Penn State's Performance at NCAAs is Unbelievable, and Why We Win Every Year

[Real_Proposition_Joe]

EDIT: updated for this year!
EDIT2: I'm not including Suriano this year for obvious reasons

It seems that every year, top teams have highly seeded and high quality wrestlers go down that really hurt chances. Collica this year is a perfect example: #2 seed goes 1-2. That's life. The NCAA tournament is a beast.

But then you have Penn State. Penn State performs incredibly well at NCAAs on a consistent basis. Year after year, our high seeds make the finals and usually win. Our mid seeds make the stand. We have some surprise AAs from lower seeded wrestlers.

This is why we win year over year, despite other teams also fielding tough (on paper) teams.

(Almost) Everyone Performs Extremely Well (Almost) Every Time!!!

Here are some stats, including this year (for us nerds)

• We've had 10 number one seeds. All 10 made the finals, and eight won.
  
  
• We've had 9 number two seeds. Seven made the finals, and four won. Of the two who didn't make the finals, both placed 3rd (one was freshman Ed Ruth, who injury defaulted out of his match).
  
  
• We've had 8 number three seeds. Six placed at least third. Four made the finals, with two champions. All were All Americans.

We've also had a #5 seed and a #9 seed win the tournament, and a #10 seed make the finals.

Let's recap:

• 16 wrestlers were seeded to make the finals. 14 made the finals, 9 won. The other two were 3rd.
  
  
• 40 wrestlers were seeded to be All Americans. An AMAZING 36 wound up being All Americans. Of the four who didn't AA, all made the round of 12.

• To fill in the gaps, we've had 5 wrestlers who were seeded below 8th make the AA stand.

#1 Seeds - 8 1st place, 2 2nd place (NO NON AAs)
#2 Seeds - 4 1st place, 3 2nd place, 2 3rd place (NO NON AAs)
#3 Seeds - 2 1st place, 2 2nd place, 2 3rd place, 1 5th place, 1 7th place (NO NON AAs)
#4 Seeds - 1 2nd place (NO NON AAs)
#5 Seeds - 1 1st place, 2 5th place, 1 6th place, 1 RD12
#6 Seeds - 1 2nd, 2 RD12
#7 Seeds - 1 3rd place
#8 Seeds - 1 6th place, 1 RD12

Here's the full list (I'm ignoring wrestlers seeded under 12th who didn't make the RD12)

2011:
#3 Andrew Long - 3rd
#6 Andrew Alton - RD12
#2 Frank Molinaro - 2nd
#3 David Taylor - 2nd
#2 Ed Ruth - 3rd (Injured)
#9 Quentin Wright - 1st
#9 Cameron Wade - Rd12

2012:
#10 Nico Megaludis - 2nd
#1 Frank Molinaro - 1st
#7 Dylan Alton - 3rd
#1 David Taylor - 1st
#1 Ed Ruth - 1st
#6 Quentin Wright - 2nd
#6 Cameron Wade - Rd12

2013:
#4 Nico Megaludis - 2nd
#12 Jordan Conaway - Rd12
#11 Andrew Alton - DNP
#8 Dylan Alton - Rd12
#2 David Taylor - 2nd
#2 Matt Brown - 2nd
#1 Ed Ruth - 1st
#2 Quentin Wright - 1st

2014:
#3 Nico Megaludis - 3rd
#3 Retherford - 5th
US James English - 7th
#1 David Taylor - 1st
#5 Matt Brown - 5th
#2 Ed Ruth - 1st
#3 Morgan McIntosh - 7th

2015:
#11 Jordan Conaway - 8th
#11 Jimmy Guilibon - 5th
#2 Matt Brown - 1st
#2 Morgan McIntosh - 3rd
#8 Jimmy Lawson - 6th

2016:
#3 Nico Megaludis - 1st
#5 Jordan Conaway - 6th
#1 Retherford - 1st
#3 Nolf - 2nd
#1 Nickal - 2nd
#1 McIntosh - 2nd

2017:
#1 Retherford - 1st
#1 Nolf - 1st
#3 Joseph - 1st
#5 Hall - 1st
#2 Nickal - 1st
#5 McCutcheon - Rd12
#5 Nevills - 5th

 

[Ian]

Outstanding work RPJ. Can't wait to add in this years squad. Very impressive and speaks so much to coaching, conditioning, and talent! Trust the process and enjoy the ride. Wonder how the other three programs stack up? I think I already know the answer. It's a dynasty and only getting better.

