Vallimont, the No. 6 seed, took on No. 1 seed Andrew Howe of Wisconsin, who had downed Vallimont twice during the regular season. Vallimont got in on Howe's right thigh at the 2:22 mark, but the Badger was able to force a stalemate. Howe countered a low Vallimont shot and got the bout's first takedown with 1:51 on the clock to take a 2-0 lead. Vallimont could not escape a strong Howe ride for the remainder of the period. Leading 2-0 with 1:51 in riding time, Howe chose down to start the second period, escaped quickly and then took Vallimont down to open up a 5-0 lead. Vallimont escaped with :40 left in the period, only to be taken down at the end of the second to fall behind 7-1 (and how clinched the riding time point). Vallimont chose neutral to start the third period and quickly got in on Howe's right leg. But Howe once again forced a stalemate. Vallimont forced another scramble with a low single and got his first takedown with :59 on the clock. He cut Howe loose and trailed 8-3. The Nittany Lion took two more solid shots as the bout ended, but Howe was able to fight off every Vallimont effort and posted the 9-3 win.
Vallimont ends his Penn State career in stellar fashion. A two-time All-American with a third place finish at 157 and a National Runner-Up finish this year, Vallimont posted a 30-8 mark this year. He ends his Penn State career ninth on the school's all-time NCAA tournament win list with 15. The New Jersey native leaves Happy Valley with a 108-35 career record.
Iowa won the team title with 134.5 points. The Nittany Lions returned to the top ten after falling to 17th a year ago. With only six wrestlers competing, Penn State collected 49 points and took ninth place. The 49 points is the 17th -most in Penn State's long history at nationals and the third most in the last decade. Sanderson's six entrants posted an 18-12 record. Every one of the Lions' six qualifiers won at least two bouts. Penn State's three All-American placers in the top six marks only the third time this decade that the Nittany Lions have had three top six placers. Sanderson's first three All-Americans as Penn State head coach bring Penn State's overall total to 166. The ninth place finish is an eight spot improvement over last year's 17th. Penn State had placed out of the top ten in seven of the last ten years. Sanderson has now guided all four of his teams to top ten finishes (three years at Iowa State and now his first at Penn State).
Sophomore Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) ended his season earlier in the day with a fifth place finish at 149. A two-time All-American now, Molinaro ends his season with a 33-7 record. The sophomore placed eighth at 141 last year and took fifth at 149 this season. He will carry a 56-26 career record, including an 8-5 mark at the NCAA tournament, into his junior campaign. Senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah) ends an outstanding collegiate career as a two-time All-American after a sixth place finish at 157 this year. The Iowa State transfer placed seventh at 157 in 2008 for the Cyclones and qualified for nationals four times. He went 32-7 in his senior season for Penn State and ends his collegiate career with a 114-33 record.
Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) finished one win shy of being an All-American for the second time at 125, falling in the round of 12. Pataky went 2-2 at the event, beating the No. 8 and 9 seeds but losing to the No. 1 and 2 seeds. He went 28-10 over the course of the year. Senior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) posted a 2-2 mark at 184 and posted a 31-10 record in his final year with Penn State. Sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) went 2-2 at heavyweight and closed out his second year as the Lions' heavyweight with a 22-11 mark.
The Nittany Lions ended the 2009-10 dual meet season with a 13-6-1 overall record, 5-3 in Big Ten action, and ranked No. 10 in the final USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
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