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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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STATE COLLEGE, PA – FEBRUARY 16: Ed Ruth of the Penn State Nittany Lions during a match against the Oklahoma State Cowboys on February 16, 2014 at Rec Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 23-12. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – FEBRUARY 16: Ed Ruth of the Penn State Nittany Lions during a match against the Oklahoma State Cowboys on February 16, 2014 at Rec Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 23-12. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /

184

Ed Ruth

Years: 2011-2014
Record: 136-3
Conf. Titles: 4
NCAA Titles: 3

I know, I know, I’m contradicting myself in back-to-back pages. Because you could easily extrapolate Aaron Brooks career and he could be one of the most decorated Penn State grapplers ever.

And even for as good as Mark Hall was in his Nittany Lion career, Ed Ruth was beyond amazing and his cabinet full of hardware proves it.

Which is why I’m giving him the nod over Brooks. For now …

Only two other wrestlers on this entire Penn State Dream Team won B1G Titles their freshman year (Nickal and Taylor) and Ruth was able to pull off the incredible feat as well. Ed lost an early round match in the 2011 NCAA’s but ultimately finished 3rd in his first NCAA Tournament. His Penn State career was off to a fantastic start.

Ruth then went on to go a total of 64-0 his sophomore and junior seasons in taking home both B1G Titles and NCAA Titles.

Midway through Ruth’s senior season he lost a hard-fought decision against Cornell’s Gabe Dean. Anyone ever heard of him?

A staggering number of 1,021 days had past since Ed Ruth had last lost a match at Penn State. Wow.

As with some of Penn State’s other greats, Ruth also avenged the loss and beat Dean in the semi final match of the 2014 NCAA Championships. Ruth then beat Maryland’s Jimmy Sheptock to claim his third straight NCAA Title. Wait, there was a Maryland grappler in an NCAA final? Huh. Who knew?

While Ruth was in the running for the Hodge Trophy three times, he was never handed the coveted award. But his illustrious career was enough to land him the starting spot at 184 on my team.

Honorable Mention (in order)

Aaron Brooks

Years: 2020-present
Record: 50-2
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 2

Quentin Wright

Years: 2009-2013
Record: 116-23
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 2

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