UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Before the Nittany Lions 44-0 sweep of Maryland, fans were met with shock as the highly touted freshman Greg Kerkvliet stepped onto the mat decked in his blues and whites.
Kerkvliet's debut had been widely anticipated since the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2019 announced his transfer to Penn State more than a year ago.
Just recently, head coach Cael Sanderson announced the Nittany Lions are not anticipating Kerkvliet's participation in the 2021 season. Instead, the heavyweight spot was occupied by No. 8 sophomore Seth Nevills.
But it was clear, Kerkvliet came to win. And win, he did.
Opening the night for the Lions, Kerkvliet was quick to establish three explosive takedowns before pinning the Terrapins' Garrett Kappes at 1:12 of the first period. The freshman then secured a pin over the Terrapins' Connor Bowes in an extra match following the dual.
But it wasn't just fans remotely tuning in who were met with the shock of Kerkvliet's debut.
"I was surprised to see him," 165-pound redshirt freshman Joe Lee said. "But at the same time, I wasn't surprised, because Greg's a tough guy. And he's one of those guys that will kind of just figure it out, whether he's hurt or whether he's not. He wants to compete; he's a competitor."
Kerkvliet was undefeated as a high school senior, all while maintaining his squeaky-clean four-time Minnesota state champion reign. The heavyweight then advanced to the U23 World Wrestling Championship qualification, where he secured a bronze medal match. The Minnesota native would soon become the No. 1 recruit in the nation.
Even though the freshman faced a temporary setback, Sanderson said Kerkvliet's drive to compete never faded.
"Greg's a competitor and wants to compete. He's been ready to go for a long time, so he got the green light and was out on the mat," Sanderson said. "All the freshmen are wrestling well and getting a lot of experience. They have a history of success and so nothing unexpected there I don't think."
Though absent from Penn State's first five regular season meets, Kerkvliet's debut may suggest potential participation in the upcoming Big Ten Championships set to occur in two short weeks at the Bryce Jordan Center. Heading into postseason, the heavyweight has already established himself as a force to be reckoned with.
Sanderson still has yet to confirm which of the two highly touted heavyweights will represent the Nittany Lions in matches to come. But with exceptional performances thus far from both parties, Penn State's postseason is looking bright.
