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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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PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 23: Bo Nickal of the Penn State Nittany Lions is introduced during the championship finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 23, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 23: Bo Nickal of the Penn State Nittany Lions is introduced during the championship finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 23, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /

197

Bo Nickal

Years: 2016-2019
Record: 120-3
Conf. Titles: 3
NCAA Titles: 3

Before anyone says anything, yes, I do realize Bo competed at 174, 184, and 197 during his career at Penn State. But this is my team and I’m putting him exactly where I want him.

Plus, Nickal did some simply incredible things his senior year at 197.

Now onto why I picked him.

Bo’s freshman year is as impressive as they come for any collegiate wrestler. He amassed a record of 33-2, won his first B1G Title, and lost in the 2016 NCAA finals against Ohio State’s Myles Martin. This won’t be the last time you hear his name.

Nickal then plowed through his sophomore season and had a combined 19-0 record heading into a B1G Championship match against none other than Ohio State’s Myles Martin. Once again Martin got the best of Nickal and he was left with a disappointing 3rd place finish in the 2017 B1G’s.

In the 2017 NCAA’s, Nickal proceeded to pin everyone in sight on his way to a finals clash against Cornell’s Gabe Dean. Hmm… He sounds familiar.

Bo pulled off the incredible upset and was crowned the 2017 NCAA Champion at 184.

This vaulted Bo to go onto finish his junior season a perfect 31-0 which included his second B1G Title and second NCAA Championship. And remember Myles Martin? In the 2018 season, Bo beat Martin not once, not twice, but three times. This included victories in the B1G finals and the NCAA finals. Ah, sweet, sweet revenge.

The One-Man-Bo show continued his senior season as he once again was perfect with a combined 30-0 record on the season. This included his third B1G Title, third NCAA Title, fourth All-American selection, and more importantly, his first Hodge Trophy.

During his career at Penn State, Bo Nickal was awarded the Schalles Award twice (nation’s best pinner 2018-2019), was a Dan Hodge Trophy finalist once (2018), and won the Dan Hodge Trophy once (2019).

And this is why he’s any easy pick to start at 197.

Honorable Mention (in order)

Phil Davis

Years: 2005-2008
Record: 116-20
Conf. Titles: 2
NCAA Titles: 1

Hud Samson

Years: 1952-1953
Record: 24-6
Conf. Titles: 0 (3rd)
NCAA Titles: 1

Max Dean

Years: 2021-present
Record: 23-1
Conf. Titles: 1
NCAA Titles: 1

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