Nico article at USA Wrestling

[tikk10]

Nico Megaludis confident he has the stuff to take over 57 kg

[....]
Megaludis finds himself mostly training with incoming freshman Nick Lee. A talented age-group freestyler, Lee is an Indiana state champion and age-group national champion, who challenges Megaludis on the mat.

“No one really pushes me like him as far as pace,” Megaludis said. “I love wrestling with him because he can go forever and I can go forever. It’s pretty cool to have someone wrestling as hard as they can whether it’s five minutes, 20 minutes or whatever.”​

 

[matter7172]

When Annieat285 and I saw Lee at WNO 2016, we just looked at each other and said "Nolf"? There are some huge motors on the Penn State roster - Nolf, Suriano, Zain, Lee ....

 

[tikk10]

Interesting how Penn State has turned Iron Sharpens Iron on its head. When wrestling styles were more uniform and orthodox it made sense to improve by a process of attrition, but Cael and the staff has let everyone define themselves within the looser mandate of just scoring points. I doubt there's a D1 team with a broader range of distinctly identifiable styles. Consequently the guys in the room have partners who give them very different looks than guys in rooms where a particular style is emphasized and recruited for. Iron sharpens gold sharpens diamonds and so on.

 

[Gray52]

Not sure about you all, but my excitement for Nick Lee just jumped off the charts.

 

[El-Jefe]

Not sure about you all, but my excitement for Nick Lee just jumped off the charts.

NICK LEE IS BEATING NICO IN THE ROOM !!!!

 

[diggerpup]

NICK LEE IS BEATING NICO IN THE ROOM !!!!

LEE BETTER BE LIFTING WEIGHTS BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO PULL HIS SHIRT !!!!!!!!!

 

[Lyons212]

LEE BETTER BE LIFTING WEIGHTS BECAUSE WE WILL NEED TO PULL HIS SHIRT !!!!!!!!!

If Cutch leaves and Cassar still has shoulder issues, Nick after hitting the weights can go 197, I hear he can beat Gabe Dean.

 

[davidtaylorgangordie]

Cutch is not leaving. He will be back for next year

 

[pawrestlersintn]

NICK LEE IS BEATING NICO IN THE ROOM !!!!

Saw the message before the sender. My response went from, "Oh, FFS," to "LOL."

 

[NittanyLion84]

Wow, beating Nico now! It's just a matter of time, before Nick is putting the wood to Casey, in the room.

 

[Real-Lion]

Cutch is not leaving. He will be back for next year

Yes. After talking things over with Cael and staff I think Clutch has changed his mind. Cassar is very tough though....

 

[pawrestlersintn]

Yes. After talking things over with Cael and staff I think Clutch has changed his mind. Cassar is very tough though....

You talked things over with Cael and Casey, or Cutch did? I think your participle is dangling.

 

[Real-Lion]

You talked things over with Cael and Casey, or Cutch did? I think your participle is dangling.

Lol.Cutch....Lmao

 

[21Guns]

Cutch is not leaving. He will be back for next year

at 184.

 

[Ian]

Looks like PSU could dominate with mega, Retherford/ Molinaro, Nolf, Taylor. Any others like Joseph, Hall, Nickal, MM, Nevills wrestling? USA could soon be red, white, and PSU blue.....

 

[pish69]

at 184.

Interesting. Have you heard this?

Im not sure that would benefit PSU. I think Bo wins either weight, but I think Cutch has a better chance AAing at 197 than 184.

Cassar the huge wildcard. wondering how good he is?

 

[21Guns]

Interesting. Have you heard this?

Im not sure that would benefit PSU. I think Bo wins either weight, but I think Cutch has a better chance AAing at 197 than 184.

Cassar the huge wildcard. wondering how good he is?

I have not heard anything, but a hunch, you could say. Just a hunch. Might happen, might not happen.

I don't know about Cassar. I know he has a TON of potential, but I don't know how healthy he is, and I don't know when he'll wrestle next. I also don't know if he will beat out McCutcheon at 197 if that remains the situation there. I think McCutcheon can perform better at 184, where he faces less of the length that he struggled against this year.

Nickal to 197, also takes valuable team points from Ohio State at Nationals, because Moore isn't beating Nickal. Not at duals, not at B1G's, and not at Nationals. Moore goes from a 1 seed to a 2 or 3 seed because of Nickal.

 

[Gray52]

From what I've heard, posts are accurate. Cutch is staying... and Lee really is right there with Nico. Cue up my best Bart Scott impression (Steeler fans should understand this).

 

[jschrantz]

From what I've heard, posts are accurate. Cutch is staying... and Lee really is right there with Nico. Cue up my best Bart Scott impression (Steeler fans should understand this).

Can Nick make 133 for an entire season?

 

[jschrantz]

at 184.

