Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1492675
M A R C H 2 0 2 3 6 5 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M bigger matches where he's winning na- tional titles, his athleticism on his feet was a factor, clearly, but also his ability to ride on top and his baseline defense, things that probably weren't that im- portant to him when he first got here, just because he didn't get tested or chal- lenged that much," Sanderson said. "To see him be able to win a very big match with mat wrestling, I think that just says a lot about him and his devel- opment. He's physically very talented, but I think his greatest talent is his work ethic. As a person, same thing. I think he's come a long way, and it's been pretty cool to see it." Whether Bravo-Young opts to try to make the 2024 U.S. Olympic team af- ter college or dabbles in mixed martial arts — or a mix of both — remains to be seen. But the odyssey that's been his life is nothing short of remarkable — what's almost certain to be five All-America finishes along with being recognized three times as an Academic All-Amer- ican. After both of Bravo-Young's NCAA titles, Michael Bravo ended up on the arena floor in tears. "What a journey my grandson has taken us all on," he said in the documentary. "It's just a blessing. The whole family is extremely proud of him." Bravo-Young 's mother traveled 36 hours in a car to attend his graduation party in State College. "All the sacri- fices, it was all worth it," she was quoted as saying about Bravo-Young, a first- generation college student. And Leon, the longtime wrestling coach, simply said "the sky's the limit" for Bravo- Young. As for the Penn State senior, who speaks with the same speed as he wres- tles, he at times has trouble believing what has transpired. "Every day I wake up and say, 'How did I get to where I'm at? It's crazy,'" he said. "The ups and downs are part of life. This is just my story. I'm just trying to get through it. I'm pretty much just writing my own story." It would be of little surprise if the kid "Straight Outta Tucson" turned that story into a bestseller. ■ THREE BEST WRESTLERS Levi Haines | Fr. | 157 Haines has officially had his red- shirt pulled. Penn State has a good one in the Biglerville, Pa., native. He defeated Iowa's Cole Siebrecht 3-2 on Jan. 27 and stayed perfect in February, racking up wins over four opponents, including a first-period pin against Maryland's Kevin Schork on Feb. 12. Haines has quickly made a name for himself nationally and will be in contention to win the Big Ten title at 157 pounds and earn All-America honors at NCAAs. Roman Bravo-Young | Sr.+ | 133 Bravo-Young continues to destroy any opponent who gets in his way. He pinned Iowa's Brody Teske late in the third period to help propel Penn State to a dual meet win over the Hawkeyes at the Bryce Jordan Center. In February, he beat Ohio State freshman standout Jesse Mendez by an 8-2 decision, then earned a 28-13 technical fall over Maryland's King Sandoval. Bravo- Young continues to be the top- ranked wrestler in his weight class. Carter Starocci | Jr. | 174 Starocci is undefeated and poised to defend his NCAA title in March. After topping Iowa's Nelson Brands 2-1, the junior beat seventh-ranked Ethan Smith of Ohio State 11-5 to jumpstart a perfect February that ended with a 14-6 major decision over Maryland's Dominic Solis. Like Bravo-Young, Starocci is the top-ranked wrestler in his weight class. KEY MOMENT We go back to the end of January for this choice. With Penn State in a 5-0 hole against Iowa after No. 1 Spencer Lee beat sophomore Marco Vespa by technical fall at 125 pounds, the Lions needed an answer. Bravo-Young supplied it. Leading Teske 9-2 late in the third period, the 133-pounder could have simply worked for a turning combination to secure a major decision. However, he didn't settle for that. Instead, the Arizona native locked Teske in a cradle and put both shoulders to the mat with 11 seconds left. It was a needed win for Penn State en route to a 23-14 triumph. BEST HIGHLIGHT Senior 197-pounder Max Dean is known for his strong riding abilities, and he put them on display against Ohio State's 17th-ranked Gavin Hoffman. Trailing the defending NCAA champ 2-0 after the first period, Hoffman chose down to start the second. Dean put a punishing ride in place to build up over a minute of riding time before finally cranking Hoffman over to his back for a fall. BOLD PREDICTION Haines will win a Big Ten championship at 157 pounds. Peyton Robb of Nebraska will be the top seed and a worthy competitor if they meet in the semifinals or final. However, Haines continues to get better and has defeated ranked opponents regularly. He'll have to beat a few more to win his first conference crown, but we're betting that he can and will. — Greg Pickel PENN STATE SUPERLATIVES Jan. 27-Feb.12 Freshman Levi Haines has boosted Penn State's outlook at 157 pounds heading into the postseason. Prior to the Nittany Lions' regular-sea- son finale against Clarion, Haines had compiled a 10-0 record in dual meets, including a 7-0 mark against Big Ten competition. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE