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Ranking Penn State's all-timers

Jimmy Cinnabon

By Jimmy Cinnabon
in College Wrestling

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Jimmy Cinnabon Big Brain

Jimmy Cinnabon

Posted
Posted (edited)

Based solely on performance during their college years, how do you rank these guys:

  • Jason Nolf (3x champ, 4x finalist)
  • Bo Nickal (3x champ, 4x finalist, Hodge)
  • Ed Ruth (3x champ)
  • Zain Retherford (3x champ, 2x Hodge)
  • Aaron Brooks (4x champ, Hodge)
  • Carter Starocci (4x champ)
  • David Taylor (2x champ, 4x finalist, 2x Hodge)
  • Quentin Wright (2x champ, 3x finalist)
  • Vicenzo Joseph (2x champ, 3x finalist...missed last shot due to COVID cancelling season)

 

Of the current group I expect the following to be multi-time champs by the time they finish college:

  • Kasak (at 141)
  • Levi Haines
  • Mesenbrink
  • Kerk (if he comes back)
Edited by Jimmy Cinnabon
Elevator NCAA Qualifier

Elevator

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At least honorable mention:

Mark Hall - probably belongs on the list but covid-robbed of his last year to get another title and NCAA finals appearance. 

Kerry McCoy -  2x NCAA Champ and won 131 of his last 132 matches w an 88-match winning streak.

  • Bob 1
Jimmy Cinnabon Big Brain

Jimmy Cinnabon

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Perhaps we can tier them by dominance at their peak in college

Tier S - these guys make their opponents look silly; winning is so easily they just experiment with new moves during matches

  • Ruth
  • Taylor
  • Zain
  • Nolf
  • Nickal

Tier A - very dominant where the outcome is never in doubt and almost always bonus

  • Brooks
  • Starocci

Tier B

  • RBY
  • Joseph
  • Wright
  • Lee
  • Haines
  • Kerk

Tier C

  • Hall
  • Cassar
  • Dean
  • Brown
  • Megaludis
  • Molinaro
  • Davis
Elevator NCAA Qualifier

Elevator

Posted
Posted
  On 3/25/2024 at 2:58 PM, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Perhaps we can tier them by dominance at their peak in college

Tier S - these guys make their opponents look silly; winning is so easily they just experiment with new moves during matches

  • Ruth
  • Taylor
  • Zain
  • Nolf
  • Nickal

Tier A - very dominant where the outcome is never in doubt and almost always bonus

  • Brooks
  • Starocci

Tier B

  • RBY
  • Joseph
  • Wright
  • Lee
  • Haines
  • Kerk

Tier C

  • Hall
  • Cassar
  • Dean
  • Brown
  • Megaludis
  • Molinaro
  • Davis
Expand  

I have Lee and RBY higher and the story w Kerk, Haines and MM still being written.

OMW State Placer

OMW

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Posted

Jimmy - Such the Penn State homer/fan that he leaves off from an all-timer list:

Jeff Prescott (2x champ)

Andy Matter (1st 2x champ for Penn State)

Jimmy Martin (1st 4x AA that was a National Champion)

Sonny Abe (4x AA that went 4, 3, 2, 1)

Phil Davis (4x AA, 1x National Champ)

  • Fire 1
Caveira Big Brain

Caveira

Posted
Posted

Was Cstar really that dominant?   In this category at least.  
 

He Only has a 20% bonus rate at the ncaa tournament.   Mm has 3 bonus wins already.  Will catch Cstar next year.    Cstar only has 4 bonus wins at NCAAs.   Including 6 shutout (hours of riding time with few if any turns) wins.    30% of his wins are like 2-0 or 4-0.  
 

True frosh kasak already has more career bonus wins at NCAAs (5) compared to Cstar.  

macwoodfleet State Qualifier

macwoodfleet

Posted
Posted

For me, in terms of folkstyle, Zain Retherford was the best folkstyle wrestler. Incredible in all three positions. Pushed the pace, was physical, could shoot and score to both legs, great short offense, and committed crimes against humanity on top. 

