Penn State Perfect 6-0 in National Quarterfinals; Continues to Lead the Field at 2019 NCAA Championships
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lions will have six wrestlers competing in the national semifinals of the 2019 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Pittsburgh. Penn State went a perfect 6-0 in the Friday quarterfinals. The Nittany Lions continue to lead the team race at the three-day event, which started Thursday and concludes Saturday night in the PPG Paints Arena.
Coach Cael Sanderson’s squad went 10-2 overall in session three, including the perfect quarterfinal performance. All six quarterfinal winners have clinched All-America status while one more needs another win to become an All-American. Two Nittany Lions ended their tournaments in consolation action as Penn State still has seven of its nine NCAA qualifiers in action. With no more Lions in action in session three, Penn State leads the team race with 80.0 points. Ohio State is in second with 66.5 while Oklahoma State is in third with 56.0.
Sophomore Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), the No. 3 seed at 141, met No. 22 Max Murin of Iowa in the first of Penn State’s six quarterfinal match-ups. Lee nearly took a lead one minute in on a solid single leg but action moved out of bounds and action continued tied 0-0. The Lion sophomore fought off a solid Murin shot as the clock moved down below the 0:30 mark to keep things scoreless after the opening period. Lee chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The sophomore continued to press the action, forcing Murin towards the outside circle as the second period hit the 1:00 mark. With Lee leading 1-0, Murin chose down to start the third period and worked his way to an escape and a 1-1 tie at the 1:20 mark. Lee’s continuous offense paid off as he connected on a low single, pulled Murin’s other foot in, and took a 3-1 lead with a takedown at the 0:50 mark. Lee then continued to ride Murin and built up over 1:00 in riding time. Lee finished the bout on top and posted the 4-1 victory with 1:19 in riding time. The win advances him to Friday night’s semifinals and makes the Nittany Lion sophomore a two-time All-American.
Senior Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), the No. 1 seed at 157, faced off against No. 9 Christian Pagdilao of Arizona State in the quarterfinals. Nolf fought off an early Pagdilao shot to force a stalemate mark and then moved in on offense, connecting on a low ankle pick for a takedown and a 2-0 lead at the 1:50 mark. He then cut the Sun Devil loose, added a second takedown and repeated the effort for a third takedown and a 6-3 score with 1:06 on the clock. The Lion senior added one more first period takedown and led 8-3 with over 1:00 in time after the opening period. Nolf chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 9-3 lead. After picking up a point on a dangerous hold call, Nolf countered a Pagdilao shot and turned the Devil for back points to lead 14-3 after two periods. Pagdilao chose down to start the third and Nolf cut him loose only to quickly take him down to lead 16-5. The Lion ended the match in style, picking up a quick takedown, then adding a final one and turning Pagdilao for two near fall points as the bout ended. Nolf posted the 23-6 technical fall at the 7:00 mark, moves into the semifinals and becomes Penn State’s 11th four-time All-American.
Junior Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), the No. 2 seed at 165, battled No. 7 Isaiah White of Nebraska in the quarterfinals. The duo battled through a scoreless opening minute with neither man able to find an opening on offense. The remainder of the first period stayed neutral in the center of the mat until Joseph moved in on a high single with 0:30 on the clock. White was able to defend the effort and the match moved to the second period tied 0-0. White chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The rest of the period took place in neutral as well and Joseph trailed 1-0 after two. The Lion junior chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 1-1 tie. Joseph forced White to back away for the entire third period and the bout moved into sudden victory. No stall was called. The Nittany Lion junior took care of business quickly in sudden victory. Joseph moved in on a single leg, adjusted after White defending the shot and muscled the Husker to the mat for the takedown with 0:26 left to post the 3-1 (sv) win. Joseph moves into the semifinals and becomes Penn State’s 29th three-time All-American.
Junior Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), the No. 1 seed at 174, took on No. 8 Taylor Lujan of Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals. Hall took Lujan down quickly, turning a fast single into a 2-0 lead less than a minute into the bout. Hall controlled the action from the top position, building up over 1:00 in riding time while trying to turn Lujan for back points. Lujan was able to stay flat and Hall cut him loose to a 2-1 score at the 1:00 mark. Trailing by one, Lujan chose down to start the second stanza and Hall maintained control until he had 1:41 in riding time before cutting him loose to a 2-2 tie. Lujan got in on a single leg that Hall was able to defend and the match moved to the third period tied 2-2 but Hall had 1:41 in riding time. Hall chose down to start the third period and steadily worked his way into control of Lujan for a reversal and a 4-2 lead. The Lion junior maintained control until just seconds remained and, with over 2:00 in riding time, rolled to the 5-3 win. Hall’s victory moves him into the semifinals and makes the Lion junior Penn State’s 30th three-time All-American.
Senior Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), the No. 1 seed at 197, met No. 8 Nathan Traxler of Stanford in his quarterfinal bout. Nickal took Traxler down quickly and cut him loose right away. The Lion then notched a second takedown and turned the Cardinal for two back points to lead 6-2 with 1:00 on the clock. The Lion senior battled Traxler evenly the rest of the period and led 6-2 with 0:35 in riding time after one. Nickal chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 7-2 lead. Nickal worked a low shot into another takedown and led 9-2 with 1:10 in riding time after two periods. Traxler chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 9-3 score. Nickal continued to move in on offense and added another takedown on the edge of the mat to open up an 11-3 lead. Nickal cut Traxler loose one more time and, with riding time clinched, tacked on one final takedown to roll to the 14-4 major decision. Nickal’s win moves him into the semifinals and makes him Penn State’s 12th four-time All-American.
Senior Anthony Cassar (Rocky Hill, N.J.), the No. 2 seed at 285, faced off against No. 7 Trent Hillger of Wisconsin in Penn State’s final quarterfinal match-up. The duo battled evenly for the first half of the opening stanza, with neither man finding an offensive opening. The Nittany Lion senior was patient, however, and with under 0:30 on the clock, Cassar blew through a strong double to take Hillger down to lead 2-0 after the opening period. Cassar chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-0 lead. He continued to set the offensive tempo, forcing Hillger into defense while trying to connect on a number of shots. Hillger was able to defend his way through the second period and Cassar led 3-0 after two. Hillger chose down to start the third period and Cassar controlled the Badger well into the stanza. As the clock moved below 1:00 and Cassar’s riding time moved over 1:00, the Lion continued to dominate action from the top. Cassar ended the match in control and, with 2:02 in riding time, rolled to the 4-0 victory. The win moves Cassar into the semifinals and makes the Nittany Lion senior an All-American for the first time.
True freshman Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.), the No. 10 seed at 133, met No. 9 Charles Tucker of Cornell in his first consolation bout. Bravo-Young stepped back from a solid Tucker single leg at the 1:30 mark in the bout’s first flurry. The duo battled evenly in neutral for the rest of a scoreless first period. Bravo-Young chose down to start the second period and was called for potentially dangerous in the bottom position. He then escaped to a 1-1 tie with 1:25 on the clock. The Lion continued to work on offense and notched the bout’s first takedown with :05 left in the period to lead 3-1 after two periods. Tucker chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 3-2 score. Bravo-Young connected on another takedown to open up a 5-2 lead with :120 left and then controlled the action from the top position until he had over 1:00 in riding time. The Lion posted the 6-3 win to continue on in consolation action. Bravo-Young battled No. 15 Ben Thornton of Purdue in his next consolation bout. Bravo-Young set a fast pace to begin the match but the veteran Boilermaker was able to keep the young Lion at arm’s length for the first minute-plus. But Bravo-Young’s offense paid off as the Lion turned a high single leg into a takedown and a 2-0 lead just under the 1:00 mark. Bravo-Young finished the period on top and led 2-0 with 0:54 in riding time. Thornton chose down to start the second period and Bravo-Young controlled him long enough to build up a 1:09 time edge before he escaped. Bravo-Young controlled the pace for the rest of the period and led 2-1 with 1:09 in time after two. Bravo-Young chose down to start the third period and steadily worked his way to an escape and a 3-1 lead. The Lion freshman withstood a late Thornton flurry, holding off the Boilermaker’s last second shot to grab the 3-1 victory. Bravo-Young will now continue in consolation action Friday night, needing one more win to earn All-America status.
Redshirt freshman Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn.), the No. 12 seed at 149, took on No. 27 Tejon Anthony of George Mason in his first consolation bout. The duo traded early shots with neither wrestler breaking through to score. Berge worked in on a high single with 1:15 on the clock and then finished off the takedown to lead 2-0 at the :50 mark. He rode Anthony out and led 2-0 with nearly 1:00 in riding time after one period. The Lion freshman escaped to start the second period to open up a 3-0 lead.
