Penn State Wrestling: Inside the Singlet – Wrestler Profiles for 157 and 165
By Chris Snyder
Joe Lee
Year: Junior
Weight: 165
Major: Hospitality Management
Hometown: Evansville, Ind.
Penn State Career
In Joe’s four year career with the Nittany Lions, he has suited up for 40 total matches.
He saw action in 16 matches his true freshman year in the Clarion Open, Wilkes Open, and Southern Scuffle. Then Lee broke into the starting lineup for 2020-2021 wrestling season where he competed in six regular season dual matches, five Big Ten Championship matches, and took part in two matches after qualifying for the 2021 NCAA Championships.
In the last two seasons Lee has been on the mat for 11 matches between the Southern Scuffle and Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open.
Prior to Penn State
Joe, along with his brothers Nick and Matt, attended Meter Dei High School in Indiana. There Lee helped guide Meter Dei to a state title, he was named the team captain two times, and he was a three year letter winner.
Lee finished runner up in the state his freshman year but he bounced back and won the title in both his sophomore and junior seasons. Joe was also a member of multiple Indiana national teams.
Joe did not wrestle for Meter Dei his senior year and he competed unattached at several opens and invitationals to continue to push his training before attending Penn State.
As for his decision to wrestle for the Nittany Lions, it wasn’t exactly a difficult one since his older brother Nick was already on the team.
In a Daily Collegian article back in 2021 the Lee brothers talk about what it’s like being on the same collegiate team.
"“Anytime you have brothers on the same team, that’s a challenge for the individuals because they wrestle each match — they wrestle their brothers’ match. Personally, I had two brothers on the team that wrestled before I did when I was in college and it’s something you have to manage. You have to manage your emotions because you want them to win so bad.” -Cael Sanderson"
According to the most recent statistics, the odds of a high school wrestler making a DI roster is roughly 1%. What are the odds that a pair of brothers makes the same roster? What about three brothers? 0.000001%?
Joe said he’s learned a lot from training and working with Nick during his time at Penn State. And even though Nick has already graduated, he’s always willing to help his younger sibling.
“I look up to my brother for just about everything. He’s got an answer for just about everything. I think he’s helped me a lot,” Joe explained. “He always has good stuff to say and good advice, so I think most guys can agree he’s a good guy to turn to for just about anything.”