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2024 Olympic Trials match and discussion thread

Wow. Just wow. Congrats to AB, go win gold young man. If this is the end for DT, let me just say, you’re the reason I started following PSU wrestling. I turned it on one day to follow a local boy Frank Molinaro. Never watched a college match before that. Watching DT do his thing it converted me from only watching HS wrestling.

DT is the start of this incredible thing going on and I wish him the best and will always be a fan.
 
AB is about as great a wrestler as I’ve seen watching PSU since Cael arrived. One of a very few who I knew was going to win every time he came out… Ruth was the other. Never a doubt. Aaron will be a multiple gold medal winner. The picture of the tournament was he and Taylor on their knees and hugging at the end. Aaron said he told him he loved him. Class all class. No screaming. No jumping around. Just some serious humility! Boy does the world need more of that!
 
Brooks is obviously awesome but he seemed to be on another planet when it came to strength in that match. Maybe Taylor's lack of activity cost him and he was a little rusty?
I’m in awe of Brooks strength. It really did look like he shut down 2 tremendous scoring chances under complete control. Reminded me of his match with Amine in 22 but only against the best wrestler in the world the past few years.
 
I'm shocked David didn't win 86 kg, but I'm not surprised by tonight after this morning's match. For me it would've been kind of insulting to Aaron to think David would be able to easily ratchet it up and win a pair tonight. Two tremendous competitors and champions; congratulations to both.
 
Our wrestler lost to our wrestler 😂. In the Olympic trials, that's when you realize just how great Penn State now has become. Wait until Paris when the NLWC crowns 4 gold medalists and RBY faces Spencer for Gold in a fifth.
Wow! That is optimistic,
 
I'm shocked David didn't win 86 kg, but I'm not surprised by tonight after this morning's match. For me it would've been kind of insulting to Aaron to think David would be able to easily ratchet it up and win a pair tonight. Two tremendous competitors and champions; congratulations to both.
That’s being 10 yrs younger and wrestling all year! Has AB ever been hurt in 5 yrs? Guys is super human.
 
Brooks is obviously awesome but he seemed to be on another planet when it came to strength in that match. Maybe Taylor's lack of activity cost him and he was a little rusty?
what I was thinking - if DT wants to continue he needs to consider getting on the mat again
 
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2024: Undefeated regular season, Big Ten Champion, Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, NCAA Champion, NCAA Most Outstanding Wrestler, Hodge Trophy... but I'm seeing that the Olympic Trials win was "lucky" or some kind of fluke?
 
That HS kid Mirasola scored more takedowns in one match against Brooks then DT did in two matches against Brooks. Valencia got through on Brooks quite a few times too. Dierenger bombed Brooks for 4. Yet the magicman could not get one TD in 12 minutes.

Here is why i am not surprised at all. Brooks has put in the work all season and has been training and competing and dominating through the NCAA season. Brooks is younger and obviously hungrier. Taylor has a wife and 3 kids and a farm to tend to. He had his brand scraplife, multiple juice shops, runs his M2 wrestling club at all age levels. He signed with Nike and is doing promotional stuff. He is also much older and it was clear he was not fully prepared at his age to go with Brooks. Brooks earned it and he is an amazing kid. Go get that gold Aaron!!
 
Olympic Trials- Future & Current PSU Team Members Recap

PSU Recruits:
57kg- Luke Lilledahl

R1: L. Lilledahl DEC D.DeShazer 3-2
R2: Z.Richards DEC L.Lillendahl 5-2
Consi 1- L.Lilledahl DEC L.Cronin 2-2
Consi 2- M.Blaze DEC L.Lilledahl 5-1
Luke out

86kg- Connor Mirasola

R1: C.Mirasola DEC D.McFadden 4-0
R2: A.Brooks DEC Connor Mirasola 11-5
Consi: M.Dean TECH Connor Mirasola 12-2
Connor out

Current PSU Team Members:
65kg- Beau Bartlett

R1: B.Bartlett DEC N.Garrett 10-6
R2: A.Alirez DEC B.Bartlett 6-2
Consi: J.McKenna DEC B.Bartlett 3-2, I think McKenna was pinned.
Bartlett out

74kg- Mitchell Mesenbrink

R1: Bye
R2: M.Mesenbrink TF L.Lockett 13-3
SF: J.Borroughs DEC M.Mesenbrink 8-3, Oh, so much drama. Lol.
Consi SF: M.Mesenbrink TECH Q.Monday 12-1
3rd Place: M.Mesenbrink TECH J.Jacques 10-0
Mitchell Mesenbrink takes 3rd place!

