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Penn State Wrestling: Creating the Dream Team

By Chris Snyder

STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 13: The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team is introduced before a match against the Lock Haven Bald Eagles on November 13, 2015 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 50-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - NOVEMBER 13: The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team is introduced before a match against the Lock Haven Bald Eagles on November 13, 2015 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 50-0. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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Mar 19, 2022; Detroit, MI, USA; Penn State wrestler Roman Bravo-Young celebrates after defeating Oklahoma State wrestler Daton Fix in the 133 pound weight class final match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Little Cesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2022; Detroit, MI, USA; Penn State wrestler Roman Bravo-Young celebrates after defeating Oklahoma State wrestler Daton Fix in the 133 pound weight class final match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Little Cesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

133

Roman Bravo-Young

Years: 2019-present
Record: 80-9
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 2

RBY spun a solid freshman year, where he went 25-7 and earned All-American honors with an eight place finish in the 2019 NCAA’s, into a breakout year his sophomore year.

Roman put together an impressive 19-2 campaign and finished runner-up to Northwestern’s Sebastian Rivera at the 2020 Big Ten Wrestling Championships.

Unfortunately for RBY and the rest of collegiate wrestling, the world was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships were cancelled. Had the NCAA’s happened that year, it’s very possible Bravo-Young could have finished on the podium, or even higher.

But following the conclusion of the 2020 Big Ten Wrestling Championships and the cancellation of the 2020 season, two facts remained.

No. 1 – We’ll never know.

No. 2 – Roman Bravo-Young has yet to lose a match since his loss to Rivera in the Big Ten finals.

Roman has gone 36-0 , won back-to-back Big Ten titles, and back-to-back NCAA titles.

And for the past two seasons, Penn State fans have witnessed just how good RBY can truly be. From his fancy footwork, to his lighting quick attacks, to his strength in the top position, to his ability to grind out tough wins against the best of the best. Bravo-Young continues to impress as his perfect record illustrates.

Prior to the 2021-2022 season, Bravo-Young hinted it would be his final season at Penn State. But as the season went along and certainly after his win over Oklahoma State’s Daton Fix in the NCAA finals, his stance began to soften.

Then the news recently broke that he would be back in Happy Valley once again to defend his title. And something tells me he’s not finished writing his name in the Penn State records books and further cementing himself as the all-time best Nittany Lion grappler at 133.

Honorable Mention (in order)

John Johnston

Years: 1956-1958
Record: 43-4
Conf. Titles: 3
NCAA Titles: 1

Dick Lemyre

Years: 1952-1954
Record: 40-3
Conf. Titles: 3
NCAA Titles: 0 (2nd)

Scott Lynch

Years: 1982-1984
Record: 73-13-1
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 1

Cary Kolat

Years: 1993-1994
Record: 60-6
Conf. Titles: 1
NCAA Titles: 0 (2nd)

Bob Truby

Years: 1988-1992
Record: 101-27-4
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 0 (4th)

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