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Best True Freshman PSU Wrester

Who is the Best Ever True Freshman PSU Wrestler?

  • Mark Hall (31-3; 62% Bonus; B1G 3rd; Nat’l Champ)

    Votes: 98 63.6%

  • Aaron Brooks (15-1; 44% Bonus; B1G Champ; Covid Year)

    Votes: 19 12.3%

  • Levi Haines (27-2; 34% Bonus; B1G Champ; NCAA 2nd)

    Votes: 9 5.8%

  • Luke Lilledahl (25-3; 50% Bonus; B1G Champ; NCAA 3rd)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Nick Suriano (16-1 when injured; 65% Bonus; Injured/Missed Postseason)

    Votes: 2 1.3%

  • Cary Kolat (22-5; 48%; B1G 2nd; NCAA 2nd)

    Votes: 6 3.9%

  • Tyler Kasak (24-5; 45% Bonus; B1G 3rd; NCAA 3rd)

    Votes: 1 0.6%

  • Zain Retherford (33-3; 39% Bonus; B1G 2nd; NCAA 5th)

    Votes: 16 10.4%

  • Nico Megaludis (28-8; 33% Bonus; B1G 5th; NCAA 2nd)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other (Please Specify in Comments Below)

    Votes: 3 1.9%
  • Total voters
    154
mcpat

mcpat

All-American
Mar 12, 2021
1,771
7,120
113
We’ve got a couple incredible true freshman in the lineup this year, which has had me wondering… who is the best true freshman we’ve ever had?

I’m excluding Blaze and Duke because their true freshman seasons are yet to be finished. But I’ve researched it, and below is my list of the top 9, in no particular order. Perhaps I missed a deserving candidate; if I did please vote “Other” and provide comments on the wrestler I missed!
 
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mcpat

mcpat

All-American
Mar 12, 2021
1,771
7,120
113
fortheglory94 said:
Without the foot injury at OK St, I think Suriano would have topped this list. Who would have thought we'd never seen another match for him as a PSU wrestler?
Well, a non-forfeit anyway.
Click to expand...
I think the same
 
El_Jefe

El_Jefe

Heisman
Oct 11, 2021
3,310
13,105
113
We've had exactly 1 true freshman national champ in school history.

So there's the answer.

 
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R

RockySmith

Senior
Dec 10, 2020
326
915
93
fortheglory94 said:
Without the foot injury at OK St, I think Suriano would have topped this list. Who would have thought we'd never seen another match for him as a PSU wrestler?
Well, a non-forfeit anyway.
Click to expand...
A (hopefully) quick detour,

As I remember it, Suriano had a really bad high ankle sprain and Cael wouldn’t allow him to wrestle at Big10s, and pulled him out of NCAAs. Then Nick indicated he wasn’t happy how the injury was managed and wanted to leave. As an outsider it seems like Cael was trying to protect his wrestler, and Nick wanted to fight through the injury.

Is it that simple or was there more going on? I never forgave him because he left a hole in our roster, since we couldn’t recruit others since he committed to us.
 
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N

Nitlion1986

All-Conference
Apr 13, 2024
1,588
4,723
113
RockySmith said:
A (hopefully) quick detour,

As I remember it, Suriano had a really bad high ankle sprain and Cael wouldn’t allow him to wrestle at Big10s, and pulled him out of NCAAs. Then Nick indicated he wasn’t happy how the injury was managed and wanted to leave. As an outsider it seems like Cael was trying to protect his wrestler, and Nick wanted to fight through the injury.

Is it that simple or was there more going on? I never forgave him because he left a hole in our roster, since we couldn’t recruit others since he committed to us.
Click to expand...
Broken ankle
 
mcpat

mcpat

All-American
Mar 12, 2021
1,771
7,120
113
JA1339 said:
Bob Suriano must have registered a vote for Cruiseliner Nick 🧐
Click to expand...
While I didn’t vote for Nick, I was close to doing so. One loss (pre-injury) and the highest bonus rate at a weight that I think is one of the toughest weights to bonus in. Loss was 3-2 at sold-out CHA to senior #1 ranked wrestler / #1 NCAA seed who took 2nd at NCAAs.

It’s a strong resume and the only non-NCAA AA I included.
 
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StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle

StamfordBridgeVikingatLeftOffensiveTackle

All-Conference
Nov 10, 2011
2,146
3,666
113
mcpat said:
We’ve got a couple incredible true freshman in the lineup this year, which has had me wondering… who is the best true freshman we’ve ever had?

I’m excluding Blaze and Duke because their true freshman seasons are yet to be finished. But I’ve researched it, and below is my list of the top 9, in no particular order. Perhaps I missed a deserving candidate; if I did please vote “Other” and provide comments on the wrestler I missed!
Click to expand...
Another worthy candidate for the list is Jamar Billman - 1997-98 - 35-6-1 - NCAA 5th.
 
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P

Potterlion

Senior
Jan 25, 2011
183
712
93
I didn't vote, just too many good choices. But that said, given how many good choices that there are, it's hard to imagine that we have TWO true freshmen on this squad who may have more impressive seasons than many/most/all of those on the list. I didn't count, but ultimately, how many national titles were won by that group and we have TWO this year who appear to be having similar or better seasons than all of those guys (although admittedly, there's still a good bit of wrestling to be done and anything's possible).
 
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a_mshaffer

a_mshaffer

Senior
Dec 8, 2014
335
489
63
think you have to go with the Natty champ - Hall. Isn't that the year he had a different type of TD on everyone he wrestled on the way to the crown?
 
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N

NoVaLion

Sophomore
May 29, 2001
83
143
33
mcpat said:
We’ve got a couple incredible true freshman in the lineup this year, which has had me wondering… who is the best true freshman we’ve ever had?

I’m excluding Blaze and Duke because their true freshman seasons are yet to be finished. But I’ve researched it, and below is my list of the top 9, in no particular order. Perhaps I missed a deserving candidate; if I did please vote “Other” and provide comments on the wrestler I missed!
Click to expand...
Had to go with Hall. Quentin Wright was BIG 2nd & NCAA 6th as a true frish.
 
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K

kingstown

All-Conference
Dec 7, 2025
651
2,015
93
El_Jefe said:
We've had exactly 1 true freshman national champ in school history.

So there's the answer.

Click to expand...
You are correct by any logical order, but that win Zain had over Logan just doesn't leave my mind long enough to let logical thoughts hang around. I understand it was the bus ride,average officials,sickness,jet entrails,global warming,food additives,EMF, and a few other tan excuses rather than Zain being a dog.
 
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CTStall

CTStall

Senior
Oct 24, 2020
279
706
93
RockySmith said:
A (hopefully) quick detour,

As I remember it, Suriano had a really bad high ankle sprain and Cael wouldn’t allow him to wrestle at Big10s, and pulled him out of NCAAs. Then Nick indicated he wasn’t happy how the injury was managed and wanted to leave. As an outsider it seems like Cael was trying to protect his wrestler, and Nick wanted to fight through the injury.

Is it that simple or was there more going on? I never forgaveehind the scenes him because he left a hole in our roster, since we couldn’t recruit others since he committed to us.
Click to expand...
There was far more behind the scenes than the injury.
His father was shopping his son's service .They used the handling of the injury as a front. You will probably find a connection between Rutgers and Ultra Pro Pest Control during that time.
 
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