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The Penn State wrestling team's suc- cess in New York last month added to a lengthy national championship history that dates to 1921 and has helped boost the Nittany Lions to the forefront na- tionally in NCAA title success. Since March 2007 – the month in which the men's and women's fencing team won its 10th national crown – Penn State leads the nation with 18 NCAA titles. Oregon and Southern Cali- fornia are tied for second in the champi- onship tally (which includes football) with 16 titles. Coach Cael Sanderson directed Penn State to its fifth NCAA wrestling cham- pionship in the past six years, as the Li- ons turned in a dominating performance in Madison Square Garden. Led by na- tional champions Nico Megaludis (125 pounds) and Zain Retherford (149) and three more finalists, the Nittany Lions rolled up 123 points to easily outdistance Oklahoma State (97.5), Ohio State (86) and Virginia Tech (82). Leading up to the national tournament, Penn State cap- tured its fifth Big Ten championship in the past six years. In December, coach Erica Walsh guid- ed the Penn State women's soccer pro- gram to its first NCAA championship with a 1-0 victory over Duke in Cary, N.C. The Nittany Lions were led by sen- ior Raquel Rodriguez, who won the MAC Hermann Trophy as the nation's top collegiate player. The Nittany Lions also won their 17th Big Ten championship in the past 18 years and captured their sixth conference tournament title last fall. The Lions have won at least one NCAA title in each of the past 10 academic years, starting in 2006-07. Penn State's 18 NCAA championships are at least double the number of NCAA titles won by every Big Ten institution over the past nine years. Since 1992-93, the Nittany Lions' 29 NCAA champi- onships are more than double the totals compiled by every other Big Ten school that has competed in the conference for at least two full years (Nebraska has 13 titles, Minnesota and Ohio State have 12). The Nittany Lions have seen six differ- ent teams combine to win their 18 na- tional titles during the past nine years. Penn State has had NCAA crowns earned by women's volleyball (six), wrestling (five), men's and women's fencing (four), men's gymnastics (one), women's soccer (one) and men's volley- ball (one). Florida and Stanford are tied for fourth with 15 NCAA titles since March 2007, followed by UCLA (14), Alabama (10) and Texas A&M (10). Penn State's all-time total of 48 NCAA championships ranks fifth among all NCAA Division I programs and is the highest total of any college or university east of the Mississippi River. Penn State has won 76 national cham- pionships and 97 Big Ten titles all-time, including seven NCAA titles and 24 con- ference crowns since September 2012. The Nittany Lions won three NCAA championships overall in 2013-14, their most since winning three in 1999-2000. Penn State placed No. 8 in the final 2014-15 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup rankings, its 11th top-10 finish in the trophy's 22-year history. Penn State student-athletes have an 88 percent NCAA Graduation Success Rate, and 63 percent of them earned at least a 3.0 grade-point average last fall. A school- record 516 student-athletes posted a 3.0 GPA or higher during the 2015 fall semester, with 234 earning Dean's List honors with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Penn State ranks No. 4 among all Division I schools with 191 CoSIDA Aca- demic All-Americans all-time. ■ ALL SPORTS Penn State extends lead in NCAA titles since 2007 PENN STATE'S NCAA TITLES SINCE MARCH 2007 MOST NCAA TITLES SINCE MARCH 2007 Women's volleyball 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014 1. Penn State 18 Wrestling 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 2. Oregon, Southern Cal 16 Men's & women's fencing 2007, 2009, 2010, 2014 4. Florida, Stanford 15 Women's soccer 2015 6. UCLA 14 Men's volleyball 2008 7. Alabama, Texas A&M 10 Men's gymnastics 2007 T H O S E C H A M P I O N S H I P S E A S O N S

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