University Park, Pa. — Under the sweltering lights of a sold-out Bryce Jordan Center, fans gripped the edge of their seats as the whistle commenced the biggest matchup of the night – No. 2 Nick Lee taking on No. 1 Luke Pletcher.
The Penn State Nittany Lions faced the Ohio State Buckeyes in a dual that pitted the some of the highest ranked wrestlers in the nation against each other. So, as the anticipation rose, the stage was set for the 141-pounder to potentially upset his top competitor and change the course of his career heading into the NCAA Championships.
And that he did.
Lee defeated Pletcher in a heated upset that saw the Nittany Lion win 8-4 by decision. Even with stakes that high, the junior kept his cool and focused on putting on a show.
"I think I was pretty excited," Lee said. "I'm excited for every match, but we got 10,000 more people here tonight, so that was pretty cool. I'm glad that more people got to experience Penn State wrestling."
Even his teammates – normally laser-focused on their impending matchups – were practically jumping out of their seats as Lee shocked the nation after recovering from Pletcher's 2-1 lead. Lee forced two stall warnings on the Buckeye and dominated offense the rest of the bout, ensuring a performance no one would forget.
"With a really good match like that, anticipation is huge," Lee's 174-pound teammate, Mark Hall, said. "It'd be near impossible for us to not to be jumping around."
Even two-time NCAA champion and three-time NCAA finalist Vincenzo Joseph took something away from Lee's match. The 165-pound senior got taken down early in the first period of his bout against No. 16 Ethan Smith before posting a strong 13-5 major decision.
"My first thought was Nick Lee got taken down and he still whooped his guy, so I can do the same thing," Joseph said.
Lee's consistency, however, comes as no surprise, as he secured two consecutive fifth place finishes at the NCAA Tournament his freshman and sophomore year. But this season Lee's undefeated record, matched with an upset over the No. 1 ranked wrestler in the nation, shows potential for growth – and maybe even a first-place national notch on his belt come March.
"I prepare the same way for everything. I don't know if there's a secret sauce or anything, it's just kind of consistency and constantly doing the right stuff," Lee said. "Nothing special this week, just making sure I could be the best I could be."
Thanks to unsuspected wins like Lee's, the No. 2 Nittany Lions rolled over No. 3 Ohio State, posting a 20-16 win and a fifth-straight conquest over the Buckeyes.
As Lee soaked up the spotlight in one of his last Bryce Jordan Center duals, the junior relished in victory surrounded by fans, teammates and coaches who all have shaped the path to his success.
"There's no better time to appreciate it than now. It's really fun when you get to experience this stuff with your teammates. So, out of season you kind of look back and say, 'I wish I was back making weight at the BJC,' which is not something many people say, but it's fun," Lee said. "In the moment, it's awesome and I'll miss it."
