Saw this on FB yesterday
Congratulations to 2023 NYSPHSAA DI State 4th, SEAN DEGL (Iona Prep), on his decision to pen the next chapter of his wrestling story as a member of the Nittany Lion dynasty at Penn State University!!!!
An example of the power of perseverance and what it means to truly "trust the process", through tireless hard work, the current Gael senior transformed himself from a Catholic State 6th place finisher in 2020 into both a NYS and Eastern States Classic medalist in his swan song donning Maroon & Gold....
Making leaps in his progression in every subsequent year of his scholastic career, Degl went winless in his state tournament debut in 2021 (0-2 at Journeymen NYS Championships), advanced to the blood round in 2022, and then connected all the dots to emerge with top-4 status in Albany this past season!!
Falling one victory short of reaching the 50-win plateau (49-7) in 2022-2023, in addition to his individual successes, Degl proved to be a catalyst and/or leader for an IP program that made history this year when the school claimed their first-ever CHSAA State Team Crown (first title won by a NYC regional rep since Monsignor Farrell did the deed in 2019), and then followed it up by finishing as the NYS Federation DI State runners-up, trailing only Minisink Valley (95.5 to 75.5) in the standings!!!
A winner in four of six outings in his second trip to South Pearl Street [both defeats at the hands of Ballston Spa's Connor Gregory], Degl reached the 160-pound DI quarterfinals when he posted a 10-1 major decision over 2023 Suffolk County champ, Vin Stanzione (Kings Park)...
After the first of the cited pair of losses to Gregory (6-4 sv) in the quarterfinals, he battled back to string together a three-match winning streak in the consolation bracket, racking up a 24-1 margin in points scored to secure dubs over Nassau bridesmaid, Matthew Coffey (East Meadow; 9-1 major), Section 1 titlist, Tristan Robinson-July (Ossining; 8-0 major), & S3 gold medalist/2023 NHSCA AA, Johnathan Clohecy (Fulton; 7-0)!!!
He'd then close out his weekend with a 3-2 loss in the 3rd place match to Gregory!
One month earlier, it was a fall in 2:47 over 4x Rhode Island medalist/2x runner-up, Nicholas Baccala (Ponaganset), that served as the highlight of a 6th place showing at the '23 Eastern States Classic....
A second-general talent, while the specific campus may differ, Degl now joins his father, John, as a Big-10 legacy....
Both will have had the privilege of competing under the guidance of living legends, as the elder Degl (1991 NYSPHSAA Champion for Mahopac) wrestled for Dan Gable at the University of Iowa, twice placing at the Midlands (7th in 1994, 6th in 1995), and qualifying for the NCAA DI National Tournament in 1996 behind a 7th place display at the Big-10s!!!
Sean will of course now be mentored by 4x Undefeated NCAA Champion/2004 Olympic Gold medalist, Cael Sanderson, who has delivered 10 National Team titles to Happy Valley since his arrival in April 2009!
___________________________________________________
𝙎𝙀𝘼𝙉 𝘿𝙀𝙂𝙇 𝘾𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙎𝙃𝙀𝙀𝙏
*2023 NYSPHSAA DI State 4th (160)....Blood rounder in 2022
*4x CHSAA State Medalist/3x finalist/2x Champion (6th in '20)
*2023 Eastern States Classic 6th
Congratulations to 2023 NYSPHSAA DI State 4th, SEAN DEGL (Iona Prep), on his decision to pen the next chapter of his wrestling story as a member of the Nittany Lion dynasty at Penn State University!!!!
An example of the power of perseverance and what it means to truly "trust the process", through tireless hard work, the current Gael senior transformed himself from a Catholic State 6th place finisher in 2020 into both a NYS and Eastern States Classic medalist in his swan song donning Maroon & Gold....
Making leaps in his progression in every subsequent year of his scholastic career, Degl went winless in his state tournament debut in 2021 (0-2 at Journeymen NYS Championships), advanced to the blood round in 2022, and then connected all the dots to emerge with top-4 status in Albany this past season!!
Falling one victory short of reaching the 50-win plateau (49-7) in 2022-2023, in addition to his individual successes, Degl proved to be a catalyst and/or leader for an IP program that made history this year when the school claimed their first-ever CHSAA State Team Crown (first title won by a NYC regional rep since Monsignor Farrell did the deed in 2019), and then followed it up by finishing as the NYS Federation DI State runners-up, trailing only Minisink Valley (95.5 to 75.5) in the standings!!!
A winner in four of six outings in his second trip to South Pearl Street [both defeats at the hands of Ballston Spa's Connor Gregory], Degl reached the 160-pound DI quarterfinals when he posted a 10-1 major decision over 2023 Suffolk County champ, Vin Stanzione (Kings Park)...
After the first of the cited pair of losses to Gregory (6-4 sv) in the quarterfinals, he battled back to string together a three-match winning streak in the consolation bracket, racking up a 24-1 margin in points scored to secure dubs over Nassau bridesmaid, Matthew Coffey (East Meadow; 9-1 major), Section 1 titlist, Tristan Robinson-July (Ossining; 8-0 major), & S3 gold medalist/2023 NHSCA AA, Johnathan Clohecy (Fulton; 7-0)!!!
He'd then close out his weekend with a 3-2 loss in the 3rd place match to Gregory!
One month earlier, it was a fall in 2:47 over 4x Rhode Island medalist/2x runner-up, Nicholas Baccala (Ponaganset), that served as the highlight of a 6th place showing at the '23 Eastern States Classic....
A second-general talent, while the specific campus may differ, Degl now joins his father, John, as a Big-10 legacy....
Both will have had the privilege of competing under the guidance of living legends, as the elder Degl (1991 NYSPHSAA Champion for Mahopac) wrestled for Dan Gable at the University of Iowa, twice placing at the Midlands (7th in 1994, 6th in 1995), and qualifying for the NCAA DI National Tournament in 1996 behind a 7th place display at the Big-10s!!!
Sean will of course now be mentored by 4x Undefeated NCAA Champion/2004 Olympic Gold medalist, Cael Sanderson, who has delivered 10 National Team titles to Happy Valley since his arrival in April 2009!
___________________________________________________
𝙎𝙀𝘼𝙉 𝘿𝙀𝙂𝙇 𝘾𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙎𝙃𝙀𝙀𝙏
*2023 NYSPHSAA DI State 4th (160)....Blood rounder in 2022
*4x CHSAA State Medalist/3x finalist/2x Champion (6th in '20)
*2023 Eastern States Classic 6th
