Omaha, Neb. — Penn State senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) was defeated in the national finals at 165 in the culminating event at the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Vallimont's run to National Runner-Up status helped head coach Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lion wrestlers take ninth place at the event.
Vallimont, the No. 6 seed, took on No. 1 seed Andrew Howe of Wisconsin, who had downed Vallimont twice during the regular season. Vallimont got in on Howe's right thigh at the 2:22 mark, but the Badger was able to force a stalemate. Howe countered a low Vallimont shot and got the bout's first takedown with 1:51 on the clock to take a 2-0 lead. Vallimont could not escape a strong Howe ride for the remainder of the period. Leading 2-0 with 1:51 in riding time, Howe chose down to start the second period, escaped quickly and then took Vallimont down to open up a 5-0 lead. Vallimont escaped with :40 left in the period, only to be taken down at the end of the second to fall behind 7-1 (and how clinched the riding time point). Vallimont chose neutral to start the third period and quickly got in on Howe's right leg. But Howe once again forced a stalemate. Vallimont forced another scramble with a low single and got his first takedown with :59 on the clock. He cut Howe loose and trailed 8-3. The Nittany Lion took two more solid shots as the bout ended, but Howe was able to fight off every Vallimont effort and posted the 9-3 win.
Vallimont ends his Penn State career in stellar fashion. A two-time All-American with a third place finish at 157 and a National Runner-Up finish this year, Vallimont posted a 30-8 mark this year. He ends his Penn State career ninth on the school's all-time NCAA tournament win list with 15. The New Jersey native leaves Happy Valley with a 108-35 career record.
Iowa won the team title with 134.5 points. The Nittany Lions returned to the top ten after falling to 17th a year ago. With only six wrestlers competing, Penn State collected 49 points and took ninth place. The 49 points is the 17th -most in Penn State's long history at nationals and the third most in the last decade. Sanderson's six entrants posted an 18-12 record. Every one of the Lions' six qualifiers won at least two bouts. Penn State's three All-American placers in the top six marks only the third time this decade that the Nittany Lions have had three top six placers. Sanderson's first three All-Americans as Penn State head coach bring Penn State's overall total to 166. The ninth place finish is an eight spot improvement over last year's 17th. Penn State had placed out of the top ten in seven of the last ten years. Sanderson has now guided all four of his teams to top ten finishes (three years at Iowa State and now his first at Penn State).
Sophomore Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) ended his season earlier in the day with a fifth place finish at 149. A two-time All-American now, Molinaro ends his season with a 33-7 record. The sophomore placed eighth at 141 last year and took fifth at 149 this season. He will carry a 56-26 career record, including an 8-5 mark at the NCAA tournament, into his junior campaign. Senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah) ends an outstanding collegiate career as a two-time All-American after a sixth place finish at 157 this year. The Iowa State transfer placed seventh at 157 in 2008 for the Cyclones and qualified for nationals four times. He went 32-7 in his senior season for Penn State and ends his collegiate career with a 114-33 record.
Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) finished one win shy of being an All-American for the second time at 125, falling in the round of 12. Pataky went 2-2 at the event, beating the No. 8 and 9 seeds but losing to the No. 1 and 2 seeds. He went 28-10 over the course of the year. Senior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) posted a 2-2 mark at 184 and posted a 31-10 record in his final year with Penn State. Sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) went 2-2 at heavyweight and closed out his second year as the Lions' heavyweight with a 22-11 mark.
