Cassar, Kerkvliet, Brooks, & Lee Headline NLWC Registration List
Cassar, Kerkvliet, Brooks, & Lee Headline NLWC Registration List
The Nittany Lion Wrestling Club has registered its athletes for the Senior Nationals - US Olympic Trials Qualifier. Here are the highest-impact NLWC names.
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A handful of Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members registered for this weekend's Senior Nationals - US Olympic Trials Qualifier. Their registration list includes Anthony Cassar, Greg Kerkvliet, Aaron Brooks, and Nick Lee. Two names not on the registration list, at least so far, are 74kg contenders Vincenzo Joseph and Jason Nolf.
The Olympic Dream drives many top wrestlers, but this year's trials have some extra incentive for Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members this year as State College will host the trials on April 4-5. Here are the NLWC members who could have the biggest impact on the field.
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125kg - Anthony Cassar
Penn State’s Anthony Cassar will be taking a break from NCAA competition this weekend to pursue his Olympic dream. Cassar announced himself as a serious contender at heavyweight by completing an impressive run to an NCAA title last year in a season that included two wins over Minnesota’s Gable Steveson. Despite his success at the college level, Cassar has yet to prove himself in senior-level freestyle competition.
Cassar is not unfamiliar with freestyle, however, having competed in the 2015 Junior World Championships at 96 kilos. Cassar brings a lot of intrigue to a weight class that could create a match with future Nittany Lion Daniel Kerkvliet along with veterans like Dom Bradley and Tony Nelson.
125kg - Greg Kerkvliet
A recent addition to the NLWC, Greg Kerkvliet, registered last week along with a number of Titan Mercury athletes. Still, he's worth mentioning here because of his potential impact on this field.
Kerkvliet is coming off a fifth-place performance at the U23 World Championships and has been the headline of many an article after the recent announcement of his transfer from Ohio State to Penn State. One obvious question is how Kerkvliet will stack up against Penn State NCAA champion Anthony Cassar. It's possible that we could see that match for ourselves in Fort Worth.
Kerkvliet is one of the most exciting heavyweight prospects in the NCAA and Olympic pipelines. His matches will be must-watch this weekend.
For a glimpse at this big man's skills, check out the second match in his best-of-three U23 World Team Trials final against Jordan Wood.
86kg - Aaron Brooks
Penn State freshman Aaron Brooks has also registered for the US Olympic Trials Qualifier. Brooks had been in redshirt for the Nittany Lions until early December when he wrestled in duals against Lehigh and Penn.
Brooks, who clearly has NCAA aspirations this year, has long been focused on freestyle success. The 2018 Junior World Silver Medalist spent last season in Colorado Springs focusing on freestyle at the Olympic Training Center. This event begins his first attempt to make a senior-level team, and he could have in instant impact at 86kg, though he'll certainly be considered an underdog against guys like Alex Dieringer and Zahid Valencia.
65kg - Nick Lee
Another Nittany Lion with both NCAA and Olympic aspirations is 141-pound NCAA title contender Nick Lee. While Lee's focus has been on the NCAA the past few years, he does have international freestyle success dating back to his two Cadet Pan Am titles in 2013 and 2014.
Lee would have to perform above expectations to place top five in this field and earn a spot for at the Olympic Trials. This will not be Lee's only opportunity to qualify as NCAA champions qualify as well as the top two finishers at the last chance qualifier.