Why? So he could lose another wrestle off and bump up again? That ship has sailed

 

[Sullivan]

Why? So he could lose another wrestle off and bump up again? That ship has sailed

Right. Matt did well last year, despite being undersized.

Hopefully, he walks around this summer between 210-220 pounds. Then makes the cut to 197 for the season...

 

[greenmanRD]

Can Nick make 133 for an entire season?

Is there reason to believe he can't? He's competing at 134 at the Open.

 

[El-Jefe]

Is there reason to believe he can't? He's competing at 134 at the Open.

One-day freestyle weigh-ins much different than season-long folkstyle weigh-ins. Otherwise, Tony Ramos made 121 lb freestyle, why didn't he wrestle 125 for Ioiwa?

 

[greenmanRD]

One-day freestyle weigh-ins much different than season-long folkstyle weigh-ins. Otherwise, Tony Ramos made 121 lb freestyle, why didn't he wrestle 125 for Ioiwa?

While true, I'm not really sure how this shows that Lee can't wrestle at 133 this season.

 

[El-Jefe]

While true, I'm not really sure how this shows that Lee can't wrestle at 133 this season.

Cael said he expects Nick Lee to go 141. Lee wrestled 132 in HS, 2 years ago. To have him wrestle 133 this year means he did not grow at all. And he will have had time in the college strength program.

In cases like this, it's on the person theorizing the weight drop to prove why it will happen, not on everyone else to prove why it won't. The freestyle drop is not proof that it can or will.

 

[matter7172]

Cael said he expects Nick Lee to go 141. Lee wrestled 132 in HS, 2 years ago. To have him wrestle 133 this year means he did not grow at all. And he will have had time in the college strength program.

In cases like this, it's on the person theorizing the weight drop to prove why it will happen, not on everyone else to prove why it won't. The freestyle drop is not proof that it can or will.

I agree that the fact he wrestled at 132 two years ago makes it seem unlikely that 133 is a feasible target. Otoh, if he wasn't cutting weight in high school (or any significant amount), 133 would seem less unlikely. I don't think anyone here knows the situation, so we'll just have to wait. My druthers would be for Cortez to stay at 133 if it's a holdable weight for him.

 

[jschrantz]

Is there reason to believe he can't? He's competing at 134 at the Open.

Cael said he expects Nick Lee to go 141. Lee wrestled 132 in HS, 2 years ago. To have him wrestle 133 this year means he did not grow at all. And he will have had time in the college strength program.

In cases like this, it's on the person theorizing the weight drop to prove why it will happen, not on everyone else to prove why it won't. The freestyle drop is not proof that it can or will.

Great discussion, why I asked...,

 

[greenmanRD]

Cael said he expects Nick Lee to go 141. Lee wrestled 132 in HS, 2 years ago. To have him wrestle 133 this year means he did not grow at all. And he will have had time in the college strength program.

In cases like this, it's on the person theorizing the weight drop to prove why it will happen, not on everyone else to prove why it won't. The freestyle drop is not proof that it can or will.

Maybe Nick will go 141, but who knows at this point. If Cortez is really making the leap to 141, then maybe it's more likely that Nick shirts.

 

[Sullivan]

Maybe Nick will go 141, but who knows at this point. If Cortez is really making the leap to 141, then maybe it's more likely that Nick shirts.

This was Cael's comments in a Pennlive article on March 30th:

He said that Nick Suriano, whose successful freshman season at 125 pounds was cut short by an ankle injury is "bouncing around the mat.'' And that Anthony Cassar (197, shoulder injury) is rehabbing well. That the staff wants Matt McCutcheon (197) to return for his fifth year of eligibility (''we're hopeful he'll come back''). And that Jered Cortez (133) is thinking about going to 141, that incoming freshman Nick Lee (141) "will be a handful; he'll be ready to roll,'' and that 133 would remain a question mark.

http://www.pennlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2017/03/penn_states_cael_sanderson_mig.html

 

[FineMaterial]

Right. Matt did well last year, despite being undersized.
.

Well? 6 losses and round of 12 at nationals? It's time to give Cassar a shot. Let them wrestle off for the slot.

 

[RoarLions1]

Well? 6 losses and round of 12 at nationals? It's time to give Cassar a shot. Let them wrestle off for the slot.

Everyone gets a shot every year, RS's excluded...and sometimes they even get a shot. Right?

 

[Cletus11]

I think this off season with Cutch knowing he is a 197 adds plenty of muscle such that he looks like Macintosh did as a senior. Cutch will be a full 197, short and stocky, but won't be out muscled. Doesn't mean he will be a wrestling on Saturday for a championship, but he was real close to AA last year and I would think AA would be real and expected potential next year.

Maybe Cortez just cannot make 133 anymore and decided that he wants to try for 141 and be a little more healthy and if he gets the spot, great. If he doesn't, than he is a backup next year and goes on to graduate.