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Greg Kerkvliet, the NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion, has announced his return to Penn State University as a decorated team member of the Nittany Lions. This news surfaced after several NCAA athletes returned for their fifth year of eligibility or are planning to.
Competing in the 285-pound category, Greg Kerkvliet earned his first NCAA title in 2024, which came along with his Big Ten title claim. These ensued from his last season track record of 20-0. He was one of the top choices for the Dan Hodge Trophy, which finally went to Aaron Brooks, a fellow Nittany Lions wrestler.
In 2023, he finished runner-up at the NCAA and the Big Ten Championships. Greg Kerkvliet is a four-time All-American and holds a record of 71-10, collected throughout his career as a Penn State wrestler.
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To break the news of Kerkvliet's comeback, the official X handle of Justin Basch posted a picture of the athlete celebrating post-win. He wrote:
"NCAA Champ @kerkvlietpsu has announced he will be using up his final year of eligibility and will be returning for a final season with the Nittany Lions!"
Greg Kerkvliet has four tech falls and two pins from the last season. Joining him for the fifth year in the Nittany Lions team will be Carter Starocci and Beau Bartlet.
In the Kansas City-hosted NCAA Championships, Greg Kerkvliet finished a 5-0 and a 13-4 decision in the finals. Moreover, his three-bonus point wins contributed to his coveted podium finish.
Greg Kerkvliet sheds light on his journey after the NCAA title win
In the 2022 NCAA Championships, he was a fraction behind Gable Steveson, thus being ruled out from the finals roster. In 2023, the NCAA title had gone to Mason Parris. Therefore, Kerkvliet was determined to achieve victory in 2024, and he did it.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated at the NCAA Championships, he spoke about what steered his journey forward. He said:
""There was some growing I had to do. And not necessarily growing in wrestling, but I had to grow in my faith. I've always been religious, but there's a difference between having faith and then living faith. I'm not perfect, but I think I'm doing a better job of at it. I'm just going to continue to keep trying to grow."
Under head coach Cael Sanderson's tutelage, the Nittany Lions will vie for their fourth National title in the 2024-25 season.
