Mariana Forteza Site


<p>Thousands of people flocked to downtown State College on a sunny Saturday afternoon to celebrate Pride and the LGBTQ community.</p>



<p>Presented by Centre LGBTQA Support Network, Downtown State College Improvement District and State College Borough, the third annual State College Pride <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/community/parade-festival-among-state-college-pride-events/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">included</a> a parade of colorful floats and marchers through town and a festival in Sidney Friedman Park, among other events throughout the weekend.</p>



<p>State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, served as grand marshal of the parade and festival. A frequent visitor to Centre County, Kenyatta is the first openly LGBTQ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.</p>



<p>He called 2023 &#8220;probably the most important year for Pride in a really long time,&#8221; noting a vocal anti-LGBTQ contingent and legislation in a number of states, particularly related to transgender individuals. </p>



<p>&#8220;In this moment, in this Pride year, what we are doing right now, showing up with joy in our hearts, showing up for and with each other in real community, that is critical right now,&#8221; Kenyatta said. &#8220;Because this is actually what our communities look like. This is actually where most people are&#8230; Do not believe the noise and the nonsense that most people are as hateful and vitriolic as some of the politicians who unfortunately get elected&#8230;. For Pride, it’s really critical for us as a community that we recognize our joy does not exist in contrast to their hatred.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-kenyatta-lane-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424953"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, State College Pride grand marshal, and Judge Timika Lane lead the 2023 Pride parade. Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Pennsylvania, Kenyatta said, should aspire to be the best place to live, raise a family and retire for everyone, including LGBTQ people.</p>



<p>&#8220;We deserve to be happy, to be joyous, to be just who you are every single day, no matter what they’re talking about, no matter what they’re doing,&#8221; he said. &#8220;You just be who the hell you are.&#8221;</p>



<p>State College Mayor Ezra Nanes acknowledged that some in attendance may be feeling scared, worried or uncertain because of events nationally. </p>



<p>&#8220;It’s OK to feel that,&#8221; Nanes said. &#8220;I want you to know that me, Ezra Nanes, my family, the Borough of State College, we are here for you. We will always be here for you. We’re going to keep building on the amazing work that you’ve already done, that we’ve already done together.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-3-1024x751.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424937"/></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-8-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424942"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Nanes issued a proclamation last week declaring June as Pride Month in the borough, and as the parent of an LGBTQ child, he called Pride &#8220;not just principle,&#8221; but also personal.</p>



<p>&#8220;One of the greatest joys in life, whether you’re a parent or a sibling or just an adult with a child in your life that matters, is supporting that child in discovering who they are,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think that’s a really important principle of what Pride is, that we all believe in helping people discover themselves, not telling them who they should be.&#8221;</p>



<p>State Rep. Paul Takac, D-Lemont, said Pride is also personal for him and his family and called it a &#8220;joyful occasion.</p>



<p>&#8220;This represents the absolute best of what State College is and can be,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This sets the standard for what every day should be like. You are not only seen, you are not only accepted, but you should be celebrated and you should be loved. If we could bottle today and make every day like that, wouldn’t this be a better world, a better place to be?&#8221;</p>



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<figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption"><em>Scenes from the 2023 Pride parade in downtown State College. Photos by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>Timika Lane, a Philadelphia judge who is running for Pennsylvania Superior Court in November, emphasized the importance of individuals making their voices heard to ensure all are treated with dignity and respect.</p>



<p>&#8220;We have to decide in Pennsylvania, what is it going to be? Are we going to be a place of love or are we going to be a place of hate?&#8230; Your voice matters,&#8221; Lane said.</p>



<p>Kenyatta urged those in attendance to be true to themselves, knowing that it will inspire someone else to do the same.</p>



