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Penn State Wrestling: Best Nittany Lions to never win an NCAA title

By Chris Snyder

STATE COLLEGE, PA - JANUARY 31: A view of the sell out crowd cheering during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines on January 31, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 35-7. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA - JANUARY 31: A view of the sell out crowd cheering during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines on January 31, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 35-7. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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STATE COLLEGE, PA – JANUARY 25: Michael Kroells of the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Jimmy Lawson of the Penn State Nittany Lions during their match on January 25, 2015 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Minnesota won 17-16. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – JANUARY 25: Michael Kroells of the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Jimmy Lawson of the Penn State Nittany Lions during their match on January 25, 2015 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Minnesota won 17-16. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /

No. 3

Dan Mayo

Years: 1984-1988
Record: 110-14-3
Conf. Titles: 3
NCAA Finishes:
3rd (1987)
2nd (1988)

Dan Mayo’s record and accomplishments are very similar to Dick Lemyre’s. And honestly, it wasn’t easy to rank the top three guys on this list as they all have a legitimate argument to be the best.

Just like Lemyre, Mayo won three straight conference titles from 1986-1988 and he also finished second and third in two NCAA Championships. But the biggest difference which separates these two all-time greats was the simple fact Dan Mayo competed in roughly three times as many matches as Lemyre.

As I’ve stated many times before, college wrestling was much different 70 years ago. Dan Mayo was able to compete in the modern era of college wrestling which meant he had to take part in more matches and face many different grapplers along the way. Which takes a different mindset and ability to perform.

And for Mayo to end his career with 110 career victories, putting him at No. 25 on the all-time wins list, is pretty darn impressive.

Mayo had a golden opportunity for an NCAA title his senior year. Coming off a one-loss junior year in 1986-1987, Mayo was poised to reign supreme over the 177 class for the 1987-1988 season. Unfortunately, the 1987 NCAA Champion at 167, Iowa’s Royce Alger, bumped up to 177 for this season. Meaning the two were going to lock horns at some point during the year.

Their first meeting happened in early February and Alger got the better of Mayo in a tight 6-5 decision. But it wasn’t like the difference was insurmountable, instead it was razor thin.

Later that season Mayo claimed his third straight conference title and he turned his sights to the 1988 NCAA Championships and a possible rematch against Alger to prove who the better grappler truly was.

Mayo was able to move through the first four rounds of the NCAA’s that year with relative easy. And just like fate would have it, guess who he was going to face in the finals?

Yep. Royce Alger.

But we all know how the match ended, because Dan Mayo wouldn’t be on this list if it went a different way.

Needless to say Mayo dropped another gut wrenching match to Alger 6-4, and his bid to scale to the top of the collegiate world had ended.

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