Top ten favorite PSU wrestlers

[sunshinedynomite]

Not the greatest just the best!!

what says you

Jimmy Martin ( grew up in Danville sorry prejudice)
Ruth
Nico
DT
Zain
Jordan Conway ( always did more than expected)
Nolf
Kolat ( if only we would have known you when Mr Sanderson was here)
Matt Brown ( back story incredible)
Molinaro/Wright/McCoy

I couldn't pick 10.

 

[TangSoo]

Kolat
Abe
Josh Moore
Scott Moore
DT
Q
Ed Ruth
Nolf
Nickal
Zain
Cenzo
Nico (and anybody that teched him in the room)
Conaway

A Baker's dozen and I'm sure I'm missing somebody.

 

[bscaff1]

Shout out to the mid to late 90s guys: Lange, Pritzlaff, Hunter, Betz, Walizer, Musser, et.al. Coaches Fritz and Oishi. Them boys was tough. PSU had a lot to be proud of.

 

[NoVa Lion]

Won't even try to pick a top 10 but will mention one that probably won't get mentioned by anyone not my age or older. Andy Matter, Penn State's first 2x champ. In recent years I really enjoyed watching Phil Davis destroy people on the mat and the way he would bait them to get too high when he was on the bottom.

 

[ss7]

Lots of great ones, can't pick 10. But I'll add two to the list:

York County Great James English

Pat "Diesel" Cummins**


**I may have made up that nickname, but I swear PSU gave out posters with this on it.

 

[Lyco1990]

Robbie Meloy, the cause of that one loss Gable had in CHA.

 

[tomsc]

Not the greatest just the best!!

what says you

Jimmy Martin ( grew up in Danville sorry prejudice)
Ruth
Nico
DT
Zain
Jordan Conway ( always did more than expected)
Nolf
Kolat ( if only we would have known you when Mr Sanderson was here)
Matt Brown ( back story incredible)
Molinaro/Wright/McCoy

I couldn't pick 10.

Sunshine--I lived for 5 years in Danville and watched Jimmy M wrestle in HS. Great fun to watch! But I probably go further back and would add Andy Matter to the list. Bo Nickal reminds me a lot of Andy Matter.

 

[LDandy]

Abe
McCoy
Hughes
Molinaro
Q
DT
JC
Nico
Zain
Nolf
Bo

So many great options it is hard to limit yourself to just 10. I certainly don't have the history of following the team for decades like some here, so my frame of reference skews more recent. My fandom only reaches back to the 90's when I was a student on campus. My list leaves off greats like The Moore Bros, Kolat, Davis, Ruth, Brown, Mcintosh, Cenzo, Hall etc. Difficult omissions to be sure, but for me my list is about the guys who's skill, grit, and determination made a big impression on me.

Its not just about winning titles for me but more about persevering over setbacks, maximizing one's ability, and creating memories on the mat. For as great as a wrestler as Ed Ruth was, and arguably he may be the best ever at PSU, my memories of him are less vivid because everything he did seemed to come so easy to him. Contrast that to a guy like Conaway who squeezed every bit of talent out of his body that he could, giving the ultimate effort every time he stepped on that mat. I can still picture his win over Graf or his comeback against Dijulius at BJC. Such great stuff. My favorite memory other than Q over Kilgore, Freshman Zain over Steiber, Nico over Gilman or Cenzo over Imar was James English's win to clinch AA Status. The best stuff, even the little things, always stays with you.

 

[Big Blue12]

Abe
Prescott
Hart
McCoy

Plus the last 7 years of Sanderson has been fantastic

 

[GOLDBANGER]

Not the greatest just the best!!

what says you

Jimmy Martin ( grew up in Danville sorry prejudice)
Ruth
Nico
DT
Zain
Jordan Conway ( always did more than expected)
Nolf
Kolat ( if only we would have known you when Mr Sanderson was here)
Matt Brown ( back story incredible)
Molinaro/Wright/McCoy

I couldn't pick 10.

Also being a Danville boy I have to put Martin and Meloy as my favs.

 

[farmer79]

Mc coy
D T
Ruth
Abe
Prescott
Martin
Scott Moore
Zain
Troy Sunderland
Dave hart

 

[sunshinedynomite]

Sunshine--I lived for 5 years in Danville and watched Jimmy M wrestle in HS. Great fun to watch! But I probably go further back and would add Andy Matter to the list. Bo Nickal reminds me a lot of Andy Matter.