<p>&#8220;If we lift each other up, if we encourage each other to be brave, if we remind ourselves that we are the majority of this commonwealth, that we are the majority of this nation, when we do that then we will continue to pull this nation closer to making the ideals of freedom, justice and fairness real for everybody,&#8221; he said. &#8220;No matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter who you love, no matter how you worship or choose not to, here in Pennsylvania it’s about you getting a fair shot and a fair shake. We’re going to keep doing that together.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-9-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424943"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>



<p>State College Pride has grown substantially since it was first held in 2021. Last year it drew an estimated 4,000 people and organizers expected that number would increase again for the third edition.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.centrelgbtqa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Centre LGBTQA Support Network</a> (CLSN), which was founded in 2014, has been instrumental in that, as well as in providing resources year round. Sue Marshall, a founding member and current board secretary, said planning for next year&#8217;s Pride will start next week.</p>



<p>In the shorter term, however, CLSN will be celebrating another advancement. A long-planned LGBTQ center for downtown State College will open sometime in August at the corner of Calder Way and South Pugh Street, Marshall said.</p>



<p>&#8220;We can’t wait,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We will have a big opening celebration.&#8221;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://henr18y71trtnloh5jkqnqjqt.js.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pride-2023-anchor-arrow-2-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-424949"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Community members danced while Anchor &amp; Arrow played at the 2023 State College Pride festival on Saturday, June 10, in Sidney Friedman Park.</em> <em>Photo by Geoff Rushton | StateCollege.com</em></figcaption></figure>


‘Showing Up with Joy in Our Hearts.’ State College Celebrates Pride


<p>There may be just one person who claims not to know who will start at quarterback for Penn State football when the team begins its season against West Virginia on Sept. 2.</p>



<p>While Drew Allar has been set as the presumed successor to longtime starting quarterback Sean Clifford since the day that he stepped onto Penn State’s campus in January 2022, James Franklin didn’t declare a winner to the Nittany Lions’ quarterback competition with 86 days until the season opener.</p>



<p>“We have competition at every single position, every single year, returning starter or not,” Franklin told the media on Thursday. “I think that’s the right thing to do.”</p>



<p>Allar’s competition at the position is Beau Pribula, who, like Allar, was a member of the Nittany Lions’ recruiting Class of 2022. The difference between the two was that Allar was a five-star recruit by the time he arrived on campus. Pribula was a three-star.</p>



<p>More recently, Allar took snaps behind Clifford in the 2022 season. The youngster played in enough games that he was unable to take a redshirt season. By contrast, Pribula didn’t take a snap in a Penn State game until the Blue-White Game in April, when he attempted 22 of his 27 passes with second-string players.</p>



<p>Franklin’s hesitation to name a starter isn’t surprising. Entering his 10th year with Penn State, Franklin wants competition at the position. It’s likely that Allar will only stick around Penn State for two more years. Franklin will need someone to step up when the Ohio native is gone.</p>



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<p>It’s a situation that Franklin has had before. From 2016-17, he had running backs Saquon Barkley and Miles Sanders on the same roster. Barkley was a shout for a Heisman candidate in college, and when Sanders turned pro, he reached last season’s Super Bowl as the starting running back for the Philadelphia Eagles.</p>



<p>At Penn State, Barkley was the evident starter. But Franklin said that competition between the two made them both better. If Franklin has his way, the same will happen to Allar and Pribula.</p>



<p>“I think at times there may have been some frustration with that, but I truly believe that type of competition in college really set them up to be successful in the NFL,” Franklin said. “[Barkley] always had somebody behind him trying to take reps away from him. And [Sanders], as a young player, was trying to overtake [Barkley]. So I think that is a healthy position to be in.”</p>



<p>Franklin also has to answer the question of how he’ll use each quarterback. As Mike Yurcich, Penn State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach said at the same press conference, each quarterback has different styles. Gameplans have to be tailored to those styles.</p>



<p>Allar’s been described as a quarterback who’s steady in the pocket. Teammates have raved about his ability to place passes in locations where only a receiver can catch them. Allar can be mobile but his arm is what really sets him apart from the pack.</p>



