UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; April 14, 2019 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team handed out over 10 post-season awards at its annual post-season banquet on Sunday. The event was held at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.
All awards given, save two, are stat driven either academically or competitively. Two awards are not driven by a specific metric. The Carl Winterburn Award for Manager of the Year honor was given to Janna Wood, daughter of Jen and John Wood. Senior Francisco Bisono (Hauppauge, N.Y.) was honored with the Community Service Award.
Five Academic Awards are given out. True freshman Austin Hoopes (Afton, Wyo.) won the First Year Academic Award with a 3.94 grade point average in the Division of Undergraduate Studies. Redshirt freshman Austin Clabaugh (York Springs, Pa.) was honored with the Second Year award with a 3.98 GPA in the Division of Undergraduate Studies. Sophomore Brian Friery (Lewisburg, Pa.) earned the Third Year award with a 3.98 GPA in political science. Junior Dominic Giannangeli (Murrysville, Pa.) won the Fourth Year Academic Award with a 3.77 GPA in biomedical/mechanical engineering. Senior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.) won the Fifth Year honor with a 3.72 GPA in kinesiology.
Nolf also won two of the four stat-driven awards. Nolf was honored with the Most Takedowns Award with 141 and the Most Team Points Award with 172.5. Nolf ended his career as a three-time NCAA Champion and four-time finalist and the 2019 Penn State McCoy Award winner. Nolf collected a 117-3 career record as a Nittany Lion with 60 pins, 27 techs and 16 majors, meaning 103 of his 117 career wins were for bonus. Nolf was 2019 Co-Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and 2019 Co-Big Ten Tournament Outstanding Wrestler.
Senior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas) won the other two stat driven honors. Nickal won the Most Falls Award with 18 and the Most Bonus Points Award with 55.5. Nickal ended his career as a three-time NCAA Champion and four-time finalist and the 2019 Hodge Trophy winner. Nickal collected a 120-3 career record as a Nittany Lion with 59 pins, 12 techs and 23 majors, meaning 94 of his 120 career wins were for bonus. Nickal was the 2019 Co-Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and the 2019 NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler.
In addition to the above honors, the Nittany Lion coaching staff handed out All-American awards to its seven All-Americans. In addition to Nickal and Nolf, 2019 national champion Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.) received his honor for winning the 285-pound title. National finalists Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) and Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.) received their All-America awards as did sophomore Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), who placed fifth at 141, and true freshman Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.), who placed eighth at 133.
Penn State has now won eight team national titles in the last nine years and nine overall. The Nittany Lions nine total titles is tied is third all-time. The crown is head coach Cael Sanderson's eighth as a head coach in his ten years as Penn State's mentor.
The Nittany Lions concluded the 2019 dual season with a 14-0 record and won a share of the Big Ten Regular Season (dual meet) title with a 9-0 conference mark. Penn State has now won 59 straight dual meets dating back to the end of the 2014-15 season. The Nittany Lions won the 2019 Big Ten Championship on March 9-10 in Minneapolis, crowning four champions to run away from the rest of the field, winning by 30.0 points.
Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