I remember jimmy needing to eat to make weight.

Also remember he would go out at 98 wrestle and then ride the bike all the way to heavyweight.

 

[sunshinedynomite]

I remember jimmy needing to eat to make weight.

Also remember he would go out at 98 wrestle and then ride the bike all the way to Heavyweights.

 

[PSU James]

Abe
McCoy
Hughes
Molinaro
Q
DT
JC
Nico
Zain
Nolf
Bo

So many great options it is hard to limit yourself to just 10. I certainly don't have the history of following the team for decades like some here, so my frame of reference skews more recent. My fandom only reaches back to the 90's when I was a student on campus. My list leaves off greats like The Moore Bros, Kolat, Davis, Ruth, Brown, Mcintosh, Cenzo, Hall etc. Difficult omissions to be sure, but for me my list is about the guys who's skill, grit, and determination made a big impression on me.

Its not just about winning titles for me but more about persevering over setbacks, maximizing one's ability, and creating memories on the mat. For as great as a wrestler as Ed Ruth was, and arguably he may be the best ever at PSU, my memories of him are less vivid because everything he did seemed to come so easy to him. Contrast that to a guy like Conaway who squeezed every bit of talent out of his body that he could, giving the ultimate effort every time he stepped on that mat. I can still picture his win over Graf or his comeback against Dijulius at BJC. Such great stuff. My favorite memory other than Q over Kilgore, Freshman Zain over Steiber, Nico over Gilman or Cenzo over Imar was James English's win to clinch AA Status. The best stuff, even the little things, always stays with you.

You are forgetting Nolf over IMAR!

 

[BanjoSaysWoof]

Y'all had a 125 lber last year who was amazing, fun to watch, etc. As an RU fan, that is what I am chiming in with =)

 

[James P. Whitters III]

Nolf
DT
Bo
Ruth
AA pre injury freshman year
Q
Cenzo
Zain
Nick Lee (yes already)
Frank the Tank

 

[nerfstate]

This kind of thing is getting increasingly difficult, isn't it? I think I'll go with "sleeper picks" during my era of being a fan (LOL, all AAs....)

• Elinsky
• Chertow
• Mayo
• Sunderland
• Hunter
  
• McKnight
• English
• AA
• Conaway
• S'mack

 

[86PSUPaul]

Y'all had a 125 lber last year who was amazing, fun to watch, etc. As an RU fan, that is what I am chiming in with =)

I can pretty much guarantee no PSU fan will have him on his list....

 

[matter7172]

It's going to be dominated by recent wrestlers because they are the ones who have won national championships, individually and as a team. Also, my favorites are biased towards high-action guys

Matter (the first wrestling hero for me when I first started the sport)
DT
Nolf
Q
Bo
Zain
McCoy
Prescott
Ruth
Martin

HM - If he had wrestled 4 years at Penn State, I'd have to bump Martin for him - Cary Kolat

 

[purescurve]

Y'all had a 125 lber last year who was amazing, fun to watch, etc. As an RU fan, that is what I am chiming in with =)

0-3- 1 down, bottom of the first, at least I hope

 

[nitlion6]

Y'all had a 125 lber last year who was amazing, fun to watch, etc. As an RU fan, that is what I am chiming in with =)

Considering he is pretty much the only dude wearing a Rutgers singlet that wrestles, it is easily understood how special you would think him to be.

 

[CZM]

John Fritz

 

[nitlion6]

Ten is impossible to pick.
Andy Matter, Clyde Frantz and Davey Weber were my first favorite Lions. Fritz and a crazy fun dude to watch Jerry White.
Later on Jeff "fifth place sucks" Prescott
John Hughes
Dave Hart used to deliver the most physically devastating 6-0 ass kickings. Always the same thing, 2TDs, 1E and a RT point for about 5:30 of RT, usually with a bar and tight waist that left his opponent's arm limp and abdomen bruised.
McCoy
Yonushonis
Davis
DT
Ruth
Zain
Bo (grandsons favorite 3 years running)
Jason

So many I am forgetting.

 

[sunshinedynomite]

Phil Davis

 

[NittanyLion84]

I’ll add Carl DeStefanis to the list. Was my favorite wrestler, while attending Penn State.

 

[BanjoSaysWoof]

Considering he is pretty much the only dude wearing a Rutgers singlet that wrestles, it is easily understood how special you would think him to be.

Best wrestler in NJ history...with guys like Mocco, pritzlaffs, hahn and more, that says something. His HS career exactly one takedown allowed... as a freshman... at beast of the east... which he won 4x.

