The first order of business was honoring Penn State's five senior wrestlers and lone senior manager. Seniors Eric Bradley (Plaistow, N.H.), DeWitt Driscoll (Connellsville, Pa.), Joel Edwards (Upper Darby, Pa.), Jeremy Hart (State College, Pa.) and James Woodall (Dupont, Pa.) as well as manager Carly Sayers each received their senior blankets and awards.
The first team award handed out was the Charles M. Speidel Award for the senior with the most career dual meet wins. Two-time All-American Eric Bradley claimed that honor with a 40-5 career record in dual matches. Bradley went 14-6 this season and earned his second All-America honors with an eighth place finish at 184. He was also a two-time Big Ten Champion, winning the crown in 2005 and 2004.
The Bill Koll Award for the outstanding freshman wrestler was given to red-shirt freshman Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.). Strayer went 26-6 at 133 this season, finished third at the Big Ten Championship and advanced to the ‘Round of 12' at nationals, finishing just one win out of All-America status.
Junior All-American James Yonushonis (Philipsburg, Pa.) won the Kaye Vinson Award for most improved wrestler. Yonushonis posted a 24-9 mark this season and, as the No. 9 seed at nationals, earned All-America laurels with an eighth place finish at 174 in Oklahoma City.
The Larry Reilly Courage Award for showing courage in wrestling and helping the team was given to Rohan Murphy (Long Island, N.Y.). The junior posted a 1-3 mark this season but, more importantly, as a bilateral amputee, will represent the United States in the 2006 Paralympics in Korea this summer, competing in the power lifting competition.
Junior Brian Cantalupi (Carlisle, Pa.) won the Academic Excellence and Community Service Award. Cantalupi, who went 13-7 at 165 and 174 this year, helped raise money for THON, worked with the Red Cross, helped with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and is the president of Penn State's Student Athlete Advisory Board.
Junior heavyweight Aaron Anspach (Columbia, Pa.) earned the Eleventh Man Award for leadership and dedication to the team. Anspach went 14-8 at heavyweight, including a 3-2 dual match record.
The Joe Scalzo Award for best freestyle wrestler went to freshman Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.). Pataky, who went 15-8 as a collegiate grappler at 125 this past season, was fifth at Junior Nationals and was a Junior National All-American in both freestyle and Greco-Roman.
Sophomore All-American Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) won the William Neidig Award for Most Outstanding Wrestler. Davis, now a two-time All-American, was the 2006 NCAA National Runner-Up at 197 this year, advancing all the way to the national title tilt in Oklahoma City. The 2006 Big Ten Champion, Davis went 25-4 this year.
Manager Tiffany Clark won the Carl A. Winterburn Award to the manager who demonstrates year round support to the Penn State wrestling program.
Senior Jeremy Hart (State College, Pa.), who went 5-1 at 165 before knee surgery ended his career, won the Nittany Lion Club's Academic Achievement Award.
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