Where does Levi Haines rank in the Penn State Pantheon?

[Gus]

3 minutes ago, 11986 said:

Or Dan Gable?

That's a good call.

[PortaJohn]

Just now, Gus said:

If we are going off of international careers then sure.

I think Zahid ranked over Burroughs and Smith is fair but I couldn't rank him over Gable on the 2X list

[Gus]

Just now, PortaJohn said:

I think Zahid ranked over Burroughs and Smith is fair but I couldn't rank him over Gable on the 2X list

I honestly missed Gable. You could make a case for Gable as the #1 on the 2xer list.

[PortaJohn]

Just now, Gus said:

I honestly missed Gable. You could make a case for Gable as the #1 on the 2xer list.

That's a good debate.  Hard to pick.  

[fishbane]

21 minutes ago, Gus said:

If we are going off of international careers then sure.

Gable only lost one match in college. His NCAA career has to be better than one of them.

[Truzzcat]

50 minutes ago, Gus said:

I honestly missed Gable. You could make a case for Gable as the #1 on the 2xer list.

I think him losing his last year dings him not that it was the peak of his powers but David only lost to imo the goat and a crack down cradle his freshman year.

[AZ_wrestling]

If Haines goes undefeated this season, he’ll be the second best two-time champ Penn State’s had after Taylor. The fact that he didn’t take a redshirt year is a big deal to me, and he’ll be a four-time B1G champ. Only other Penn state guys to win four (I think) are Ruth and Taylor. 

Edited October 29, 2025 by AZ_wrestling

[fishbane]

12 minutes ago, AZ_wrestling said:

If Haines goes undefeated this season, he’ll be the second best two-time champ Penn State’s had after Taylor. The fact that he didn’t take a redshirt year is a big deal to me, and he’ll be a four-time B1G champ. Only other Penn state guys to win four (I think) are Ruth and Taylor. 

Didn't Brooks win 4/5?

[Le duke]

If Haines goes undefeated this season, he’ll be the second best two-time champ Penn State’s had after Taylor. The fact that he didn’t take a redshirt year is a big deal to me, and he’ll be a four-time B1G champ. Only other Penn state guys to win four (I think) are Ruth and Taylor. 

And he’ll be 21 when he graduates.


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[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

18 minutes ago, Le duke said:

And he’ll be 21 when he graduates.


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Perhaps his most amazing feet in today's NCAA.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

21 minutes ago, fishbane said:

Didn't Brooks win 4/5?

yes, I think?  One loss to Amine?

Edited October 29, 2025 by Interviewed_at_Weehawken

[1032004]

10 hours ago, nhs67 said:

I don't think so.  Ruiz is a real threat.

There isn't a single threat to Monster Mitch.  If you try to slow him down, you get cautioned out.

Speaking of Mesenbrink, I think he has an argument to be ahead of Haines right now on the PSU pecking order.  If not then very likely once he graduates just 1 year after Haines.

I’m good with putting Haines ahead of Cenzo though assuming he wins this year.

[Truzzcat]

47 minutes ago, Le duke said:

And he’ll be 21 when he graduates.


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it is sort of uncanny that both Hamiti and Haines will have exhausted their eligibility at the same age as some red shirt freshman. I have some worry he is going to be a forever tweener, but Haines is positioning himself to be one of the freestyle goats.

[bnwtwg]

20 hours ago, nhs67 said:

That said, Cenzo's hit list appears better as of now.

That also said, Cenzo never went undefeated, had considerably less bonus rate, and had WAY more OT matches... don't get me started on one TD matches, either. 

Cenzo was so underrated. He bumped up two weights because he was behind a world champ and folkstyle savant and still made 3 out 3 finals, winning his two titles over a very Yazdani-esque GOAT prospect in Imar. And to think that some people at the old place called him chubby. Not naming names but I'm pointing my finger at the lack of respect.

[nhs67]

1 minute ago, bnwtwg said:

Cenzo was so underrated. He bumped up two weights because he was behind a world champ and folkstyle savant and still made 3 out 3 finals, winning his two titles over a very Yazdani-esque GOAT prospect in Imar. And to think that some people at the old place called him chubby. Not naming names but I'm pointing my finger at the lack of respect.

