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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 – FEBRUARY 5: A view of the crowd in the arena during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes on February 5, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 24-14. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – FEBRUARY 5: A view of the crowd in the arena during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes on February 5, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 24-14. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /

No. 1

Greg Elinsky

Years: 1983-1987
Record: 138-16-4
Conf. Titles: 3
NCAA Finishes:
7th (1984)
2nd (1985)
2nd (1986)
3rd (1987)

So here we finally are. The end of the list of the best Penn State wrestlers who just came up short in the NCAA’s.

And no one on this list got closer than Greg Elinsky. No one.

With his career win total of 138, Elinsky currently sits at the No. 4 spot in all-time wins for Penn State wrestlers. You could tell right out of the gate in Elinsky’s freshman year (1983) that he was going to be good and that he was going to win a lot of matches.

And in his freshman year, Elinsky compiled a 35-6-1 record, finished second in the conference, and placed seventh in the 1984 NCAA Championships. Being an All-American your freshman year is quite the accomplishment.

Then in Greg’s sophomore and junior seasons, he went a combined 65-7-2 and won back-to-back conference titles and placed second in both the 1985 and 1986 NCAA Championships. In the 1985 finals at 158 pounds, Elinsky lost a heartbreaker to Iowa’s Marty Kistler 4-3. Then in the 1986 finals it was Ohio State’s Jude Skove who bested Elinsky 5-2.

But Elinsky kept working hard and kept pushing himself to improve and be better on the mat. And things looked like they were about to be different his senior season (1986-1987).

Heading into early February that season, Elinsky had a record of 24-2 with both losses coming at the hands of two of the elite grapplers at 167 (Royce Alger from Iowa and Kevin Jackson from Iowa State). And in early February Elinsky had back-to-back shots at Jackson to avenge his prior loss.

Elinsky lost the first match 9-6, however the second match finished tied at 1-1. A sign that maybe Greg learned something from his matches against the tough grappler from Iowa State.

Fast forward to the end of the 1987 season and Elinsky took home his third straight conference title and his sights were set on one thing. Winning an NCAA title.

And things started out great for Elinsky in the 1987 NCAA’s as he breezed through the first three matches to a combined score of 32-8. But guess who was there to meet him in the semi-finals? Yep, Iowa State’s Kevin Jackson.

Their match was every bit as close as the 1-1 tie from back in early February. Only this time it ended up tied 2-2 in overtime and Jackson won based on his riding time advantage.

But did Elinsky pack it in and write off the rest of the tournament? Heck no.

He promptly dispatched the next two opponents to win his third straight podium finish (third place) and was crowned an All-American in all four seasons he wrestled.

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