The Nittany Lions ended the 2009-10 dual meet season with a 13-6-1 overall record, 5-3 in Big Ten action, and ranked No. 10 in the final USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
TEAM STANDINGS, TOP TEN:
1: Iowa - 134.5
2: Cornell - 90.0
3: Iowa State - 75.0
4: Wisconsin - 70.5
5: Oklahoma - 69.0
6: Oklahoma State - 65.0
7: Minnesota - 63.0
8: Ohio State - 62.0
9: PENN STATE - 49.0
10: Missouri - 48.0
TOTAL ATTENDANCE (3 DAYS): 94,004
2010 NCAA Wrestling National Finals
125: #3 Jason McDonough (Iowa) 3-1 dec. #5 Andrew Long (Iowa State)
133: #1 Jayson Ness (Minnesota) 6-4 dec. #2 Daniel Dennis (Iowa)
141: #1 Kyle Dake (Cornell) 7-3 dec. #6 Montel Marion (Iowa)
149: #2 Brent Metcalf (Iowa) 3-2 dec. #1 Lance Palmer (Ohio State)
157: #J.P. O'Connor (Harvard) 6-4 dec. #7 Chase Pami (Cal Poly)
165: #1 Andrew Howe (Wisconsin) 9-3 dec. #6 Dan Vallimont (Penn State)
174: #2 Jay Borschel (Iowa) 6-2 dec. #1 Mack Lewnes (Cornell)
184: #6 Max Askren (Missouri) 10-3 dec. #1 Kirk Smith (Boise State)
197: #1 Jake Varner (Iowa State) 5-2 dec. #2 Craig Brester (Nebraska)
285: #1 David Zabriskie (Iowa State) 3-2 dec. #2 Jake Rosholt (Oklahoma State)
125: Brad Pataky, Jr. (Clearfield, Pa.), 28-10 overall - Season Complete
Rd. 1: W, 6-4 dec. #9 Jarrod Patterson, Oklahoma
Rd. 2: W, 3-2 dec. #8 Matt Steintrager, Central Michigan
Qtrs: L, 0-15 tech. fall #1 Angel Escobedo, Indiana (TF; 6:27)
Round of 12: L, 5-9 dec. #2 Troy Nickerson, Cornell
149: Frank Molinaro, So. (Barnegat, N.J.), #5 seed, 33-7 overall
ALL-AMERICAN - 5th PLACE
Rd. 1: W, 9-4 dec. Donald Vinson, Binghamton
Rd. 2: W, 8-0 maj. dec. Eric Albright, Pittsburgh
Qtrs: W, 8-0 maj. dec. Torsten Gillespie, Edinboro
Semis: L, 0-2 dec. Lance Palmer, Ohio State
Cans Semis: L, 1-7 dec. #4 Kyle Ruschell, Wisconsin
5th Place: W, 10-1 maj. dec. Torsten Gillespie, Edinboro
157: Cyler Sanderson, Sr. (Heber City, Utah), #4 seed, 32-7 overall
ALL-AMERICAN - 6th PLACE
Rd. 1: W, 16-12 dec. Bryan Deutsch, Northern Illinois
Rd. 2: W, 4-2 dec. Dan Gonsor, Virginia
Qtrs: L, 4-9 dec. #5 Steve Fittery, American
Rd. of 12: W, 6-3 dec. Anthony Jones, Michigan State
Cns Qtr: W, 9-6 dec. Justin Gaethje, Northern Colorado
Cns Semis: LBF Justin Lister, Binghamton (4:04)
5th Place: L, 6-15 maj. dec. #5 Steve Fittery, American
165: Dan Vallimont, Sr. (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), #6 seed, 30-8 overall
ALL-AMERICAN - NATIONAL RUNNER-UP
Rd. 1: W, 8-3 dec. Matt Epperly, Virginia Tech
Rd. 2: W, 9-0 maj. dec. #11 Rick Schmelyun, Bloomsburg
Qtrs: W, 5-2 dec. Nick Amuchastegui, Stanford
Semis: W, 3-1 (sv) #2 Jarrod King, Edinboro
Finals: L, 9-3 dec. #1 Andrew Howe, Wisconsin
184: David Erwin, Sr. (Urbana, Ohio), #11 seed, 31-10 overall -- Season Complete
Rd. 1: W, 4-0 dec. Erich Schmidtke, Oklahoma
Rd. 2: LBF #6 Max Askren, Missouri (3:51)
Cn Rd. 3: W, 8-3 dec. Jerome Ward, Iowa State
Cn Rd. 4: L, 2-6 dec. #10 Mike Pucillo, Ohio State
HWT: Cameron Wade, So. (Twinsburg, Ohio) 22-11 overall - Season Complete
Rd. 1: L, 1-3 (SV) #3 Zach Rey, Lehigh
Cns. Rd. 2: W, 1-0 dec. David Wade, Eastern Michigan
Cns. Rd. 3: W, 8-3 dec. #8 Ryan Tomei, Pittsburgh
Cns. Rd. 4: L, 0-7 dec. #11 Mitchell Montiero, CS-Bakersfield