Best 3x NCAA Champ ever…

[Zahnarzt]

Uetake, no doubt about it.  
 

However, let’s debate the more modern era with guys that had 4 seasons to compete in, but only won 3.  Who was the best of them?  For me, my short list is between Zain, Nolf, Nickal, Ruth, Spencer.

 

I’m gonna say Jason Nolf.  

[lu_alum]

You must be from PA.  Your list is limited to the 2000s, with PSU guys and one of PA's all-time great HS wrestlers.  Hey, I get it, I'm from PA as well.  However, here are some other options:

LEE KEMP

Ed Banach, Alex Dieringer, Stephen Abas, Barry Davis, Jim Zalesky, Joe Williams, Eric Guerrero, and there are many other to consider.

[Caveira]

  On 3/19/2025 at 12:33 AM, lu_alum said:

You must be from PA.  Your list is limited to the 2000s, with PSU guys and one of PA's all-time great HS wrestlers.  Hey, I get it, I'm from PA as well.  However, here are some other options:

LEE KEMP

Ed Banach, Alex Dieringer, Stephen Abas, Barry Davis, Jim Zalesky, Joe Williams, Eric Guerrero, and there are many other to consider.

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off the top of my head.  Not trying to overlap yours.  Some may be wrong. 
 

Gable the original  (not true 2x)

Mcilravy 

tj jaworski

Nate Carr 

Brands 

Edited yesterday at 12:53 AM by Caveira

[SocraTease]

I'm going with Nolf. 

117-3 career with really only 2 losses his freshman year to 2-time NCAA champion IMAR (the other "loss" was an injury default), whom he also pinned.

60 pins (an average of 15 per year; something rarely done even once a year anymore), the most pins in PSU history.

103 bonus point wins.

And perhaps the most innovative, fierce, and fun  guy to watch in his generation

[Wrestleknownothing]

  On 3/19/2025 at 12:45 AM, SocraTease said:

I'm going with Nolf. 

117-3 career with really only 2 losses his freshman year to 2-time NCAA champion IMAR (the other "loss" was an injury default), whom he also pinned.

60 pins (an average of 15 per year; something rarely done even once a year anymore), the most pins in PSU history.

103 bonus point wins.

And perhaps the most innovative, fierce, and fun  guy to watch in his generation

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When I looked at this a couple of years ago I settled on Nolf too

[Caveira]

  On 3/19/2025 at 12:45 AM, SocraTease said:

I'm going with Nolf. 

117-3 career with really only 2 losses his freshman year to 2-time NCAA champion IMAR (the other "loss" was an injury default), whom he also pinned.

60 pins (an average of 15 per year; something rarely done even once a year anymore), the most pins in PSU history.

103 bonus point wins.

And perhaps the most innovative, fierce, and fun  guy to watch in his generation

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I think nolf is better than Cstar.   Zane and Bo too.  

[Wrestleknownothing]

  On 3/19/2025 at 12:40 AM, Caveira said:

off the top of my head.  Not trying to overlap yours.  Some may be wrong. 
 

Gable the original 

Mcilravy 

tj jaworski

Nate Carr 

Brands 

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Gable was a two-timer

[Caveira]

  On 3/19/2025 at 12:51 AM, Wrestleknownothing said:

Gable was a two-timer

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Tks whoops maybe I have time to edit … edited !

Edited yesterday at 12:53 AM by Caveira

[The Kid]

.....

Edited yesterday at 01:02 AM by The Kid

[Alces Alces Gigas]

Some of those old timers were special!

40s 50s and 60s had some real studs.     

70s as well!

 

Recent guy that's gets forgotten is Greg Jones  

Jimmy Jackson is another on that is often forgotten 

 

 

[Tyler]

  On 3/19/2025 at 12:45 AM, SocraTease said:

I'm going with Nolf. 

117-3 career with really only 2 losses his freshman year to 2-time NCAA champion IMAR (the other "loss" was an injury default), whom he also pinned.

60 pins (an average of 15 per year; something rarely done even once a year anymore), the most pins in PSU history.

103 bonus point wins.

And perhaps the most innovative, fierce, and fun  guy to watch in his generation

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The answer isn’t an easy one, but I can’t say that this one is wrong. Your statistics lay out a solid argument 

[peanut]

Best four timer- Cael

Best three timer- Snyder (Steveson soon?)