 

[James P. Whitters III]

Product of wrestling in a program where being grateful for the opportunity and having fun is emphasized on a constant basis. PSU guys should feel the most pressure, but somehow they don't wrestle like it. They wrestle carefree and footloose and it is fun to watch. Nolf and Bo wrestle like they are at a practice with nobody watching. Zain wrestles like somebody insulted his mom,cut him off in traffic, and tried to shoot his dog. That is a bad man. He comes off as such a pleasant young man in every interview, but I wouldn't cross that dude.

 

[Locolion]

It seems that every year, top teams have highly seeded and high quality wrestlers go down that really hurt chances. Collica this year is a perfect example: #2 seed goes 1-2. That's life. The NCAA tournament is a beast.

But then you have Penn State. Penn State performs incredibly well at NCAAs on a consistent basis. Year after year, our high seeds make the finals and usually win. Our mid seeds make the stand. We have some surprise AAs from lower seeded wrestlers.

This is why we win year over year, despite other teams also fielding tough (on paper) teams.

(Almost) Everyone Performs Extremely Well (Almost) Every Time!!!

Here are some stats, excluding this year (for us nerds)

• We've had 8 number one seeds. All 8 made the finals, and six won.
  
  
• We've had 8 number two seeds. Six made the finals, and three won. Of the two who didn't make the finals, both placed 3rd (one was freshman Ed Ruth, who injury defaulted out of his match).
  
  
• We've had 7 number three seeds. Five placed at least third. Three made the finals, with one champion. All were All Americans.

We've also had a #9 seed win the tournament, and a #10 seed make the finals.

Let's recap:

• 16 wrestlers were seeded to make the finals. 14 made the finals, 9 won. The other two were 3rd.
• 33 wrestlers were seeded to be All Americans. An AMAZING 30 wound up being All Americans. (The Non AAs were two 6 seeds and an 8 seed, all of whom made the RD12)

• To fill in the gaps, we've had 5 wrestlers who were seeded below 8th make the AA stand.

Here's the full list (I'm ignoring wrestlers seeded under 12th who didn't make the RD12)

2011:
#3 Andrew Long - 3rd
#6 Andrew Alton - RD12
#2 Frank Molinaro - 2nd
#3 David Taylor - 2nd
#2 Ed Ruth - 3rd (Injured)
#9 Quentin Wright - 1st
#9 Cameron Wade - Rd12

2012:
#10 Nico Megaludis - 2nd
#1 Frank Molinaro - 1st
#7 Dylan Alton - 3rd
#1 David Taylor - 1st
#1 Ed Ruth - 1st
#6 Quentin Wright - 2nd
#6 Cameron Wade - Rd12

2013:
#4 Nico Megaludis - 2nd
#12 Jordan Conaway - Rd12
#11 Andrew Alton - DNP
#8 Dylan Alton - Rd12
#2 David Taylor - 2nd
#2 Matt Brown - 2nd
#1 Ed Ruth - 1st
#2 Quentin Wright - 1st

2014:
#3 Nico Megaludis - 3rd
#3 Retherford - 5th
US James English - 7th
#1 David Taylor - 1st
#5 Matt Brown - 5th
#2 Ed Ruth - 1st
#3 Morgan McIntosh - 7th

2015:
#11 Jordan Conaway - 8th
#11 Jimmy Guilibon - 5th
#2 Matt Brown - 1st
#2 Morgan McIntosh - 3rd
#8 Jimmy Lawson - 6th

2016:
#3 Nico Megaludis - 1st
#5 Jordan Conaway - 6th
#1 Retherford - 1st
#3 Nolf - 2nd
#1 Nickal - 2nd
#1 McIntosh - 2nd

Wow! Nice analysis - really super stat work man!

 

[Ian]

Update RPJ?

 

[Real_Proposition_Joe]

Okay, updating the main post after that BLOODBATH!

 

[Ian]

Outstanding RPJ and appreciate it!

Very few under perform... that's coaching. And I believe only one injured in competition over the years. That's conditioning.

And 16 winners out of 26 finalists.