<p>Pribula, however, is described as athletic. He’s the quarterback that Franklin and Yurcich could turn to when they need to push a pile or in a situation that calls for a mobile quarterback. He’s the Nittany Lions’ alternate.</p>



<p>However Franklin plays the two quarterbacks, it will likely be some time before Penn State fans have an answer to the question that’s hung over the program for more than a year. Franklin noted that he wanted Clifford to compete for a starting role for the six years that the recent&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/04/29/sean-clifford-drafted-no-149-overall-by-green-bay-packers/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NFL draftee</a></strong>&nbsp;spent in Happy Valley. The same will apply to Allar.</p>



<p>If Franklin has 86 days to name a starter against the Mountaineers, he may just use all 86.</p>


‘We Have Competition at Every Single Position’: Penn State Quarterback Question Still Unanswered


<p>Former Penn State wrestlers Nick Lee, Zain Retherford, and David Taylor took home Final X wins to earn spots on the <strong><a href="https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/11048269-results-for-usa-wrestlings-2023-final-x-presented-by-tezos" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">World Championship team</a></strong> roster on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey. </p>



<p>Nittany Lion Wrestling Club (NLWC) members Kyle Dake and Kyle Snyder also made the team, meaning half of the U.S. Men&#8217;s Freestyle World Team trains at Penn State.  NLWC&#8217;s Jennifer Page also earned a spot on the women’s team.</p>



<p>Each wrestler competed in a best-of-three series to try and earn a spot on the team to compete in Serbia this fall.</p>



<p>Lee, a two-time national champion at Penn State, defeated former Cornell four-time NCAA national champion Yianni Diakomihalis at 65 kg 7-6 and 8-8. The match started off with a 7-6 win for Lee before the second bout of the series had a late two-point takedown to end it all and grant the former Nittany Lion the victory.</p>



<p>Retherford, a world runner-up last year did the same at 70 kg against Tyler Berge, winning  2-0, 11-2, and 4-3.</p>



<p>Penn State legend Taylor, a reigning Olympic champion and two-time world champion, defeated current Nittany Lion Aaron Brooks at 86 kg 6-0 and 5-4 to make the team. Brooks received a team alternate designation following his loss to Taylor.</p>



<p>NLWC member Kyle Dake, a four-time world champion defeated former Penn State wrestler Jason Nolf 2-0 in the 74kg championship. Dake dominated and didn’t allow Nolf to score a point with 6-0 and 3-0 wins. Nolf is now also an alternate for Team USA alongside Brooks.</p>



<p>Rounding it out for the NLWC, three-time world champion Kyle Snyder advanced to the World Team after J’Den Cox forfeited their 97 kg matchup.</p>



<p>NLWC member Thomas Gilman suffered a 2-0 series loss and Penn State wrestling alum Vincenzo Joseph forfeited early, losing their potential spots on the roster.</p>



<p>The World Championships will take place starting Sept. 10, in Belgrade, Serbia. See the full rosters on the <a href="https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2023/June/10/Final-X-results" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Team USA website</strong></a>.</p>


Three Former Penn State Wrestlers Earn Spots on U.S. World Team


<p>Within six days of adding Cal Poly’s <strong><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/penn-state-wrestling/3-time-all-american-wrestler-bernie-truax-transferring-to-penn-state/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bernie Truax</a></strong> to the roster, Cael Sanderson added another All-American wrestler to his lineup.</p>



