10, 9, 8, .....

[wrestleknownothing]

Let the countdown begin.

We are 10 long days from the start of the wrestling season. November 1 kicks off with 11 dual meets (I know, I know. PSU doesn't compete until 11/16 & 17, but bear with me).

What is at stake this season?

• Sadly, for the first time since 2019 there are no wrestlers working on becoming four-timers (I am not counting Ferrari until the NCAA confirms he received an Oly RS).
• But there is one wrestler working on becoming a five-timer. Not that anyone around here cares, but he is a little know wrestler who goes by Carter Starocci.
• PSU returns what I believe to be a record number of points from the prior tournament at 130.
• But having lost 42.5 points across 3 weights, getting to 173 is still in doubt.
• Cael Sanderson has a shot to tie or beat the all-time record for individual champions. At 40 he stands just 5 behind Dan Gable's 45.
• In other news, NC State is looking to win their seventh straight ACC title.
• Appalachian State goes for its third straight SoCon.

What else am I missing?

 

[McScoreley]

• Sadly, for the first time since 2019 there are no wrestlers working on becoming four-timers (I am not counting Ferrari until the NCAA confirms he received an Oly RS).

Lilledahl

 

[Chickenman Testa]

I thought this was a Blaze tease

DAMN IT!!!

 

[wrestleknownothing]

Lilledahl

Touche. I should have worded it better.

 

[Pennstate1985]

I thought this was a Blaze tease

DAMN IT!!!

me too

 

[wrestleknownothing]

Can't believe I missed these two (and that in 3 hours no one on this site caught it):

PSU has a 56 dual winning streak going. The school record is 60. Wins over Drexel, Lehigh, Wyoming, and Binghamton will tie the record. Then Little Rock looks to become the pebble in PSU's shoe.

Also on the line is the single coach record dual dual streak of 69 held by the three-headed monster of Ed Gallagher, John Smith, and Tom Brands. With 15 duals on the schedule, Sanderson can get to 71 this year. Can Brands atop the streak at 65? I kid.

Thanks to fishbane on Intermat for those two and the NCAA individual champ data.

 

[The Japanese Whizzer]

Coaching debuts - Some guy in Stillwater hoping to bring back a proud program. Can he snap a 4 yr losing streak to the Hawkeyes in his first season? Will they see their first NC since a bloody nosed freshman humbly flexed his muscles during an ESPN interview?

Will the nearly 10 month old, 100pt margin of victory record finally be broken?

 

[Psalm 1 guy]

Can't believe I missed these two (and that in 3 hours no one on this site caught it):

PSU has a 56 dual winning streak going. The school record is 60. Wins over Drexel, Lehigh, Wyoming, and Binghamton will tie the record. Then Little Rock looks to become the pebble in PSU's shoe.

Also on the line is the single coach record dual dual streak of 69 held by the three-headed monster of Ed Gallagher, John Smith, and Tom Brands. With 15 duals on the schedule, Sanderson can get to 71 this year. Can Brands atop the streak at 65? I kid.

Thanks to fishbane on Intermat for those two and the NCAA individual champ data.

When we wrestle Iowa on Jan. 31, that will be exactly five years since Penn State last lost a dual, and the team they lost to just happens to be Iowa. Based upon Penn State's recent track record with recruiting and getting the most out of their wrestlers, I think the dual win streak is going to continue on for the foreseeable future.

 

[El-Jefe]

Sadly, for the first time since 2019 there are no wrestlers working on becoming four-timers (I am not counting Ferrari until the NCAA confirms he received an Oly RS).

The question with Ferrari isn't the 2024 Olympic Shirt. It's if he can get a medical shirt for his 2022 car wreck. He shouldn't, but who knows with the NCAA.

Also if he can stay out of trouble for 3 consecutive years. Well, OK, we kinda know the answer to that one.

 

[nerfstate]

Also if he can stay out of trouble for 3 consecutive years. Well, OK, we kinda know the answer to that one.

I’m honestly a bit surprised he’s lasted this long.

 

[wrestleknownothing]

The question with Ferrari isn't the 2024 Olympic Shirt. It's if he can get a medical shirt for his 2022 car wreck. He shouldn't, but who knows with the NCAA.

Also if he can stay out of trouble for 3 consecutive years. Well, OK, we kinda know the answer to that one.

If he gets a medical, Olympic, and regular red shirt he still has a shot at 5 titles. Yuck.

 

[PSU Fan in TN]

If he gets a medical, Olympic, and regular red shirt he still has a shot at 5 titles. Yuck.

Below is the NCAA criteria for an Olympic redshirt in 2020. It seems, with the years updated for the more recent Olympics, AJF doesn't qualify for an Olympic redshirt in 2024. Moreover, I think that AJF himself is claiming to have only 3 years of availability.

How do you qualify for an Olympic redshirt in 2020?​

The Olympic redshirt is only available during Olympic years to athletes who meet one (or more) of these criteria:

1.) Past National Team members (Top 3 from the World or Olympic Team Trials)

2.) Top 8 at the 2019 Senior U.S. Open

3.) Top 3 at the 2019 NCAA wrestling championship or NCAA champion from a previous year and top 2 from the 2019 U23 World Team Trials (must accomplish both)

4.) Previous Cadet, Junior, U23 World Medalist

 

[Agoodnap]

If he gets a medical, Olympic, and regular red shirt he still has a shot at 5 titles. Yuck.

Ferrari is much more likely to self-implode than to win 4 titles, non-less 5 titles.

 

[BrockBronson]

Lilledahl

Ha this is spot on. I don’t see anyone touching Lightning. Mitchell won’t lose another college match

 

[El-Jefe]

4.) Previous Cadet, Junior, U23 World Medalist

Ferrari took bronze at 2018 Cadet Worlds.

 

[wrestleknownothing]

The reason I hold out hope that Ferrari does not get an Oly red shirt is that it has to be approved by the NCAA. From the relevant rule regarding five-year rule waivers:

"The Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, or a committee designated by it, shall have the authority to waive this provision by a two-thirds majority of its members present and voting to permit student-athletes to participate in:"

It then lists a variety of competitions and training, including for the Olympics.

You can't just Michael Scott it and declare an ORS...

Or maybe you can? NCAA rule enforcement aint what it used to be.

 

[El-Jefe]

Has the NCAA ever denied an Olympic Shirt?

 

[wrestleknownothing]

Has the NCAA ever denied an Olympic Shirt?

Good question. If they had, I am not sure how we would know.

But there is an administrative element to this, too. To be approved by the committee I imagine a submission has to be made to the committee. Who would have done this for Ferrari? He was not affiliated with any school, nor did he have any access to resources to guide him through the process prior to the Olympics. And I cannot see him navigating that process on his own.

That would leave retroactively applying, with CSUB assistance perhaps. Maybe that is a thing. I do not know.

 

[El-Jefe]

Good question. If they had, I am not sure how we would know.

But there is an administrative element to this, too. To be approved by the committee I imagine a submission has to be made to the committee. Who would have done this for Ferrari? He was not affiliated with any school, nor did he have any access to resources to guide him through the process prior to the Olympics. And I cannot see him navigating that process on his own.

That would leave retroactively applying, with CSUB assistance perhaps. Maybe that is a thing. I do not know.

"Who knows?" is the correct answer for all things Ferrari.

In this case though, it's likely just a formality. Barring a major incident, NCAA isn't denying one for any athlete without first consulting the sport's national body (USA Wrestling). And if USA Wrestling doesn't want him developing, then he's going MMA.

IMO if it happens, it's because Slumlord Bob opens his wallet again in a few years. Otherwise it's likely moot.

 

[PSU Fan in TN]

Ferrari took bronze at 2018 Cadet Worlds.

I wondered how far back the criteria extended. With 2 of the 4 criteria pertinent to a specified year (i.e. the year prior to the Olympics - which were postponed), it may be that the other 2 criteria extend only through to the previous Olympic cycle - which would not extend to 2018. If only the criteria were more specific. Thank you NCAA!

 

[dicemen99]

Why do we have a dozen posts discussing Ferrari's status? He could have 10 extra years and he's not winning another NC. He's going on 4 years of not wrestling since the last one which he won by threading the needle.

He wrestled last year and beat Glazier in OT. That's what you're looking at, it's not getting any better.

 

[Nitlion1986]

Why do we have a dozen posts discussing Ferrari's status? He could have 10 extra years and he's not winning another NC. He's going on 4 years of not wrestling since the last one which he won by threading the needle.

He wrestled last year and beat Glazier in OT. That's what you're looking at, it's not getting any better.

You and your practicality and logic.

 

[El-Jefe]

I wondered how far back the criteria extended. With 2 of the 4 criteria pertinent to a specified year (i.e. the year prior to the Olympics - which were postponed), it may be that the other 2 criteria extend only through to the previous Olympic cycle - which would not extend to 2018. If only the criteria were more specific. Thank you NCAA!

The "past world medalist" criterion has no expiration. It previously did, but that was waived during Covid because of event cancellations. And whaddayaknow, USA Wrestling kept it because it widened the developmental talent pool (the Olympic Shirt's purpose).

Also, this is not an NCAA definition. This is a USA Wrestling definition, that NCAA abides by.

 

[BrockBronson]

Has the NCAA ever denied an Olympic Shirt?

This is a great question. Has any wrestler ever had two Olympic redshirts? Only one I can remember who might have was Micic from Michigan.

 

[wrestleknownothing]

This is a great question. Has any wrestler ever had two Olympic redshirts? Only one I can remember who might have was Micic from Michigan.

The second one may have been medical rather than Olympic

 

[El-Jefe]

The second one may have been medical rather than Olympic

Micic took Olympic shirts in 2016 and 2020, and claimed 2021 as medical (though he probably could've gotten a 3rd Olympic shirt instead).

Stevan Micic - Wrestling - University of Michigan Athletics

Stevan Micic141 Pounds - At Michigan • Three-time NCAA All-American (2017, '18, '19) • NCAA finalist (133 pounds, 2017) • Big Ten 133-pound champion (2017) •...

mgoblue.com

We might see 2 again someday -- but it'll be ezceedingly rare because the calendar won't line up for 3/4 of HS graduates.