Vincenzo Joseph Season 2019-20

Parents: Sandra and Victor Joseph
Major: Kinesiology

Two-time NCAA Champion and three-time NCAA finalist Vincenzo Joseph will enter his senior season with a return trip to the top of the podium as his goal. Joseph, who has won two NCAA titles and advanced to the final last year, has over 70 wins under his belt and is coming off a season that saw him post a career-best 14 pins.

CAREER NOTES:
Athletic: 2017 NCAA Champion (165)...2018 NCAA Champion (165)...2019 NCAA National Runner-Up (165)...Three-time All-American (2017, 2018, 2019)...Has a 74-8 career record with 20 pins, 10 techs and 16 majors...Notched 159 career dual meet points...33-4 all-time in dual meets.

2018-19 / JUNIOR SEASON:
Season: Became three-time All-American and three-time NCAA finalist...Posted 27-2 overall record with career-best 14 pins...Also had four majors and two techs...Perfect 11-0 record in dual meets, including 8-0 mark in Big Ten duals...Won Keystone Classic title in November and earned tournament outstanding wrestler honors.
Kent State (11/11): Pinned Isaac Bast to open up the season. Keystone Classic (11/18): Won Keystone Classic title, going 5-0 with four pins and a tech, was named Outstanding Wrestler.  Lehigh (12/2): Pinned Trey Cornish (4:47) in dual victory over Mountain Hawks. Arizona State (12/14): Dominating 11-2 major over #5 Josh Shields in Rec Hall. Southern Scuffle (1/1-2): Won the Southern Scuffle title with a perfect 5-0 performance...Had two pins at the event, downed #20 Jesse Dellavecchia of Rider in the semis and then beat #3 Chance Marsteller of Lock Haven 6-5 in the final. Nebraska (1/20): Shut out #6 Isaiah White 2-0 on 1/20. Michigan (2/1): Last second takedown to beat #7 Logan Massa 4-2 (sv) in BJC Dual. Ohio State (2/8): Posted a convincing 11-2 major over #12 Te’Shawn Campbell in dual at OSU.
Big Ten Championships (2-1, Runner-Up, NCAA Qualifier): Went 2-1 to finish second at Big Ten Championships...Pinned #7 Logan Massa of Michigan in the semifinals before losing to #2 Alex Marinelli of Iowa in the final, Joseph’s first loss of the season.
NCAA Championships (4-1, NCAA Runner-Up, All-American): Went 4-1 at 2019 NCAA Championships in Pittsburgh, advancing to finals where he suffered an upset loss to Virginia Tech’s Mekhi Lewis, his first loss of the year and his first-ever loss in the NCAA Tournament...Became three-time national finalist and three-time All-American.

2017-18 / SOPHOMORE SEASON:
Season: Won second-straight NCAA title at 165...Earned second straight All-America honor...Posted 25-2 overall record with four pins, four techs and eight majors.
Army (11/9): Majored Andrew Mendel in season opener. Bucknell (11/12): Had a 23-8 TF over D.J. Hollingshead. Binghamton (11/17): Majored Vincent DePrez 13-2 on 11/17. Southern Scuffle (1/1-2): Rolled to 2018 Southern Scuffle title with 5-0 run on 1/1-2...Recorded a 19-3 TF over #19 Gordon Wolf of Lehigh in semis and 8-0 major over Northern Iowa’s Bryce Steiert in the final. Michigan (1/12): Dominated #5 Logan Massa on 1/12, posting a 12-3 major in Ann Arbor...Named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week. Purdue (1/19): Had an 18-3 tech fall over Jacob Morrissey. Maryland (1/21): Pinned Brendan Burnham (1:23). Minnesota (1/26): Recorded a 3-1 win over #7 Nick Wanzek. Rutgers (1/18): Downed#11 Richie Lewis 5-4. Ohio State (2/3): Dominating 12-3 major over #14 Te-Shan Campbell in PSU’s win over the Buckeyes.
Big Ten Championships (3-1, Finalist, NCAA Qualifier): Went 3-1 at Big Ten Championships, including major over #11 Nick Wanzek of Minnesota and win over #7 Logan Massa of Michigan...Dropped 4-1 decision to #1 Isaiah Martinez of Illinois in the final, finishing second.
NCAA Championships (5-0, Champion, All-American): Won second-straight NCAA title with dominant 6-1 win over #1 Isaiah Martinez of Illinois in Cleveland on 3/17...Went 5-0 at NCAAs, improving career record at NCAA Championships to 10-0...Downed the #14, #11, #2 and #1 seeded wrestlers to win the title...Became first Nittany Lion ever to win NCAA titles as a freshman and sophomore.

2016-17 / FRESHMAN SEASON:
Season: Won 2017 NCAA title at 165 as a redshirt freshman with win over Illinois’ Isaiah Martinez, getting the thrilling fall at the 5:25 mark...Ended season at 22-4 with, two pins, four techs and four majors.
Army (11/11): Tech fall over Andrew Mendel (21-6; 5:36) in collegiate dual debut. Keystone Classic (11/20): Superb showing at Keystone Classic, going 4-0 with two tech falls to win the title at Penn...Beat #5 Chad Walsh of Rider (12-5) and #13 Te’Shawn Campbell of Pitt (9-5) in the title bout. Minnesota (1/6): Downed #14 Nick Wanzek in B1G dual debut. Rutgers (1/13): Posted a 19-3 TF over Willie Scott in Rec Hall. Ohio State (2/3): Majored Cody Burcher in Columbus. Maryland (2/12): First collegiate pin over Patrick Gerish (3:58) in sold out Rec Hall. Oklahoma State (2/19): Resounding 12-4 major over #8 Chandler Rogers, helping lead Penn State to 27-13 win at OSU for NWCA Dual crown.
Big Ten Championships (3-1, 3rd place, NCAA Qualifier): Placed third at Big Ten Championships as the fourth seed, going 3-1 (all against ranked wrestlers)...Downed #16 Joey Gunther of Iowa, pinned #15 Nick Wanzek of Minnesota and beat #3 Isaac Jordan 5-2 for third place...Only loss 8-5 decision to #1 Isaiah Martinez in semifinals.
NCAA Championships (5-0, Champion, All-American): Became one of Penn State’s first two freshman National Champions (with teammate Mark Hall) by pinning two-time defending champion #1 Isaiah Martinez of Illinois at the 5:25 mark in national final...Rolled to national title with 5-0 mark including a pin and a major...Downed #14 Branson Ashworth of Wyoming (12-4 major), #6 Daniel Lewis of Missouri (6-5 dec.), #2 Logan Massa of Michigan (5-4 dec.) and #1 Isaiah Martinez of Illinois (fall, 5:25) in an impressive run to the title.

HIGH SCHOOL/PERSONAL:
Came to Penn State with nearly 140 wins as a four-year starter at Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School...Won two-straight Pennsylvania state titles during his last two years and was a four-time place winner...Went 39-8 and finished seventh as a freshman, 26-9 and placed third as a sophomore, 40-3 and the 138-pound title as a junior and 31-1 and the 152-pound crown as a senior...Was a two-year captain and helped lead Central Catholic to the 2014 Pennsylvania state team title...Also competed in the 2014 Who’s Number 1 tournament and both the Dapper Dan and Dream Team Classics in 2015.