<p>Minnesota’s Aaron Nagao announced his transfer to Penn State wrestling Tuesday night on Justin Basch’s “Baschmania” podcast and live stream. Nagao will arrive in Happy Valley with three years of eligibility remaining.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: <a href="https://twitter.com/aaron_nagao?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aaron_nagao</a> announces on <a href="https://twitter.com/baschamania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@baschamania</a> tonight that he&#39;s headed to State College! 👀<a href="https://twitter.com/pennstateWREST?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pennstateWREST</a> gets another one.<br><br>Full interview available now -&gt; <a href="https://t.co/2Rac1YDqO5">https://t.co/2Rac1YDqO5</a> <a href="https://t.co/MzMQ14hA79">pic.twitter.com/MzMQ14hA79</a></p>&mdash; Justin Basch (@JustinJBasch) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinJBasch/status/1650986398797709314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>“There’s something very, very special about [Penn State] that I can’t necessarily describe,” Nagao said on the podcast. “I felt a connection right away.”</p>



<p>Nagao competed in the 133-pound class as a redshirt freshman this past season at Minnesota and, following his transfer to Penn State, will likely compete for the spot left behind by&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/03/23/a-look-back-at-penn-state-wrestlings-roman-bravo-youngs-career/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Roman Bravo-Young</a></strong>.</p>



<p>In Nagao’s most recent campaign, the redshirt freshman recorded a 23-6 record as a starter, finished as a runner-up behind Bravo-Young in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament, and placed fifth in the NCAA National Championship with All-American status.</p>



<p>As a rookie in the 2021-22 season, Nagao finished with an 8-3 record and finished first in the ISU Last Chance Open with a 3-0 record by way of three bonus-point victories.</p>



<p>Before heading to Minnesota, Nagao earned two state championships at Esperanza High School in La Habra, California.</p>



<p>In addition to Truax and Nagao, Penn State has also landed former Cal Baptist wrestler <strong><a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/penn-state-wrestling/former-cal-baptist-wrestler-mitchell-mesenbrink-transferring-to-penn-state/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mitchell Mesenbrink</a></strong> out of the transfer portal. A U-20 silver medalist and the No. 12 overall recruit for the class of 2022, Mesenbrink was 2-0 at the 165-pound weight class in his freshman season before returning home to his native Wisconsin in December.</p>


All-American Wrestler Aaron Nagao Transferring to Penn State


<p>Just two days after the <a href="https://stcodev.wpengine.com/articles/penn-state-wrestling/3-time-all-american-wrestler-bernie-truax-transferring-to-penn-state/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>commitment of three-time All-American Bernie Truax</strong></a>, Penn State wrestling has landed another big name out of the transfer portal.</p>



<p>Redshirt freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink is headed to Happy Valley after a single season with Cal Baptist, he announced via a live stream Friday afternoon.</p>



<p>Mesenbrink posted a 2-0 record in his first collegiate season in the 165-pound weight class after being ranked the No. 12 overall recruit for the class of 2022. The Wisconsin native moved home in December 2022 before entering the transfer portal in March.</p>



<p>Aside from college wrestling, Mesenbrink took home the silver medal at the 2022 U20 World Championships, with the loss coming from Kanan Heybatov of Azerbaijan.</p>



<p>Mesenbrink notably beat now-fellow teammate Levi Haines twice in the US Team Trials to solidify his spot in the tournament.</p>


Former Cal Baptist Wrestler Mitchell Mesenbrink Transferring to Penn State


<p>Penn State&#8217;s Bryce Jordan Center will host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for wrestling, the university and USA Wrestling officially announced on Friday.</p>



<p>The trials are scheduled for April 19 and 20, 2024.</p>



<p>Penn State was originally selected to host the 2020 wrestling team trials, which were later shifted to 2021 and moved to Forth Worth, Texas because of COVID-19 pandemic complications. At the time, USA Wrestling indicated the 2024 trials would be held at the University Park campus.</p>



<p>Next year&#8217;s event will feature competition in the 18 Olympic weight classes — six in men&#8217;s freestyle, six in women&#8217;s and six in Greco Roman. The champions will go on to represent the United States at the Olympic Games from Aug. 5-11, 2024, in Paris.</p>



