Senior Mark Friend returns for his final season with the Nittany Lions as one of the team[apos]s most experienced wrestlers. Friend has been a key part in Penn State[apos]s success over the past three years, including seeing action in duals meets over the past two years and making his Big Ten dual debut last year. Friend will look to battle incumbents and newcomers for a starting spot in Penn State[apos]s upper-middle weights once again in 2008-09 and make the move down to 165, his more natural weight.
Lion Career:
2007-08: Made the decision the week before wrestle-offs to move up to 174....went 3-0 at wrestle-offs to claim title at 174 and earn starting nod...beat Maryland[apos]s Brad Nielson 7-5 for first dual win at 174....missed the Hofstra dual on 11/17 for medical reasons...went 3-1 at Mat-Town Open on 11/24, placing second and falling to teammate David Erwin in the finals (9-8)....went 4-1 at the 2007 Nittany Lion Open to place second, losing to teammate David Erwin in the finals (6-2)...went 1-2 at Midlands, falling to #3 Brandon Sinnot of Central Michigan 8-4 in his first bout of the tourney...went 5-1 (but 5-0 vs. collegiate wrestlers) with three pins and a technical fall to place third at the Hitchcock Open on 1/5...lost 11-4 to #3 Jay Borschel of Iowa in Big Ten dual debut on 1/20.
2006-07: Friend stunned the crowd with a defensive pin of #4 Deonte Penn in Penn State[apos]s 27-9 win over 13th-ranked Edinboro to cap off a perfect 3-0 day at the Pa. Duals...also had dual wins vs. Clarion and Pitt-Johnstown that day...Friend went 1-2 at Midlands. 2005-06: Made dual match debut vs. Pitt-Johnstown in the Pennsylvania Duals last November...went 0-1 in the Nittany Lion Open...won the Millersville Invitational by going 3-0...downed teammate Phil Bomberger 4-3 in the finals to claim the crown...3-2 overall as a red-shirt freshman...1-0 in pins and 1-1 in majors.
2004-05: A redshirt season...posted a 10-4 record in unattached tournament action, including a third place finish in the Buffalo Open.
High School/Personal: A four-year starter and three-time state qualifier...Friend was the runner-up at 160 pounds at the 2004 Illinois State Championships...a three-time regional and conference champion...he was also an Academic Honor Roll member...Friend also excelled in freestyle and Greco-Roman competition winning both Illinois state titles in 2002...two-time freestyle All-American finishing eighth at the 2003 Junior High School Nationals and seventh at the 2004 Senior High School Nationals...finished fifth at the 2002 Greco-Roman Junior World Team Trials and second in freestyle and fourth in Greco-Roman at the 2003 Junior Southeast Regionals...numerous national folkstyle tournament placings to his credit, including a second at the 2003 Tulsa Folkstyle Nationals and third at the 2003 AAU Folkstyle Nationals. Mark FRIEND
CAREER STATISTICS
| Year | Overall | Duals (B10) | Tourn. (B10/NCAA) | Falls | TF | MD | Pts. |
| 2004-05 | Red-Shirt Season | ||||||
| 2005-06 | 3-2 | 0-1 (0-0) | 3-1 (0-0/0-0) | 1-0 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 |
| 2006-07 | 6-5 | 3-2 (0-0) | 3-3 (0-0/0-0) | 2-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 15 |
| Career | 9-7 | 3-3 (0-0) | 6-4 (0-0/0-0) | 3-0 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 15 |