Neither wrestler threatened for the rest of the second period and Berge carried that lead into the third stanza. Anthony chose down to start the third period and Berge maintained control long enough to build his riding time up over 1:00 before the Mason wrestler escaped to a 3-1 score. Berge slid around Anthony for a clinching takedown at the :25 mark and went on to post the strong 6-2 win with 1:33 in riding time. Berge then met No. 20 Thomas Thorn of Minnesota in his next consolation bout. Berge scored quickly, taking Thorn down for a 2-1 lead in the opening minute. The duo battled evenly for the remainder of the period and Berge led by one after one. Thorn chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 2-2 tie. Berge fought off a solid low single from the Gopher, forcing a stalemate at the 1:11 mark to keep the bout tied 2-2. Berge chose neutral to start the third period. The Lion fought off another Thorn shot, forcing a stalemate at the :41 mark with the match still tied. The match moved into sudden victory tied 2-2. Thorn worked his way in on a quick single leg and finished off the move to post the 4-2 (sv) win over Berge. The loss ends Berge’s tournament. The Lion redshirt freshman went 2-2 at his first NCAA tournament and ends his campaign with a 20-5 record.
Senior Shakur Rasheed (Coram, N.Y.), the No. 2 seed at 184, mete No. 17 Andrew McNally of Kent State in his first consolation bout. Rasheed fought off an early McNally shot and worked his way around for a counter takedown and a 2-0 lead at the 2:30 mark. The Lion then controlled McNally for the next minute plus, working his way to lock up a cradle. Rasheed worked McNally over for four back points and led 6-0 with over 2:00 in riding time after one period. The Lion senior chose neutral to start the second period and the full two minutes were contested in neutral. With Rasheed up 6-0, McNally chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 6-1 score. Looking for bonus points late, Rasheed notched one final takedown with just 0:01 on the clock. His gaudy 4:11 of riding time gave him what he needed for the 9-1 major decision. Rasheed took on No. 26 Dakota Geer of Oklahoma State in his next consolation match-up. The duo opened up the bout trading early shots with neither wrestler gaining an advantage. Geer forced a scramble the ended in a stalemate with :20 on the clock and the bout moved to the second period tied 0-0. Geer chose down to start the second period and worked his way to an escape and a 1-0 lead. The Cowboy connected on a low single that forced a scramble in the middle of the mat. Rasheed countered the move and nearly scored himself, but a stalemate was called with 0:16 on the clock. Trailing 1-0, Rasheed chose down to start the third period. The Lion senior worked his way to a reversal and a 2-1 lead at the 1:40 mark. Geer worked his way to an escape with 1:05 left and the match was tied 2-2.
Rasheed fought off a Geer shot, forcing a scramble that led to Geer getting two near fall points as the bout ended. The Penn State corner called for a review but the points were confirmed and Rasheed dropped the hard-fought 4-2 decision. Rasheed closes out his tournament with a 2-2 mark, including two majors. He finishes the season with a 20-2 record.
The Nittany Lions went 10-2 overall during the session three and added two more majors and a technical fall. Penn State is now 25-5 overall at the tournament’s midway point. The Lions have 22.0 bonus points off five majors, two techs and seven pins. Nolf and Nickal become Penn State’s 11th and 12th four-time All-Americans while Joseph and Hall are the school’s 29th and 30th three-time All-Americans. Lee is now a two-time All-American, Cassar earns his first All-America honor and Bravo-Young needs one more victory to become a true freshman All-American. Nickal has 118 career wins, 14th all-time at Penn State, while Nolf has 115, 17th all-time.
The event continues with session four tonight, Friday, at 8 p.m. in a session that includes the national semifinals. The medal rounds begin day three of the event on Saturday, March 23, at 11 a.m. The Championship Finals are set for 7 p.m. on Saturday. The entire event will air live on the ESPN family of networks. All three morning sessions (1, 3, 5) will air live on ESPNU. All three evening sessions (2, 4, 6) will air live on ESPN. The entire event, including live mat-by-mat coverage is available online via ESPN3 and the ESPN App.
2019 NCAA Championships – Top 3 Teams — end of Session 3:
Friday, March 22, 2019 – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, Pa.
1: PENN STATE – 80.0
2: Ohio State – 66.5
3: Oklahoma State – 56.0