I would bite the 'he bumped up two weights' bit had he wrestled under 74 KG even once during his collegiate career.  He didn't.  In fact, he went up to 79 KG just after.

Hell, I even advocated for him and Nolf swapping Nolf's senior season and, more or less, got crapped on for it.  Was persistently told 'Cenzo holds more weight than he looks' and such.

[nhs67]

3 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Cenzo was so underrated. He bumped up two weights because he was behind a world champ and folkstyle savant and still made 3 out 3 finals, winning his two titles over a very Yazdani-esque GOAT prospect in Imar. And to think that some people at the old place called him chubby. Not naming names but I'm pointing my finger at the lack of respect.

Also, he was chubby. 

IMar was not Yazdani-esque.  IMar got beat by a high school junior Anthony Valencia 10-0 just before he won his first title at 157lbs, after he had already used a redshirt.

[bnwtwg]

8 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

I would bite the 'he bumped up two weights' bit had he wrestled under 74 KG even once during his collegiate career.  He didn't.  In fact, he went up to 79 KG just after.

Hell, I even advocated for him and Nolf swapping Nolf's senior season and, more or less, got crapped on for it.  Was persistently told 'Cenzo holds more weight than he looks' and such.

Well yeah, when you get to eat a real dinner every night during the season you're never going to go back to cutting weight. That's a luxury only heavyweights and room guys get to enjoy!

 

 

Regarding Haines, Hamiti went on a vision quest last year. I really thought Haines would end up a 3 timer. I remember saying in the moment when he lost to AOC it was less on Haines and more a notch in the belt for a criminally underrated O'Connor. Haines is obviously that dude.

[bnwtwg]

2 minutes ago, nhs67 said:

Also, he was chubby. 

IMar was not Yazdani-esque.  IMar got beat by a high school junior Anthony Valencia 10-0 just before he won his first title at 157lbs, after he had already used a redshirt.

High school Anthony Valencia is not fair he wrecked everyone. Would have teched college Anthony Valencia even lol

[Wrestleknownothing]

35 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Cenzo was so underrated. He bumped up two weights because he was behind a world champ and folkstyle savant and still made 3 out 3 finals, winning his two titles over a very Yazdani-esque GOAT prospect in Imar. And to think that some people at the old place called him chubby. Not naming names but I'm pointing my finger at the lack of respect.

In defense of the unnamed, they even call him chubby on BWI (or whatever it is called these days).

[Fletcher]

Haines is behind Bubba Jenkins. Both are one-time champs, but Bubba pinned one of the greatest of all time in his finals match.

[bnwtwg]

19 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

Haines is behind Bubba Jenkins. Both are one-time champs, but Bubba pinned one of the greatest of all time in his finals match.

Can you send me your stretching routine? Because calling Bubba Jenkins a one-time PSU champ is some serious mental gymnastics.

[Winners Circle]

24 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

Haines is behind Bubba Jenkins. Both are one-time champs, but Bubba pinned one of the greatest of all time in his finals match.

This is an unbelievable troll. One of the better ones I've ever seen.

 

[JimmyCinnabon]

Now this is my kind of debate! Everyone glazing guys from my favorite team. 
 

Keep going I’m almost there. 

[Truzzcat]

4 hours ago, bnwtwg said:

High school Anthony Valencia is not fair he wrecked everyone. Would have teched college Anthony Valencia even lol

Was typing this before I saw your reply hs Valencia was an enigma.

[bnwtwg]

31 minutes ago, Truzzcat said:

Was typing this before I saw your reply hs Valencia was an enigma.

Especially the year @nhs67 pointed out. If you asked me whether Pico, A Valencia, or 132 lb Zahid would be a world champ much less a world champ at 86 I can tell you Zahid would have been a veerrrry distant third choice. 

I would be interested in how the goes went between Haines and Zahid. I would also like to know who was cutting more. I feel like Haines started around 200 and Zahid walks around at 194 tops.