Best Ever PSU wrestler

[MSU158 1,469]

If you go ONLY when officially wrestling for PSU, who would you pick?  The Retherford topic had me thinking.

 

Who are the top candidates and how many are not under the Sanderson era?

 

 

Here are the handful of guys I think have an argument that were not under Sanderson:

 

Andy Matter-  He was limited by the no freshman rule, plus he took an upset pin in the 2nd round(soph year) and couldn't wrestle back due to the old repechage rules and that was his only loss that season.  59-2 going DNP,1st,1st

 

Kerry McCoy- His freshman year hurts here as he went 19-17, but after that, WOW.  He went 132-1 finishing 1st,3rd,1st

 

Jim Martin- 155-9-4 4,2,1,3 

 

Sanshiro Abe-125-15 4,3,2,1

 

Now here are the Sanderson guys:

 

Zain Retherford-  126-3 with a nearly 75% bonus rate and finishes of 5th,1st,1st,1st

 

Ed Ruth-136-3 with a bonus rate of nearly 80% and finishes of 3rd,1st,1st,1st

 

D. Taylor-134-3 with a bonus rate of 93% and finishes of 2nd,1st,2nd,1st

 

Q. Wright-116-23 with a bonus rate over 50% and finishes of 6th,1st,2nd,1st

 

F. Molinaro-121-29 with a bonus rate over 50% and finishes of 8th,5th,2nd,1st

 

N. Megaludis-119-20 with a bonus rate over 50% and finishes of 2nd,2nd,3rd,1st

 

 

Finally: You now have a couple guys trying to finish their careers as 4X finalists and 3X Champs

 

Jason Nolf- entering his final season with an 86-3* record(asterisk due to a fluky injury while leading), a bonus rate of 88% and finishes of 2nd,1st,1st,?  Nolf has a legit chance to have a 100% bonus rate his final season.  If this happens, he will have a very compelling argument.

 

Bo Nickal-entering his final season with an 90-3 record, a bonus rate of 75% and finishes of 2nd,1st,1st,?

 

You then have V. Joseph with a chance at being their 1st 4Xer and Hall could match the 4X Finalist and 3X Champs.

 

 

Honestly, I am leaning towards Nolf, if he can run the table with a 95%+ bonus rate.

 

Who would you pick?

 

 

 

 

[IronChef 661]

Zain, Taylor, and Nolf are my top three in some order, though I think Nolf can pull away and take this if he does what we should all be expecting next year.

 

Zain and Taylor both finished their careers without a dual meet loss. Taylor did not miss a dual in four years. Did Zain?

[jammen 299]

Honestly, I am leaning towards Nolf, if he can run the table with a 95%+ bonus rate.

 

But would he have beaten Dake?

[BigTenFanboy 1,695]

But would he have beaten Dake?

 

Ofcourse he would have. EVERYONE would have beaten Dake.

[WillieBoy 712]

On the record... Ed Ruth.

 

Was exciting to watch and all he did was win, win, win.

 

Would say Taylor but Bubba and Kyle stand in the way.

 

Will hold on the current team members. Reality has a way of intruding on predictions and expectations in too many ways.

[hammerlockthree 1,840]

Bubba Jenkins obviously. He owned Taylor twice, and thats one of the front runners. 

Edited August 1, 2018 by hammerlockthree

[GockeS 382]

prescott doesn't have an amazing record... but several of his losses occured at 26

52-2 his last two years and both losses at 26, one to brands

[JeanGuy 102]

I would go with Ruth. Save a knee injury who knows how that year ends up. I know that he was trailing at the time of the default but he was wrestling hurt for some of those points. Ruth doesn't get the same accolades as Taylor but I think his record speaks for itself.

[gowrestle 630]

Bubba Jenkins obviously. He owned Taylor twice, and thats one of the front runners.

Bubba is now upset that you included him among PSU greats. Remember that he doesn’t like Cael or Frank Molinaro.

[hammerlockthree 1,840]

I have a feeling Bubba would take the comment in the spirit i wrote it

[KTG119 817]

'greatest' ....fun for discussion, nearly impossible to say for sure at a place like PSU with many worthy contenders. 

 

Nolf, Bo, Cenzo, Hall....complete book remains to be written, no consideration from me just yet.

 

I'll lean towards Zain given better final 3 year run. Ruth did lose to Dean late in career. But it's real close for me between those two with Taylor and McCoy not far behind either.

 

Matter is too far off my radar to really comment on but the record speaks for itself.

 

Molinaro, Nico, Wright....great as they were, not even in discussion

 

fwiw my favorite PSU wrestler ever is prob Jim Martin.

[tightwaist 388]

I think Nolf will run the table next year, dominate everyone and earn the title of “best ever” at PSU. There will be five guys with 3 losses in their career, assuming Nolf & Nickal go unbeaten. Nolf technically only has 2 losses, and those were to a guy who is Illinois’ best wrestler ever...who also only has 3 career losses (all to NCAA Champs)

 

Outside of Martinez, Nolf hasn’t even been challenged by anyone. Zain had some close ones with Sorensen and Collica. Ruth had the one bad loss to Stanford. Taylor got decked in the finals. Bo has the loss to Nate Jackson.