<p>The first day of the trials will include the start of the Challenge Tournament, to determine one wrestler in each weight class to advance to the Final Championship Series on Saturday. The best-of-three finals on April 20 will pit the the top seed against the Challenge Tournament champion, as determined by the 2024 Olympic Games Team Selection Procedures, which have not yet been finalized. </p>



<p>Ticket information will be announced on May 9.</p>



<p>Penn State will become the 11th location to host the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for wrestling since USA Wrestling became national governing body for the sport in 1983. It also will mark just the second time the trials will be hosted in Pennsylvania, with Pittsburgh having served as the host site in 1992.</p>


Penn State to Host 2024 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials


<p>Defending national champion Penn State wrestling got a boost for its 2023-24 lineup on Wednesday with a commitment out of the transfer portal from a three-time All-American.</p>



<p>Former Cal Poly wrestler Bernie Truax announced <a href="https://twitter.com/TruaxBernie/status/1648809915312664577?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>on Twitter</strong></a> that he is transferring to the Nittany Lion program.</p>



<p>&#8220;I am official committed to Penn State!&#8221; Truax wrote. &#8220;It has been a dream of mine to wrestle for this program since I was a little kid!&#8221;</p>



<p>A graduate transfer with one year of eligibility remaining, Truax went 18-3 in 2022-23, including a win over Penn State&#8217;s Max Dean, en route to a fourth-place finish at 197 pounds in March at the NCAA Championships. He previously earned fourth-place national finishes at 174 and 184 pounds.</p>



<p>Having <a href="https://twitter.com/CPyles8/status/1639307450154115072" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>reportedly weighed in at 190-192 pounds</strong></a> this past season, Truax told Cal Poly student news outlet <strong><a href="https://mustangnews.net/breaking-bernie-truax-to-transfer-to-penn-state/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mustang News</a></strong> on Wednesday that he expects to wrestle at 184 pounds for the Nittany Lions. If that&#8217;s the case, it means defending national champion Aaron Brooks would move up to 197 pounds, a weight class that sees the departure of Dean after two years as the starter for Penn State.</p>


3-Time All-American Wrestler Bernie Truax Transferring to Penn State


<p>Penn State wrestling landed a commitment on Monday from one of the nation&#8217;s top-ranked prospects for the 2024 recruiting class.</p>



<p>Luke Lilledahl announced via Instagram that he is committing to Cael Sanderson’s program. Lilledahl, a Missouri native who attends Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pennsylvania, is the No. 2-ranked wrestler in the Class of 2024 and is the No. 2 120-pound wrestler in the nation, according to&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.flowrestling.org/rankings/7708405-class-of-2024-high-school-big-board/42586-top-recruits-in-the-class-of-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FloWrestling</a></strong>.</p>



<p>He won a U17 world title at 51kg last summer and a National Prep championship at 120 pounds in February.</p>



<p>“I am excited to announce that I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at Penn State University,” Lilledahl wrote. “I have enjoyed and appreciated getting to know many coaches during my recruitment, and I appreciate all the time and effort that they spent teaching me about their programs and getting to know me.”</p>



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<p>Lilledahl has posted a dominant 46-3 record over the past two seasons at Wyoming Seminary, according to&nbsp;<strong><a href="http://www.pa-wrestling.com/hs/teams/wyomingseminary/athlete_stats.htm?id=186258" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PA-Wrestling.com</a></strong>. </p>



<p>He joins a Penn State 2024 recruiting class that includes his Wyoming Seminary teammate and No. 5-ranked Joe Sealey (160 pounds), No. 6 Zack Ryder (182), No. 8 Mason Gibson (126), No. 9 Connor Mirasola (182) and No. 18 Cole Mirasola (195), according to FloWrestling.</p>



<p>Quite a few current Nittany Lions were quick to welcome Lilledahl to Happy Valley, as Beau Bartlett, Gary Steen and program legend Roman Bravo-Young all commented on his commitment post.</p>



<p>The Nittany Lions are coming off yet another successful season that culminated with a <strong><a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/03/18/penn-state-wrestling-clinches-2023-team-national-championship/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">team national title</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/03/18/penn-state-wrestling-wins-two-individual-titles-to-close-out-national-championships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">two individual championships</a></strong>. Penn State has won <strong><a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/04/05/a-look-back-at-penn-state-wrestlings-cael-sandersons-10-national-championships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10 out of the last 12</a></strong> team national titles.</p>



<p><em>StateCollege.com&#8217;s Geoff Rushton contributed to this report.</em></p>


Class of 2024 Star Luke Lilledahl Commits to Penn State Wrestling

Penn State Athletics: Q&A with Success with Honor Executive Director Kerry Small


<p>Penn State wrestling’s Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks were selected as finalists for the Dan Hodge Trophy, the team announced on Wednesday morning.</p>



<p>The award is given to the nation’s top wrestler every year.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">IT&#39;S HODGE TIME! <br>Our Very Own<br>AARON BROOKS //<br>CARTER STAROCCI //<br>Both finalists for the 2023 Hodge Trophy!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/psuwr?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#psuwr</a> <br><br>Vote Now!:<a href="https://t.co/xFckXe2dFt">https://t.co/xFckXe2dFt</a> <a href="https://t.co/ip0o1bFnDv">pic.twitter.com/ip0o1bFnDv</a></p>&mdash; Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) <a href="https://twitter.com/pennstateWREST/status/1638532547956072448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>In his junior season, Brooks posted a record of 17-1 following his&nbsp;<a href="https://onwardstate.com/2023/03/18/penn-state-wrestling-wins-two-individual-titles-to-close-out-national-championships/"><strong>appearance in the 2023 National Championships</strong></a>. Brooks took down both the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds to secure his third-career title at 184 pounds.</p>



<p>Starocci also had a remarkable showing this season, with a 24-0 record at 174 pounds. Like Brooks, Starocci finished the season with his<strong>&nbsp;</strong>third-career individual national title in his performance at the 2023 National Championships.</p>



<p>Online voting for the award is now open, as athletes who receive the most votes from fans will receive five first-place votes in consideration for the winner. Fans can vote&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.win-magazine.com/2023/03/21/fanvote/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a></strong>.</p>



<p>Voting will conclude at 6 p.m. on Friday, with the winner being announced on at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 27.</p>


Penn State Wrestling’s Aaron Brooks and Carter Starocci Named Hodge Trophy Finalists


<p>Penn State wrestling’s Seth Nevills has entered the transfer portal, he announced via his Twitter account Tuesday night.</p>



<p>Nevills, a senior heavyweight wrestler, posted a 2-0 record this past season.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Officially in the transfer portal! DM for contact info. <a href="https://t.co/2enwLGGmxv">pic.twitter.com/2enwLGGmxv</a></p>&mdash; seth nevills (@NevillsSeth) <a href="https://twitter.com/NevillsSeth/status/1638284875496140800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>A four-time California state champion in high school, Nevills joined the Nittany Lion program in 2019 and totaled a 13-4 record during his true freshman season. He followed that up with 4-1 and 3-2 records, respectively, in the next two seasons. He earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2021.</p>



<p>Spending most of his senior campaign as a backup to All-American Greg Kerkvliet, Nevills won by major decision in a December dual meet against Central Michigan and concluded the year with a pin of Maryland&#8217;s Jordan Gabriel on Feb. 12.</p>



<p>He also spent time on the Penn State football team during the 2021 season as an offensive lineman.</p>



<p>Nevills comes from a big-time wrestling family, as all three of his brothers have wrestled in college. Nick Nevills was an All-American at Penn State, while Zach competed at Stanford and A.J. wrestled at Fresno State and South Dakota State, </p>


Penn State Wrestling’s Seth Nevills Enters Transfer Portal

Penn State Wrestling

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