NCAA Wrestling Championships 2013Mar 27, 2013 by Willie Saylor
Nice Guy Finishes First - How the Team Title Was Won
Nice Guy Finishes First - How the Team Title Was Won
Nice Guy Finishes First - How the Team Title Was Won
Willie Saylor, Editor
If there were ever a fighter in the college wrestling world, one that rose to the occasion and had the confidence and faith to persevere, it’s Quentin Wright.
Wright went to Penn State as a highly touted recruit from nearby Bald Eagle Area, but was initially relegated to backup/redshirt status when he split matches with upperclassman, David Erwin.
It was only after Erwin went down with injury that he would be pressed in to action. Quentin wouldn’t disappoint, as he went on to take 6th at NCAA’s as a true freshman.
A few months after, I helped run a camp for elite high school recruits where Wright was one of the counselors.
I didn’t know him well at the time, but would by the end of the week. Everyone at the camp would.
Another member of the staff was Josh Liebman, the wheel-chair-bound director of the Adam Frey Foundation. Quentin took it upon himself to cater to Josh, to help him with things, to makes sure he was attended to and comfortable. Outside of the wrestling sessions, where you’d find Quentin, you’d find Josh.
Quentin was everything you’d want in a young man: accountable, personable, humble. He was among the campers’ favorite counselor, open and approachable and often giving advice and serving as a mentor.
The next season, Quentin redshirted and went 14-1. He came back the following year wrestling 184 and won everything, including Big Ten tournament Outstanding Wrestling honors and the NCAA crown.
The next year (2011-2012) saw Quentin attract some naysayers. Struggling, by his standards, in the heart of the season, many gave Wright little chance in the postseason. He placed 3rd at the Big Ten’s, which, at the time, seemed like an overachievement. Still, a repeat run to the finals seemed like a stretch. But Wright got there. He lost to hometown rival, Steve Bosak in the finals, but his run to the big stage once again showed that he shows ups when the lights are on.
Coming in to his final season, it was announced that Wright would be wrestling his third weight class, moving up to 197. With 2011 NCAA Champion Dustin Kilgore at the weight, and Wright losing at the All Star Classic to Pitt’s Matt Wilps, the prospects according to most (myself included) for Wright to get another title once again seemed like a long shot.
Despite going undefeated throughout the regular season, Wright spent his senior campaign, in the mind of the wrestling consensus, as a decided underdog. Remarkably odd given his status as a 2x NCAA finalist, 3x All American, and bona fide primetime performer.
To illustrate what where Quentin stood in the minds of most prognosticators, here’s an anecdote of what even I, a devoted (and perhaps personally biased) Quentin Wright fan, thought heading into the big show. A friend called me up the week before NCAA’s. He was competing in an NCAA pick ‘em pool and was asking for my advice. ‘Who will win 197,’ he said.
‘Kilgore, all the way.’
‘Does Wright have a shot,’ he said.
‘Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening. Kilgore is THAT good.’
Once again, Quentin, who made it to the finals with a win over Wilps, put himself in position for an NCAA title. This time it would have he would have to go through one of the most dominating college wrestlers, the undefeated, returning NCAA Champion, and heavy favorite, Dustin Kilgore.
And one little peripheral situation: his match could decide the team title.
As the brackets played out and the team race came in to focus last Saturday, Flowrestling Co-Founder, Martin Floreani and I sat on press row extrapolating all the points, hypotheticals, and scenarios.
Penn State had five in the finals! 5. Count ‘em, 5! That’s half. Half their team in the finals, and the team race was still in question. In fact, of their five finalists, only Ed Ruth was a projected champ. Nittany Lions Matt Brown (to Chris Perry), David Taylor (to Kyle Dake), and Nico Megaludis (to Jesse Delgado) were all underdogs. And all of them lost.
Then of course, there was Quentin.
He got the job done, making little doubt who was the better wrestler that night. He took down Kilgore three times and won 8-5, not only cementing his legacy, winning his last collegiate bout, and second NCAA title, but, knowing Quentin, most importantly to him, clinching the third straight title for his team.
From his first season when he earned All American honors when he wasn’t supposed to be the starter, to his final college bout where he beat an opponent he wasn’t supposed to and saved the three-peat for the Nittany Lions, Quentin Wright embodied faith and strong will.