74kg- Levi Haines

R1: A.Facundo DEC L.Haines 6-0
Consi: L.Haines Bye
Consi: A.Marinelli DEC L.Haines 11-7
Levi out

74kg- Alex Facundo

R1: A.Facundo DEC L.Haines 6-0
R2: J.Borroughs DEC A.Facundo 5-3
Consi: T.Berger DEC A.Facundo 5-5
Facundo out

86kg: Carter Starocci-
PSU's 197 pounder next year? Sounds like fun to me!
R1: C.Starocci DEC P.Downey 12-4
R2: T.Hidlay DEC C.Starocci 6-4
Consi: E.Wick INJ-DEC C.Starocci
Starocci out

125kg- Daniel Greg Kerkvliet

R1: Bye
R2: D.Kerkvleit TF C.Lance 10-0
SF: N.Gwiazdowski DEC D.Kerkvleit 5-1
Consi SF: D.Kerkvleit TECH W.Hendrickson 11-0
3rd Place: D.Bradley DEC D.Kerkvleit 2-2
Kerk takes 4th Place
 
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Olympic Trials- Former PSU Team Members & NLWC Recap

Former PSU Team Members:
57kg- Nico Megaludis

R1: Bye
R2: S.Lee DEC N.Megaludis 8-0
Consi 1- M.Blaze DEC N.Megaludis 2-2
Nico out

65kg- Zain Retherford (Bye to the Semi-Final)

SF: Z.Retherford DEC J.Mendez 3-2
Best of 3 Finals with Nick
Match 1: Z.Retherford DEC N.Lee 2-1
Match 2: Z.Retherford DEC N.Lee 5-0
Z.Retherford wins best of 3 series, 2-0

65kg- Nick Lee

R1: Bye
R2: N.Lee DEC A.Pantaleo 9-2
SF1: N.Lee DEC A.Alirez 11-9
Best of 3 Finals with Zain
Match 1: Z.Retherford DEC N.Lee 2-1
Match 2: Z.Retherford DEC N.Lee 5-0
Z.Retherford wins best of 3 series, 2-0.

74kg- Jason Nolf

R1: Bye
R2: J.Nolf DEC A.Marinelli 7-2
SF: J.Nolf DEC J.Jacques 9-2
Challenge Finals: J.Nolf DEC J. Burroughs 3-0
Best of 3 Finals: J.Nolf vs. K.Dake
Match 1: K.Dake DEC J.Nolf 4-1
Match 2: K.Dake DEC J.Nolf 3-1
Kyle Dake wins best of 3 series, 2-0

74kg- Vincenzo Joseph

R1: J.Jacques DEC V.Joseph 6-6
Consi: L.Lockett FF V.Joseph
Cenzo out

86kg- Aaron Brooks

R1: Bye
R2: A.Brooks DEC Connor Mirasola 11-5
SF: A.Brooks DEC A.Dieringer 8-4
Challenge Finals: A.Brooks DEC Z.Valencia 7-6
Best of 3 Finals: A.Brooks vs. D.Taylor
Match 1: A.Brooks DEC D.Taylor 4-1
Match 2: A.Brooks DEC D.Taylor 3-1
Aaron Brooks wins best of 3 series, 2-0

86kg- David Taylor
Best of 3 vs, Aaron Brooks

Match 1: A.Brooks DEC D.Taylor 4-1
Match 2: A.Brooks DEC D.Taylor 3-1
Aaron Brooks wins best of 3 series, 2-0

86kg- Mark Hall *Leaves his shoes on the mat.
Thank you for everything Mark Hall. Another PSU Class Act!
R1: Bye
R2: A.Dieringer DEC M.Hall 5-2
Consi: M.Hall TECH M.Dean 12-2
Consi SF: T.Hidlay DEC M.Hall 9-4
Hall out

86kg- Max Dean

R1: E.Wick TECH M.Dean 13-1
Consi: M.Dean TECH Connor Mirasola 12-2
Consi: M.Hall TECH M.Dean 12-2
Dean out

NLWC Members:
57kg- Thomas Gilman

R1: Bye
R2: T.Gilman DEC J.Forrest 5-4
SF: T.Gilman DEC D.Fix 6-0
Best of 3 Finals vs. Spencer Lee
Match 1: S.Lee DEC T.Gilman 6-3
Match 2: S.Lee FALL T.Gilman (5:58)
Spencer Lee wins best of 3 series, 2-0.

74kg- Kyle Dake
Best of 3 Finals vs. Jason Nolf

Match 1: K.Dake DEC J.Nolf 4-1
Match 2: K.Dake DEC J.Nolf 3-1
Kyle Dake wins best of 3 series, 2-0

97kg- Kyle Snyder
Best of 3 Finals vs Issac Trumble

Match 1: K.Snyder DEC I.Trumble 5-0
Match 2: K.Snyder DEC I.Trumble 4-0
Kyle Snyder wins best of 3 series, 2-0

What a phenomenal tournament & fantastic people to enjoy it with! So many PSU & NLWC team members, and I suspect that number will keep growing! Cheers to all!
 
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I was thinking if David Taylor lost he might leave his shoes on the mat. Anyone else think that? I thought DT said that this would be his last year. What a great ambassador for USA and PSU wrestling.
Yea I was thinking he was going to hang it up tonight.
 
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