In a weekend that Penn State wrestling faced two ranked Big Ten schools, Seth Nevills didn't sweat it. The true freshman debuted with a clean sweep of two decisions – ringing in a Nittany Lion victory and setting the tone for the future of Penn State's heavyweight class.
Nevills' debut cames as a shock after head coach Cael Sanderson announced top-ranked heavyweight Anthony Cassar's injury would keep him out for the season. And while being thrown into the Nittany Lions' starting lineup as a freshman may seem daunting to most, the 285-pounder relied on his years of experience and family legacy to take it all in stride.
Penn State's battle with No. 24 Illinois on Friday had fans on the edge of their seats as the deciding moment came down to Nevills' debut match against Luke Luffman.
The 197-pound Shakur Rasheed surged the Nittany Lions to their first lead of 19-16 over the Fighting Illini just moments before Nevills stepped on the mat for the first time, greeted by a rowdy Rec Hall crowd.
"When you're a heavyweight you're kind of always thinking that could happen," Nevills said. "As the dual was going on I kind of sensed it might come down to that. It excited me that my first dual could mean a lot."
With one quick shot after the whistle, Nevills pulled an early 2-0 lead, which he maintained throughout the first period. The second period saw an escape from Nevills countered with a take down from Luffman, building the crowd's angst as the score rose to 3-2. Securing a third takedown and 3:04 in riding time proved to be just enough to clinch a 6-3 decision and a Nittany Lion victory.
Arriving at Penn State with four straight California state championships under his belt, Nevills' win at Rec Hall was nothing out of the ordinary. The 285-pounder boasted a 169-1 overall high school record and is the fourth of the Nevills children to make his mark in the collegiate wrestling arena.
To Penn State fans, the last name Nevills holds significance –Seth's older brother Nick was a two-time All American at 285. Though the pressures of living up to his family's legacy may seem challenging, Sanderson wants Nevills to forge his own path in the heavyweight class.
"We recruited Seth here to go kick some butt," Sanderson said. "He doesn't wrestle like anybody – he wrestles like Seth. He's just got to continue to develop and believe in himself."
Quickly regrouping from the all-too-close win, Penn State then faced No. 12 Northwestern at Rec Hall Sunday, meaning Nevills would be thrown into another B1G matchup with stakes higher than the last.
Nevills looked to gain control from the start, working his offense into a takedown that he would maintain for the entire first period. After a quick reversal from the bottom, Nevills built his riding time while forcing Jack Heyob into a stall warning and stall point – pulling the score to 5-0. With one more take down and a riding time point the crowd roared as Nevills' hand was raised in victory for the second time in his debut weekend.
Two-time All-American and seasoned veteran Nick Lee spoke on the importance of having reliable, young teammates, like Nevills, who step up when needed most.
"Our team's a little beat up right now, but we had guys come out and scrap. That's what we're here for," Lee said. "We want guys who want to wrestle here, that come out and wrestle with enthusiasm and I think that's happened. It's exciting to see the young guys come out and give everything they got. It's all you can ask for really."