 

I’d rank em this way, assuming Nolf has another dominating year:

 

1. Nolf

2. Taylor

3. Ruth

4. Zain

5. Bo

 

 

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[pennsyrules 209]

Damn, quite a list.  If Nolf, continues this year, he gets my vote.   Only knock on him is he hasn't had the level that some others have had(with the exception of Martinez).  157 has not been loaded.  Zain with his win against Stieber as a freshman and his career is a very close 2nd.  I also was a fan of Jimmy Martin who did lose to some all time greats(Ricky Bonomo).

[TBar1977 3,676]

I think Nolf will run the table next year, dominate everyone and earn the title of “best ever” at PSU. There will be five guys with 3 losses in their career, assuming Nolf & Nickal go unbeaten. Nolf technically only has 2 losses, and those were to a guy who is Illinois’ best wrestler ever...who also only has 3 career losses (all to NCAA Champs)

 

Outside of Martinez, Nolf hasn’t even been challenged by anyone. Zain had some close ones with Sorensen and Collica. Ruth had the one bad loss to Stanford. Taylor got decked in the finals. Bo has the loss to Nate Jackson.

 

I’d rank em this way, assuming Nolf has another dominating year:

 

1. Nolf

2. Taylor

3. Ruth

4. Zain

5. Bo

 

 

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All I know is that when Bo Nickal is only your 5th best guy the past 10 years your program is blessed.

[Fishhook 142]

I'd go with whomever ends up with the highest results at the end of their international career.  Who has the most or the highest results at Olympics and worlds?  Does that make it Abe?  Or perhaps Frank at Olympics. Taylor and Retherofor have done well and Chertow was an Olympian.  McCoy or Abe seem to have the highest results so far.  The amount of NCAA titles is good, but as far as best wrestler, those world results speak more about wrestler IMO.

[KTG119 817]

I'd go with whomever ends up with the highest results at the end of their international career.  Who has the most or the highest results at Olympics and worlds?  Does that make it Abe?  Or perhaps Frank at Olympics. Taylor and Retherofor have done well and Chertow was an Olympian.  McCoy or Abe seem to have the highest results so far.  The amount of NCAA titles is good, but as far as best wrestler, those world results speak more about wrestler IMO.

OP said only based on time wrestling for PSU but to add in international honors, McCoy was much more accomplished than Abe

[MSU158 1,469]

OP said only based on time wrestling for PSU but to add in international honors, McCoy was much more accomplished than Abe

Yep, fish's answer is the EXACT reason I clarified that in my initial post.  I don't care what you did in another style before, after or even when they were enrolled and competing for PSU.  I was strictly speaking folkstyle wresting while attached to PSU.........

[Cooch1 146]

that'll be enough of that; enolf is enolf

I think Nolf will run the table next year, dominate everyone and earn the title of “best ever” at PSU. There will be five guys with 3 losses in their career, assuming Nolf & Nickal go unbeaten. Nolf technically only has 2 losses, and those were to a guy who is Illinois’ best wrestler ever...who also only has 3 career losses (all to NCAA Champs)

Outside of Martinez, Nolf hasn’t even been challenged by anyone. Zain had some close ones with Sorensen and Collica. Ruth had the one bad loss to Stanford. Taylor got decked in the finals. Bo has the loss to Nate Jackson.

I’d rank em this way, assuming Nolf has another dominating year:

1. Nolf
2. Taylor
3. Ruth
4. Zain
5. Bo


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[HokieHWT 512]

Cary Kolat

[GockeS 382]

lol... i tried to like the cary kolat post and told i had been positive enolf for one day.

 

they lock posts for negativity etc... but dont like positivity

 

lol

[MSU158 1,469]

Cary Kolat

If you went that route, wouldn't you then have to include Bubba Jenkins?  Kolat did his best wrestling for Lock Haven and Bubba pinned the Unicorn rider for ASU.

[Billyhoyle 1,946]

Zain is easily first.  3X NCAA champion and world team member while still in the NCAA.  Taylor may prove to have the better overall career, but in terms of performance while an eligible NCAA athlete, Zain is #1.  Zain never lost a match after his true freshman year.  

Edited August 1, 2018 by Billyhoyle

[TBar1977 3,676]

Not a knock on Zain and you can only beat who they put on the mat to oppose you, but he never faced anyone like Kyle Dake.

 

Zain is awesome still.

[stp 537]

Mark Hall will make this list, once he's graduated. 

Edited August 1, 2018 by stp

[KTG119 817]

Not a knock on Zain and you can only beat who they put on the mat to oppose you, but he never faced anyone like Kyle Dake.

 

Zain is awesome still.

Logie Bear was ok