There have been many opportunities this season for someone to step up to fill the void left by the past greats and legends on the Penn State roster. For 149-pound Jarod Verkleeren, an open weight class and years of experiences tucked away in his pocket made for the perfect chance to make his mark on the Nittany Lions.
After a redshirt freshman campaign that saw him splitting time as a starter for 149, Verkleeren went into his sophomore season with experience – holding the title of being both a Nittany Lion and a Cadet Men's Freestyle world champion.
At just 16 years old, a young Verkleeren travelled to Slovakia as a member of Team USA but returned home empty-handed. Verkleeren set out the following year with the goal of expanding his travel horizons in Bosnia and bringing home some much-desired hardware.
"It was awesome to represent my country and it gave me a taste of what it would be like to do it on the senior level," Verkleeren said. "That was the turning point in my career."
Tech-falling his way through each of his matches, Verkleeren found himself in the semifinals, equipped with confidence and a killer leg lace that he would use to beat Russia's Khayrula Nuradinov.
But for Verkleeren, the victory went far beyond a shiny new medal to add to his growing collection – it was a chance to experience life outside of the United States.
"It was a completely different lifestyle over there – from the food to the culture," Verkleeren said. "Travelling there was once in a lifetime and I probably won't ever get the chance to go back, but it was fun while it lasted."
Though travelling abroad with the world team was a unique experience, Verkleeren is not a stranger to rigorous travel schedules, as he competed in many national tournaments throughout his career.
"It's definitely fun to get to see new places and wrestling has given me so many opportunities to travel, so I'm grateful for that," Verkleeren said. "Usually, there are tournaments all over the country that guys in the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club attend, so that's cool to know if I continue on that route, I'll get to travel more."
Verkleeren, however, was not the only familiar face making their mark on worldwide competition.
Three-time All-American teammate Mark Hall also competed alongside Verkleeren in 2014 at the Slovakian tournament. The following year, Verkleeren saw sophomore Brady Berge and redshirt freshman Mason Manville in Bosnia, before years later reuniting as Nittany Lions.
"I wouldn't have expected that in a few years we'd all end up here," Verkleeren said. "I don't think anyone could've predicted that either. But it was good to get to see them before I got to know them better here."
Despite having a plethora of experience prior joining the Nittany Lions, Verkleeren said he still feels pressure to perform a certain way each time he steps on the mat.
"There's always a pressure that I put on myself, but I'm working through that and trying not to let it be a negative thing. I think just being comfortable in practice is key," the sophomore said. "Obviously, it's different when there's thousands of people watching you, but I try to focus only on wrestling rather than the outside forces."
Though he often finds himself engulfed in the overwhelming pressures of matches, Verkleeren said he finds peace in attending Bible study with his teammates and furthering his trust in God.
"On Sundays, I like to go to church, worship and feel close to God. It helps a lot," Verkleeren said. "God brought me to Penn State and gave me these opportunities, so it's comforting knowing that I'm in the right place."
As the season progresses, Verkleeren has his mind set on one thing: an NCAA national title.
"As life goes on you just learn and enjoy the moments that you're in," Verkleeren said. "You grow from them and you pick things that choose to define you along the way. That's how I continue to go through life."