Throughout his entire career, Quentin Wright had his doubters. All he did was rise to the occasion every time. On the mat or in life, I’ll never doubt him again.
Willie Saylor, Editor
If there were ever a fighter in the college wrestling world, one that rose to the occasion and had the confidence and faith to persevere, it’s Quentin Wright.
Wright went to Penn State as a highly touted recruit from nearby Bald Eagle Area, but was initially relegated to backup/redshirt status when he split matches with upperclassman, David Erwin.
It was only after Erwin went down with injury that he would be pressed in to action. Quentin wouldn’t disappoint, as he went on to take 6th at NCAA’s as a true freshman.
A few months after, I helped run a camp for elite high school recruits where Wright was one of the counselors.
I didn’t know him well at the time, but would by the end of the week. Everyone at the camp would.
Another member of the staff was Josh Liebman, the wheel-chair-bound director of the Adam Frey Foundation. Quentin took it upon himself to cater to Josh, to help him with things, to makes sure he was attended to and comfortable. Outside of the wrestling sessions, where you’d find Quentin, you’d find Josh.
Quentin was everything you’d want in a young man: accountable, personable, humble. He was among the campers’ favorite counselor, open and approachable and often giving advice and serving as a mentor.
The next season, Quentin redshirted and went 14-1. He came back the following year wrestling 184 and won everything, including Big Ten tournament Outstanding Wrestling honors and the NCAA crown.
The next year (2011-2012) saw Quentin attract some naysayers. Struggling, by his standards, in the heart of the season, many gave Wright little chance in the postseason. He placed 3rd at the Big Ten’s, which, at the time, seemed like an overachievement. Still, a repeat run to the finals seemed like a stretch. But Wright got there. He lost to hometown rival, Steve Bosak in the finals, but his run to the big stage once again showed that he shows ups when the lights are on.
Coming in to his final season, it was announced that Wright would be wrestling his third weight class, moving up to 197. With 2011 NCAA Champion Dustin Kilgore at the weight, and Wright losing at the All Star Classic to Pitt’s Matt Wilps, the prospects according to most (myself included) for Wright to get another title once again seemed like a long shot.
Despite going undefeated throughout the regular season, Wright spent his senior campaign, in the mind of the wrestling consensus, as a decided underdog. Remarkably odd given his status as a 2x NCAA finalist, 3x All American, and bona fide primetime performer.
To illustrate what where Quentin stood in the minds of most prognosticators, here’s an anecdote of what even I, a devoted (and perhaps personally biased) Quentin Wright fan, thought heading into the big show. A friend called me up the week before NCAA’s. He was competing in an NCAA pick ‘em pool and was asking for my advice. ‘Who will win 197,’ he said.
‘Kilgore, all the way.’
‘Does Wright have a shot,’ he said.
‘Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening. Kilgore is THAT good.’
Once again, Quentin, who made it to the finals with a win over Wilps, put himself in position for an NCAA title. This time it would have he would have to go through one of the most dominating college wrestlers, the undefeated, returning NCAA Champion, and heavy favorite, Dustin Kilgore.
And one little peripheral situation: his match could decide the team title.
As the brackets played out and the team race came in to focus last Saturday, Flowrestling Co-Founder, Martin Floreani and I sat on press row extrapolating all the points, hypotheticals, and scenarios.
Penn State had five in the finals! 5. Count ‘em, 5! That’s half. Half their team in the finals, and the team race was still in question. In fact, of their five finalists, only Ed Ruth was a projected champ. Nittany Lions Matt Brown (to Chris Perry), David Taylor (to Kyle Dake), and Nico Megaludis (to Jesse Delgado) were all underdogs. And all of them lost.
Then of course, there was Quentin.
He got the job done, making little doubt who was the better wrestler that night. He took down Kilgore three times and won 8-5, not only cementing his legacy, winning his last collegiate bout, and second NCAA title, but, knowing Quentin, most importantly to him, clinching the third straight title for his team.
From his first season when he earned All American honors when he wasn’t supposed to be the starter, to his final college bout where he beat an opponent he wasn’t supposed to and saved the three-peat for the Nittany Lions, Quentin Wright embodied faith and strong will.
Throughout his entire career, Quentin Wright had his doubters. All he did was rise to the occasion every time. On the mat or in life, I’ll never doubt him again.