Kocher (20-5) and Vallimont must record two victories Thursday for the intriguing quarterfinal matchup to happen. A Kocher-Vallimont matchup would feature extra zing considering quarterfinal winners are guaranteed to receive All-American honors. Kocher placed fifth at 157 last year while Vallimont finished his redshirt freshman season in the Round of 12 at 149 pounds. Kocher opens the tournament against Iowa sophomore Ryan Morningstar (21-12). Vallimont (27-2), whose parents, Lynn and Abbie, are Bald Eagle Area graduates, faces Chattanooga’s Seth Garvin (23-5) in the first round. Vallimont defeated Garvin 15-7 during January’s National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals.
Three other Nittany Lions will enter the NCAA tournament seeded in the Top 12 of their respective weights. Senior Phil Davis, who’s attempting to become Penn State’s fourth four-time All- American, earned the No. 2 seed behind defending national champion Josh Glenn of American at 197. Davis (21-1), the Big Ten champion, begins his final national tournament against Cal-Bakersfield’s Riley Orozco (24-11). Sophomore Bubba Jenkins (22-5) received the No. 6 seed in a loaded 149-pound bracket. Jenkins faces Navy’s Bryce Saddoris (32-8) in the first round. If Jenkins wins, he could wrestle Northwestern’s Ryan Lang, a No. 11 seed who participated in last year’s 141-pound final, in the second round.
Freshman Garrett Scott (18-5) received the No. 12 seed at 141 despite finishing seventh at the Big Ten Championships because of a knee injury sustained against Wisconsin’s Kyle Ruschell. Scott, a three-time PIAA Class AA champion, begins his first national tournament against Wyoming’s Carter Downing (21-5). Penn State coach Troy Sunderland didn’t reveal any new information about Scott’s injury after Monday morning’s practice. “I don’t want to say a whole lot about it,” Sunderland said. “He wrestled (Monday), and he sucked it up at Big Tens and I expect him to suck it up at NCAAs.”
Senior 125-pounder Mark McKnight (13-9), sophomore 165-pounder Dave Rella (15-14) and junior 184-pounder Phil Bomberger (19-8) are unseeded. Rella has perhaps the most challenging first-round bout among Penn State’s seven qualifiers. Rella begins his first national tournament against 12th-seeded Jarrod King (27-4) of Edinboro. King, an Oklahoma transfer, claimed two PIAA Class AAA title during his high school career at District 7 Connellsville. McKnight and Bomberger are opening the tournament against 12th-seeded Oklahoma State wrestlers. McKnight, a four-time qualifier who has never reached the podium, faces Tyler Shinn (15-6) while Bomberger begins his first national tournament against Jack Jensen (13-6).
The 10 top seeds represent 10 different schools. Cal Poly 141- pounder Chad Mendes (26-0), Pitt 174-pounder Keith Gavin (22-0), Iowa State 184-pounder Jake Varner (25-0) and Glenn (15-0) are undefeated. Indiana’s Angel Escobedo (29-1, 125), Michigan State’s Franklin Gomez (28-1, 133), Iowa’s Brent Metcalf (34-1, 149), Edinboro’s Gregor Gillespie (28-1, 157) and Northwestern’s Dustin Fox (24-1, 285) also received No. 1 seeds. Nebraska’s Paul Donahoe (125), Iowa’s Mark Perry (165) and Glenn are returning champions while Gillespie, last year’s 149-pound champion, is trying to win his second title at a different weight.
The three-day tournament begins with pigtail and first-round matches at noon Thursday. The finals are scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m. Saturday and will be shown live on ESPN.
Thanks to Guy Cipriano and the "Centre Daily Times" (State College, Pa.) for the article