Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1041428
this weight class in Flo's preseason rank- ings, but there's still a chance that Valen- cia will move up to 184 for his junior season, leaving this weight class to Hall. As the returning Big Ten champion, Hall is looking to win his second national title in three seasons, and the Sun Devil stand- out looks to be his biggest obstacle. 184 This is where Penn State's lineup is undergoing some changes from a year ago. After winning Big Ten and national titles at 184 last season, Bo Nickal is jumping up a weight class. That means Shakur Rasheed is coming down after earning his first All-America citation as a junior at 197. Considering Rasheed's size, this seems to be a good move for him. He placed fifth at nationals last season but was admittedly undersized for the 197- pound class. Rasheed has the frame of a 184-pounder, and that's reflected in Flo's rankings, which place him fifth heading into the season. He could be a dark-horse NCAA contender at his new weight. 197 Although Rasheed fits better at 184, this move was solely predicated on Nickal's desire to move up. Ranked atop his new weight class, Nickal joins team- mate Nolf on the short list of Hodge Tro- phy favorites. Like Nolf, Nickal is also within reach of his fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA finals, but he won't have to wait until the postseason to be tested. He won't even have to wait until the Big Ten season. In Penn State's opener against Kent State, Nickal will face Kyle Conel, who is ranked No. 2 na- tionally after finishing third at 197 last season. 285 Rasheed isn't the only wrestler who's been displaced by Nickal's move to 197. Anthony Cassar is also changing weights, as he is moving up to 285, where he will join Nick Nevills. Nevills has manned the spot for the past three years, but he has dealt with more than his share of injuries throughout his career, so in addition to providing competition at the weight class, Cassar will also offer a bit of insurance. Flo ranks Nevills second na- tionally, but Cassar, who had to manage his weight to make 197, could be a danger- ous undersized heavyweight who pro- vides a change of pace for PSU. ■ NAME CLASS YR HOME SCHOOL Brady Berge 149 R-Fr. Mantorville, Minn. Kasson-Mantorville Francisco Bisono 174/184 Jr. Hauppauge, N.Y. Hauppauge Joey Blumer 141 R-Fr. Leechburg, Pa. Kiski Area Roman Bravo-Young 133 Fr. Tucson, Ariz. Sunnyside Anthony Cassar 285 Sr. Rocky Hill, N.J. Montgomery Austin Clabaugh 133 R-Fr. York Springs, Pa. Bermudian Springs Jon Consorti 133/141 Fr. Hellertown, Pa. Wilson Jack Davis 125/133 Fr. Hanover Township, Pa. Wyoming Seminary Creighton Edsell 165/174 Fr. Wyalusing, Pa. Wyalusing Paul Feite 149 Fr. Dillsburg, Pa. Northern Brian Friery 157/165 So. Lewisburg, Pa. Lewisburg Luke Gardner 149 So. Pottsville, Pa. Pottsville Dominic Giannangeli 141 Jr. Murrysville, Pa. Franklin Regional Mark Hall 174 Jr. Apple Valley, Minn. Apple Valley Patrick Higgins 133/141 Jr. Monroeville, N.J. Woodstown James Hoeg 197 R-Fr. Mattituck, N.Y. Mattituck Austin Hoopes 184 Fr. Alton, Wyo. Star Valley Vincenzo Joseph 165 Jr. Pittsburgh, Pa. Central Catholic Konner Kraeszig 165 Fr. Louisville, Ky. St. Xavier Nick Lee 141 So. Evansville, Ind. Mater Dei Mason Lindenmuth 133 So. Brockway, Pa. Brockway Justin Lopez 125 So. Yonkers, N.Y. Yonkers Mason Manville 174 R-Fr. Lorton, Va. Wyoming Seminary Richie McClanahan 149 R-Fr. Panama City Beach, Fla. J.R. Arnold Brandon Meredith 125/133 Fr. Limerick, Pa. Spring-Ford Nick Nevills 285 Sr. Clovis, Calif. Clovis Alex Nicholas 285 So. Allentown, Pa. Salisbury Twp. Bo Nickal 197 Sr. Allen, Texas Allen Jason Nolf 157 Sr. Yatesboro, Pa. Kittanning Scott Obendorfer 141 R-Fr. Germantown, Md. Damascus Bo Pipher 149/157 So. Paonia, Colo. Paonia Shakur Rasheed 184 Sr. Coram, N.Y. Longwood Devin Schnupp 125 So. Lititz, Pa. Warwick Scott Stossel 133/141 Sr. Pittsburgh, Pa. North Allegheny Gavin Teasdale 125 Fr. Rices Landing, Pa. Je>erson-Morgan Brody Teske 125 Fr. Duncombe, Iowa Fort Dodge Jarod Verkleeren 149 R-Fr. Greensburg, Pa. Hempfield 2 0 1 8 - 1 9 R O S T E R