Blue White Illustrated

came one of 11 wrestlers to receive diplo- mas, the largest number of graduates on any one Penn State sports team for the 2014-15 academic year. Brown earned two, finishing with degrees in criminology and international policy, all the while main- taining a near-4.0 grade point average. Additionally, he earned his pin during the Army ROTC Commissioning also in early May and was subsequently awarded pres- tigious postgraduate scholarships by the NCAA and Big Ten. Asked how Brown has accomplished all that, his father says, "Matt's work ethic is just part of his per- sonality." Matt deflects the praise elsewhere, to the coaches who signed him to Iowa State, stuck by him during his mission and helped lead him to a national title – among many other things – at PSU. "Our coaches preach [that wrestlers must] do everything right, whether that's eating right or being disciplined, getting enough rest or work- ing out hard," he said. "I think it all plays into coming out on top. Our coach- es preach: Do certain things every day and those little things make up for it in the end. And I felt like it did." So what comes next for the recently grad- uated three-time All-American? Well, a number of routes are arrayed before him. With his military background, he could begin training his way into a special forces unit that serves overseas. With degrees in criminology and international policy, he could work in an embassy, or even find himself in presidential or government ad- ministration. "By serving in Africa, he got to learn a lot of things about the foreign culture and how to be exposed to it," Dave Brown said. "It's just amazing and it's opened up so many things for him. Then you throw in his interest and some of his experience in military and criminology, and how is that going to fit together? I don't have a clue, but he's going to do something somewhere down the road." First, though, he's going to stay right where he is. Announced at the team's awards banquet in April, Brown has been granted the op- portunity to stay with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club as a resident athlete while he trains for his pursuit of a spot on the 2016 Olympic freestyle team. "I think it's the best freestyle wrestling club in the country," Brown said prior to the announcement. "I would love to take advantage of that." He's taken advantage of every other op- portunity while he's been in State College. Why not that, too? ■ CASEY BAILEY ICE HOCKEY Bailey attempted 211 shots, more than any other Di- vision I player, and he made them count, scoring 22 goals to tie for the Big Ten lead. He won first-team All-Conference recognition, as well as a spot on the Toronto Maple Leafs' roster, becoming Penn State's first NHL signee. MIKE HULL FOOTBALL Hull "embodies everything about a Penn State linebacker and the tradition of linebackers at Penn State" assistant coach Brent Pry said after watching the senior rack up a Big Ten-best 140 tackles on his way to winning the league's Linebacker of the Year title along with eight All-America citations. CONNOR MALONEY SOCCER A sophomore from Harrisburg, Pa., the 5-foot-6, 145-pound forward led the Nittany Lions in goals (10), winning goals (five) and points (23), winning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year recognition, as well as a second-team Division I All-Midwest nod. D.J. NEWBILL BASKETBALL The senior guard became only the second Penn State player to surpass 700 points in a season, finishing with 704, just 27 short of Jesse Arnelle's 60-year-old school record. Despite playing only three seasons with the Nittany Lions, Newbill finished his career as the fourth-leading scorer in school his- tory with 1,812 points. AARON RUSSELL VOLLEYBALL After totaling a Division I-best 60 aces heading into the NCAA tournament, the senior outside hitter was named a first-team AVCA All-American for the second consecutive season. – Matt Herb H O N O R A B L E M E N T I O N NEW OFFICER Brown is pinned by his wife, Lauren, during a com- missioning ceremony May 8 at Schwab Audi- torium. Photos by Mark Selders (left) and Christie Clancy

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