Penn State Sports Magazine
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5 0 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 1 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M ing to really get the opportunity that we're in," he said. And the match itself? "There was no way I wasn't going to find a way," Taylor said. "It's the gold medal, man. I was going to rip my arms off if I had to." That wasn't required, but Taylor did wrestle through a ripped singlet and some blood. Simply put, nothing would stand in his way of gold. So, what's next? Taylor is already considered one of the greatest competi- tors in the history of his university and his sport, and age won't stand in the way of training for the 2024 Olympic Games, either. Not when there is magic to perform and big scores to chase. "If he can maintain his focus after such a life-changing event, and not be distracted by the glitz and the glamour with what comes alongside being an Olympic champion, and he can refocus himself, I think the sky's the limit," Bur- roughs said. If we know anything about Taylor, it's that taking a shot will not be a problem. ■ Seth Nevills hopes to follow in Jan Johnson's footsteps, only in reverse. The Clovis, Calif., native and Penn State heavyweight is making a career change at the start of his junior year, ac- cording to the Clovis Sports Report. Nevills, who told BWI when he committed that he hoped to win four national titles in a blue-and-white singlet, will now join head coach James Franklin's football team as a walk-on offensive lineman. He recently confirmed those plans via social media. Johnson was a starting Penn State linebacker who moved over to help out the wrestling team late in his career. Nevills, on the other hand, was an occasional starter for head coach Cael Sanderson's team but would likely find himself behind Greg Kerkvliet heading into the 2021-22 season. He could return to the mat, but it would probably be in a backup role. If he wants to play in the trenches in the Big Ten, he's going to have to pack on the kind of weight that would probably disqualify him from weighing in at 285 pounds. Nevills has a career record of 17-5 that includes two open tournament victories and a terrific march to the Big Ten tourney in 2020 before an injury and the pandemic ended his postseason before it ever really began. On the football front, Penn State has plenty of depth on the offensive line entering Franklin's eighth season, but more is never a bad thing. Where Nevills ultimately fits in is unclear, but Franklin and Sanderson have never minded sharing players, and this is just the latest example of that. NLWC Shines On Olympic Stage Penn State's coaching dream team of Cael Sanderson, Cody Sanderson and Casey Cunningham need no help in the recruiting world, but the showing by Nittany Lion Wrestling Club competitors and connections at the Tokyo Olympic Games won't hurt matters. The NLWC is an international training ground based in State College, and it has produced plenty of talent over the years. It was mentioned frequently during NBC's broadcasts of the men's and women's freestyle tournament as its wres- tlers crushed the competition. It wasn't just David Taylor who stepped onto the medal stand. Here's a rundown of the how the seven Olympians from the NLWC fared: • David Taylor, United States, gold medal at 86 kg • Kyle Snyder, United States, silver medal at 97 kg • Thomas Gilman, United States, bronze medal at 57 kg • Helen Maroulis, United States, bronze medal at 57 kg • Bekzod Abdurakhmonov, Uzbekistan, bronze medal at 74 kg • Franklin Gomez, Puerto Rico, did not medal at 74 kg • Jane Valencia, Mexico, did not medal at 57 kg — Greg Pickel Seth Nevills Set To Join Football Team As Walk-on Lineman W R E S T L I N G N O T E B O O K Nevills, a junior heavyweight with a 17-5 career record, announced his plans to join the Nittany Lions' football team as a walk-on offensive lineman. PHOTO COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETICS