Blue White Illustrated

KLAHOMA CITY – There's a dif- ference, Thanayi Ruth believes, between failure and temporary de- feat. She has made sure her middle son, Edward, knows that, too. Whether they were driving to wrestling tournaments, swimming practice, or home from football games, she spent countless hours in his ear. She called it "car talk," and there was a lot of it throughout Ed's childhood. "Sometimes he would get mad and he'd say, 'Do I always have to take in these life lessons?' " But Thanayi would continue. Even if it seemed like she was talking to a wall, she kept throwing words against it, hoping they would stick. "A lot of times he didn't want to listen," she added, "but I said it anyway and I think it has kind of sunk into his subconscious." If that's the case, then the motherly ad- vice paid o4 in more ways than one during his 3nal collegiate wrestling season. Be- cause of it, Ruth was able to maintain focus – on the mat and o4 – in order to write himself into the Penn State history books as the 3rst three-time national champ and to play the lead in the Nittany Lions' fourth consecutive NCAA team title in Oklahoma City. O But the path wasn't without its obstacles. That goes for both Ruth and his team. Penn State entered the 3nal round of the 2014 NCAA Championships with an uncertain outlook on its title hopes. The Nittany Lions held the lead for nearly the entire tournament, dominating the 3rst two days of action and crowning seven All-Americans, but Minnesota jumped ahead by 2.5 points during Saturday morn- ing 's consolation round. Although the Golden Gophers and Nittany Lions both had two 3nalists, it appeared to be an uphill battle for Penn State in order to regain its lead. "There were moments there where we were thinking, Wow, we might not win this," head coach Cael Sanderson admitted. "Then we're like, Nah. You've gotta think positive all the time. You have a negative thought creep in, you've gotta kick it out right away." Kick it they did, but not without a little help. A5er Ruth stormed to a 7-2 win over Maryland's 184-pound Jimmy Sheptock in the 3nal, both of Minnesota's 3nalists RETURNING TO THE TOP After becoming a three-time NCAA champ and helping lead PSU to another crown, Ed Ruth has cemented his place in history. But it didn't come without its challenges | CLAMP DOWN Ruth throttled Maryland's Jimmy Sheptock, 7-2, in the final bout of his collegiate career. Afterward he said, "Know- ing we won as a team feels bet- ter than me winning my third." Mark Selders/Penn State Athletic Communications

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