the Movement Science option and hopefully I can work towards something like Chiropractic care or possibly continue onto medical school."
Like teammate Bo Nickal, also a Kinesiology major, Nolf is involved in Penn State Christian Athletics. The organization has been a great form of support and guidance for Nolf and has helped him in adjusting to the college lifestyle with a lot less worry. On top of the student-athletes having such busy schedules, this organization gives those involved a break from studying and practice to enjoy themselves, encircle their faith and enjoy the fellowship of like-minded student-athletes.
Nolf is appreciative of the many other parts of the Penn State community that help student-athletes adapt, achieve and succeed. The coaches, teammates and Penn State community as a whole have made a difference in this new lifestyle adjustment.
"My coaches are awesome and so are my teammates," said Nolf. "They want to help you in every way possible. Even if my teammates are competing for the same weight-classes, they all help each other work on things. So, even if we have to wrestle-off against one another next week, if we ask each other a question, we always help each other out."
As for the coaching staff, "The coaches will always go out of their way to help you, too," said Nolf. "No matter what the problem is, they will meet you at any time to help you with anything."
With having ample amount of support here in State College, Nolf has said that his biggest support system in all aspects of his life has been his father, "he has always pushed me pretty hard and is the one to get on me about my grades." With an outstanding GPA and wrestling career, his father has kept him levelheaded throughout it all.
Even though he is away from home, grades still remain a top priority. Taking multiple practice tests and lecture notes in preparation for exams, Jason Nolf does not mess around when it comes to his studies.
"High school was definitely a lot easier for me, so now getting the grades that I want has been more of a challenge," said Nolf. "I try to get my homework done in the beginning of the week or when it is first assigned so that I can make the rest of the week easier on myself by not having to worry about it. If I can get all of my work done in one day, I will, but if not, I make sure to efficiently split it up over a few days."
Most student-athletes face a struggle of balancing all that they have during their week. With practices, team weight-lifts, and studies, Nolf has enjoyed his schedule since arriving at Penn State.
"I think that other than the schoolwork, college is easier for me to balance than it was for me in high school," said Nolf. "In high school I would wake up, go to school, go to practice and then drive over an hour and back to go to another wrestling practice since I was apart of the Young Guns wrestling club."
Penn State has provided the balance and opportunity for the Nittany Lions to make strides in their athletic and academic careers. With the wrestling season right around the corner, Nolf is looking forward to having a healthy, dominant and ready-to-score team.