Four from PSU defending titles
“Every year, the postseason is super exciting,” Nolf said. “It’s gonna be cool having the tournament in Pittsburgh. I’m going to have a lot of family, friends and fans from home. I want to do the best I can with what I’m given and enjoying every moment of it because it is my last tournament. I’m looking forward to it.”
Nickal (25-0) is also a threetime finalist and two-time champ. He lost in the 174pound final in 2016, then moved up to 184 pounds and won consecutive titles. Nickal, 197 pounds, has a 115-3 career record, including a 14-1 mark in NCAA competition, and ranks second in school history with 56 pins.
“They will be remembered for as long as college wrestling exists,” said Penn State coach Cael Sanderson of Nolf and Nickal. “Both are extreme competitors and very consistent. Both have had an unbelievable career.”
Joseph (23-1), a Central Catholic graduate, has won consecutive titles at 165 pounds, defeating a two-time champ in both title matches. He returns at 165 pounds but is seeded No. 2 after a loss to Iowa’s Alex Marinelli in the Big Ten title match.
“I can’t just pretend that it never happened, because it did happen,” Joseph said of the loss in the Big Ten tournament. “It’s in the back of my mind and it motivates me a little bit. I hate losing.”
Hall (26-0) is a two-time finalist and one-time champ at 174 pounds. Hall won in 2017 as a freshman, then lost in the final last year against Arizona State’s Zahid Valencia. Both return at the same weight. The two met in a Dec. 14 dual meet, and Hall won, 4-0, earning the No. 1 seed. Valencia (26-2) is seeded No. 3.
The other three entries who have previously won an NCAA title are Iowa sophomore Spencer Lee, Cornell sophomore Yianni Diakomihalis and Ohio State senior Myles Martin.
Lee (18-3), a Franklin Regional graduate, won the 125pound title as a freshman. But he is seeded No. 3 after losing twice to Northwestern’s Sebastian Rivera, the No. 1 seed, and to Oklahoma State’s Nick Piccininni, the No. 2 seed.
Diakomihalis (24-0) won the 141-pound title last season as a freshman and returns as a strong favorite at the same weight. Martin (20-0) is a twotime finalist and one-time champ. He beat Nickal in the 2016 final at 174 pounds. He moved up to 184 and placed fifth as a sophomore and second last year, this time losing to Nickal in the title match. He is the favorite this year at 184.
Penn State has won seven of the past eight NCAA team titles, and another title is not out of the question with six of its nine wrestlers seeded first or second.
“We’re excited about the opportunity, and I think we’re going to wrestle really well,” Sanderson said. “But I’m just sitting in the corner, so that’s easy for me to say that.”
Martin and Hall are two of five entries who were silver medalists at the tournament last year. The others are Rutgers’ Nick Suriano, Michigan State’s Steven Micic and N.C. State’s Hayden Hidlay.
Pitt freshman Micky Phillippi (19-2), a Derry graduate, is seeded No. 4. Phillippi handed Daton Fix, the top seed, his only loss in a Jan. 19 dual meet. Ohio State junior Luke Pletcher (23-5), a Latrobe graduate, is seeded No. 5 after placing fourth last year.
Arizona State junior Josh Shields (27-3), a Franklin Regional graduate, is the No. 3 seed at 165 pounds, and Virginia Tech senior Zach Zavatsky (24-3), a Latrobe graduate, is seeded third at 184 pounds.