Best two-timer- Smith

Best one-timer- Bruce

[Zahnarzt]

  On 3/19/2025 at 12:33 AM, lu_alum said:

You must be from PA.  Your list is limited to the 2000s, with PSU guys and one of PA's all-time great HS wrestlers.  Hey, I get it, I'm from PA as well.  However, here are some other options:

LEE KEMP

Ed Banach, Alex Dieringer, Stephen Abas, Barry Davis, Jim Zalesky, Joe Williams, Eric Guerrero, and there are many other to consider.

Expand  

I am from PA.  Wrestled in central PA (district 3).  Lehigh Univ class of ‘98. 
 

But I’m still picking Nolf. 

[Zahnarzt]

  On 3/19/2025 at 1:07 AM, peanut said:

Best four timer- Cael

Best three timer- Snyder (Steveson soon?)

Best two-timer- Smith

Best one-timer- Bruce

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You forgot…

Best no-timer - John Trenge

[BFosr1]

  On 3/19/2025 at 2:15 AM, Zahnarzt said:

You forgot…

Best no-timer - John Trenge

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That has to be Daton Fix, no?

[flyingcement]

  On 3/19/2025 at 2:26 AM, BFosr1 said:

That has to be Daton Fix, no?

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I take Trenge over Fix just based on my belief of who was the better overall wrestler.  And I am also super biased.

[Caveira]

  On 3/19/2025 at 2:28 AM, flyingcement said:

I take Trenge over Fix just based on my belief of who was the better overall wrestler.  And I am also super biased.

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And fix popped for steroids.  And trenge was awesome and entertaining as a wrestler.  

[Wrestleknownothing]

The Three-Timers From The Freshman Ineligible Era

[nhs67]

  On 3/19/2025 at 2:28 AM, flyingcement said:

I take Trenge over Fix just based on my belief of who was the better overall wrestler.  And I am also super biased.

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Fix was a better wrestler, though.  Was legitimately Top 5 in the world at one point.

[flyingcement]

  On 3/19/2025 at 3:25 AM, nhs67 said:

Fix was a better wrestler, though.  Was legitimately Top 5 in the world at one point.

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This is why I said "based on my belief of" which is not to say that Fix has not accomplished more.  Fix was never rated that high on the senior level was he?  

[bnwtwg]

College: Nolf. Folkstyle savant. I always said he was a freestyle enigma but probably would have medaled at least once if he could have bypassed JB/Dake/Imar at the right weight right year.

Senior: Nickal. He should have been given a fair shake in 2019 at 86kg. I truly believe he would have won worlds. He was that good and it's a shame he (and we) didn't get to see it through 

[SocraTease]

  On 3/19/2025 at 2:34 AM, Wrestleknownothing said:

The Three-Timers From The Freshman Ineligible Era

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Wow, I didn't realize there were that many 3-timers.  Surely, some of them would have won a 4th if given the opportunity.

Crazy that 4-timers are becoming more common even if there are only 6 of them.  

[flyingcement]

Mike Caruso!!! I have a trading card of his from when he sold insurance to my father about thirty years ago 

[AZ_wrestling]

It’ll be Gable after Saturday. Right now, Retherford edges it out for me by wrestling as true freshman and going undefeated in 3 straight seasons.

[scourge165]

  On 3/19/2025 at 1:07 AM, peanut said:

Best four timer- Cael

Best three timer- Snyder (Steveson soon?)

Best two-timer- Smith

Best one-timer- Bruce

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-Cael

-Kemp

-Taylor/Askren

-Mark Hall? 

This is impossible. Gable, Snyder and Abas are close for 3X IMO...and others. Schultz bumped up and stopped the first 4X Champ. 

Best two-time champs. Askren, Taylor, Neal and Tommy Rowlands

Best One-Time Champ...can I put Churella in here(Hendricks was SO close to being pinned)...but that's such a looong list. There have been so many great Wrestlers who have come along and been in the toughest weight classes and "only" won one title. 

 

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I can't put guys like Gable in there. Guys from that era. It's just too different. Not to say others shouldn't or that Uetake isn't the...best 3X or best ever, I just didn't see them, see video and the style was so different.