Every fan of wrestling in NJ thinks he is special and doesn't care what singlet he wears. Just like I am sure to the extent it doesn't affect your team, you root for guys from your home state. Him, Fix, and Lee are all special.

I don't know many PSU guys, but the ones I enjoy watching most are Nolf and Nickal. DT was great. Always thought Gulibon was a tough kid. I like Ed Ruth in MMA. Not sure I watch much college of him. Hall I like more and more as he gets more creative. Zain, as a former coach and competitor love. As a fan, I find him boring. Its machine like domination in most matches.... its almost formulaic... it is impressive beyond measure but its so rare he is challenged at any point in a match. His dominance is respected but I kind of take it for granted. Def. love watching Nick Lee. His effort will be there night in and night out.

 

[nitlion6]

Best wrestler in NJ history...with guys like Mocco, pritzlaffs, hahn and more, that says something. His HS career exactly one takedown allowed... as a freshman... at beast of the east... which he won 4x.

Every fan of wrestling in NJ thinks he is special and doesn't care what singlet he wears. Just like I am sure to the extent it doesn't affect your team, you root for guys from your home state. Him, Fix, and Lee are all special.

I was saying nothing negative about the kid. He is good, tough and for the first time ever there will be a kid at NCAAs wearing a Rutgers singlet that has a legitimate shot at winning a title.

I was just saying as a Rutgers fan Nick just has to appear exceptionally special. I mean he can and does wrestle. A bit rare in the other 9 singlets.

 

[lions#1]

Ruth
Zain
Bo
Nolf
DT
Wright
Nico
Joseph
Hall
Tank

Added - Steve Sefter

 

[Roar More]

Dave Hart used to deliver the most physically devastating 6-0 ass kickings. Always the same thing, 2TDs, 1E and a RT point for about 5:30 of RT, usually with a bar and tight waist that left his opponent's arm limp and abdomen bruised.

The thing I remember most about Dave Hart was he would get an opponent's leg while standing and put it on his shoulder before taking the guy down. There was no dancing on one foot with a leg that high. I have often wondered why so few use that technique.

 

[LorenzoFan]

John Place
Webster
Shawn Nelson
Bob Harr
Sean Finkbiener
Dan Mayo
Gary Kashak
Rich Lorenzo
John Bove
Mark Sadorik

 

[garw]

Clyde Frantz at 158 was all class.

 

[PSUAllTheWay]

Carl DeStefanis was the energizer bunny and incredibly entertaining to watch. He would have fit in well with our current bunch. If he doesn't get head locked and pinned as a Junior at Nationals, he would have been a 2x NCAA Champ.

 

[tomsc]

John Fritz

I was going to mention Fritz--really slick on his feet. Also I really enjoyed watching Carl DeStefanis--one of fastest singles of anyone on the team ever.

PSUalltheway--I hadn't seen your post when I mentioned DeStefanis. I see we both really appreciated him. I was at the NCAA's when he and Lynch both won titles. At that time getting 2 NCAA champs in one year was really quite a thing!!

 

[James Toney]

1-A
2-N
3-D
4-R
5-E
6-W
7-A
8-L
9-T
10-O
11-N

Sorry had to pick eleven.

 

[tomsc]

1-A
2-N
3-D
4-R
5-E
6-W
7-A
8-L
9-T
10-O
11-N

Sorry had to pick eleven.

Who's Andre Walton?

Note: Decided to google it and found out a skateboarder. Thought I missed a former PSU great wrestler!!

 

[ringworm2013]

Sunny Abe
Kerry McCoy
John Hughes
Aaron Anspach
Ed Ruth
David Taylor
Nico
Zain
Nolf
Bo

* Cary Kolat (1/2 a vote due to only wrestling 2yrs at PSU)

 

[CholleyVandine]

Who's Andre Walton?

Note: Decided to google it and found out a skateboarder. Thought I missed a former PSU great wrestler!!

John and Liv's lad. I believe he fell in age about halfway between John Boy and Jim Bob.

 

[James Toney]

AA
Nolf
Zain
Ruth
Nico
Unicorn
Bo
Wright
Conaway
Hall

 

[TangSoo]

Pretty cool footage of Destefanis. Note the last name of his opponent:

 

[86PSUPaul]

Wow, was TV that bad in 79? I watched cartoons in the 60's, what was I watching, etched stone tablets? LOL!