Roman Bravo-Young Returning to Penn State

The two-time NCAA wrestling champ announced he will return for another season with the Lions.

After winning his second consecutive NCAA wrestling title in March, Roman Bravo-Young teased the idea of returning to Penn State. Now he's made it official.

Bravo-Young, a two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American, announced Monday that he will return for his extra season of eligibility at Penn State. Bravo-Young's decision means Penn State returns three two-time NCAA champions to a lineup that seeks its 10th national team title since 2011.

"The history of wrestling at Penn State is long and stored, and the last decade-plus has been unmatched," Bravo-Young said in a statement. "To have played a part in what we have accomplished as a team over the years is humbling and I am forever grateful for the opportunity."

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Bravo-Young in March defended his NCAA title at 133 pounds, capping a 22-0 season that included four pins and four technical falls. He clinched his title with another championship-bout victory over Oklahoma State's Daton Fix.

After the victory, Bravo-Young delivered a recruiting pitch for Penn State.

"You want to win, you want to grow and get better at wrestling? You come to Penn State," Bravo-Young said straight into the ESPN camera after winning his title. "That's a fact. The results speak for themselves."

Bravo-Young himself needed a moment to think about it, though. At his post-match press conference, the wrestler from Tucson, Arizona, said he had nothing left to prove in college wrestling. Yet he still sounded as though returning was a strong option.

"I have nothing left to prove, but how about Penn State wrestling 2022 national team champs? What if I make that three [national championships], and we can win another one," Bravo-Young said at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. "It's definitely going to be on my mind."

Bravo-Young brings a career record of 80-9, and a 36-bout win streak, into his fifth season at Penn State. The 2022 Hodge Award finalist is a four-time All-American and two-time Big Ten champ.

Bravo-Young joins Carter Starocci (174) and Aaron Brooks (184) as  Penn State's returning two-time champions. Max Dean, who won the 197-pound title, is eligible to return as well. Heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet, who placed fourth, was Penn State's sixth All-American at nationals.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.


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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is Editor and Publisher of AllPennState, the site for Penn State news on SI's FanNation Network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs and three Rose Bowls.