Penn State Wrestling: Inside the Singlet – Wrestler Profiles for 174 and 184
By Chris Snyder
An on-going series at Victory Bell Rings which details all of the wrestlers on the Penn State roster for 2022-2023
This is now the next to last edition of our “Inside the Singlet” series here at VBR on the Penn State Wrestling squad. It has been an amazing journey to get to know these young men and who they are in and around wrestling as well as away from the sport.
This time we are going to take a look at some Nittany Lion grapplers in the 174 and 184 pound classes. Our last edition of “Inside the Singlet” will spotlight the guys at both 197 and 285.
Inside the Singlet – past articles
125/133
141
149
157/165
Here we go!
Jack Kelly
Year: Redshirt Freshman
Weight: 174
Major: Communications
Hometown: Little Silver, N.J.
Penn State Career
Kelly is in his second season in Happy Valley and the redshirt freshman has already seen his fair share of action on the mat.
In his first season at Penn State (2021-2022 season), Jack competed in 17 total matches spanning the Clarion Open, Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open, David Lehman Open, and Mat Town Open.
And Kelly has strapped on the blue and white singlet for 10 matches this year between the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open, Black Knight Invite, and Mat Town Open. In the aforementioned 2023 Mat Town Open, Jack was perfect going into the semi finals before losing a tough decision. He then regrouped, won his next two matches, and took home a third place finish.
Prior to Penn State
Before his time at University Park, Jack was a standout wrestler at Rumson-Fair Haven High School in the neighboring state of New Jersey.
There, Kelly was a multiple year letterman and was the captain of the wrestling team his senior season. Jack’s first district title came his sophomore season and he followed that up with another district title and a fifth place finish in states the following season.
Kelly’s wrestling peaked his senior season as he was crowned a super regional champion and had his highest N.J. state finish of his career, where he took home third.
Away from the mat, Jack is a massive MMA fan and he was also a fantastic player on the football field. On the gridiron Kelly played defensive line and he was in the running for the 2020 Shore Sports Network All-Shore Football Team by racking up 45 tackles and two sacks.