PSU wrestling recruit picked for U.S. team for 44th Classic

Roman Bravo-Young took a break from his intense training schedule Saturday night to watch the much-anticipated Penn State-Ohio State wrestling match, which featured the top two teams in the NCAA Division I rankings.

“I wouldn’t have missed it,” said Bravo-Young, a three-time Arizona state champion from Sunnyside High School. “I made sure I was watching the Big 10 channel at 8 p.m.”

Bravo-Young was treated to one of the most memorable matches in NCAA history, as the Nittany Lions pulled out a 19-18 victory, despite having one of their five NCAA champions out of the lineup with an injury.

“It was a great match,” said Bravo-Young, a Penn State recruit. “I was really pumped up.

Bravo-Young also was pumped up to hear that he had been chosen to wrestle for the United States All-Star team at the 44th Annual Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic, which will be held March 25 at University of Pittsburgh’s Fitzgerald-Field House.

“I’m so excited,” Bravo-Young said. “The long list of NCAA champs who have wrestled in the wrestling classic is incredible. I’m so honored and blessed to be chosen.”

Bravo-Young enters this weekend’s Arizona state wrestling championships with a perfect 177-0 career record and a chance to win his fourth state title. He is entered at 132, but will compete at 138 at the Classic.

Bravo-Young is one of two undefeated entries on the United States team. The other is Gable Steveson, a three-time Minnesota champion from Apple Valley High School. Gable, a University of Minnesota recruit, entered the season with a 132-0 record at 285 pounds.

Montini Catholic, a private school located in Lombard, Ill., is the only school with two entries on the U.S. team. Joey Melendez (101- 10), a three-time Illinois champ and North Carolina recruit, is one of two entries at 120 pounds. His teammate Real Woods (115-6), a threetime Illinois champ and Stanford recruit, was chosen at 132 pounds.

Melendez is one of two North Carolina recruits. Brandon Whitman (156-3), a three-time Michigan state champ who competes at 195, is the other.

Woods is one of two Stanford recruits. The other is Shane Griffith (88-12), a twotime New Jersey champ from Bergen Catholic who will compete at 160.

Steveson is one of two Minnesota recruits. The other is Patrick McKee (13114), a two-time Minnesota state champ from St. Michael-Albertville who is the other U.S. entry at 120.

The United States All-Stars will face Pennsylvania’s All-Stars at 6 p.m. in the feature match. A team of WPIAL All-Stars will face a team of Iowa All-Stars at 4 p.m. in the preliminary match.