Elevator NCAA Qualifier

Elevator

Posted
Posted
  On 3/25/2024 at 6:39 PM, OMW said:

Jimmy - Such the Penn State homer/fan that he leaves off from an all-timer list:

Jeff Prescott (2x champ)

Andy Matter (1st 2x champ for Penn State)

Jimmy Martin (1st 4x AA that was a National Champion)

Sonny Abe (4x AA that went 4, 3, 2, 1)

Phil Davis (4x AA, 1x National Champ)

Expand  

Andy Matter was so dominant in his day that he was known as "the great Andy Matter" - so I've been told by wrestling fans from that era.   Definitely would add him to the list - Abe is close too.  

11986 College Starter

11986

Posted
Posted (edited)
  On 3/25/2024 at 9:58 PM, Bardamu911 said:

nobody asked but my all time fave Nittany Lion BY FAR is Shinshiro Abe....now that guy was fun to watch!!

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They were close timeframe wise and both won national titles at 126, both went 1,2,3,4 at NCAAs (different places by year though), anyway always figured Abe v Martin would have been a fun scrap. 

Edited by 11986
gimpeltf NCAA All-American

gimpeltf

Posted
Posted
  On 3/25/2024 at 10:26 PM, 11986 said:

They were close timeframe wise and both won national titles at 126, both went 1,2,3,4 at NCAAs (different places by year though), anyway always figured Abe v Martin would have been a fun scrap. 

Expand  

Not sure what you mean close in time frame. Martin graduated in 89 Abe in 96.

11986 College Starter

11986

Posted
Posted
  On 3/25/2024 at 10:34 PM, gimpeltf said:

Not sure what you mean close in time frame. Martin graduated in 89 Abe in 96.

Expand  

And Abe started his career in 93 so only a few years between if that makes sense. And more or less same eras so easier to compare vs fun to think about but harder to compare fantasy matches like 2024 PSU vs 1997 Iowa stuff. 

gimpeltf NCAA All-American

gimpeltf

Posted
Posted
  On 3/25/2024 at 10:43 PM, 11986 said:

And Abe started his career in 93 so only a few years between if that makes sense. And more or less same eras so easier to compare vs fun to think about but harder to compare fantasy matches like 2024 PSU vs 1997 Iowa stuff. 

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But Martin would have almost been Fix's age by then!

11986 College Starter

11986

Posted
Posted
  On 3/25/2024 at 10:52 PM, gimpeltf said:

Like Braeden?

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We’ll have to see how he ages. Dr Jim Martin still looks like a youngster. And you know if you wanna be in the baby faced assassin discussion you gotta place your freshman year.

Le duke Big Brain

Le duke

Posted
Posted

College DT was great (2x Hodge...) but Aaron Brooks is the only guy Cael has ever coached who would be a legit senior worlds/Olympic medalist, today, as a college student.

I can't say the same thing about Nolf, Zain, DT, Nickal or Ed. And they were all amazingly good wrestlers.

Lleynor State Placer

Lleynor

Posted
Posted
  On 3/25/2024 at 6:45 PM, macwoodfleet said:

For me, in terms of folkstyle, Zain Retherford was the best folkstyle wrestler. Incredible in all three positions. Pushed the pace, was physical, could shoot and score to both legs, great short offense, and committed crimes against humanity on top. 

Expand  

 

This is where I am as well. As a True Freshman, he took out Stieber. 

Honest question. Do any of y'all really put Starocci in any od the top categories. Like Stieber I mentioned above, these two won 4 but just still was lackluster to me. 

JimmyCinnabon College Starter

JimmyCinnabon

Posted
Posted
  On 3/25/2024 at 11:15 PM, Lleynor said:

 

This is where I am as well. As a True Freshman, he took out Stieber. 

Honest question. Do any of y'all really put Starocci in any od the top categories. Like Stieber I mentioned above, these two won 4 but just still was lackluster to me. 

Expand  

Man people are already trying to rewrite history in regards to Carter. 
 

Neither Carter or Steiber had lackluster careers. Both of them were absolutely dominant and feared. 

Lleynor State Placer

Lleynor

Posted
Posted
  On 3/25/2024 at 11:54 PM, JimmyCinnabon said:

Man people are already trying to rewrite history in regards to Carter. 
 

Neither Carter or Steiber had lackluster careers. Both of them were absolutely dominant and feared. 

Expand  

I don't mean career. Just on the mat. Neither really excited me that much. 

  • Bob 1

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