Ex-Penn State wrestling starter seeks redemption vs. Nittany Lions this weekend

Penn State wrestling takes its undefeated record to College Park Sunday for a dual against Maryland. When heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet takes the mat, he will take on a familiar face from the Nittany Lions wrestling room. Sunday’s 285 dual will feature a clash of former teammates, as ex-Penn State wrestler Seth Nevills will look for redemption against his old squad after joining the Terrapins out of the transfer portal.

Highly touted Nittany Lion hits transfer portal after losing starting job

Seth Nevills was a highly coveted recruit out of high school. He was the No. 10 prospect in the country and finished his high school career with a 169-1 record. All three of his older brothers wrestled at the Division I level, including his brother, Nick, who wrestled for Penn State.

Nevills started out hot for Penn State, winning 20 of his first 23 matches, and was 12-4 in his first season. He then dropped four of his last five matches as a sophomore. Eventually, Nevills lost his job to Greg Kerkvliet. Unsure if he wanted to even continue his wrestling career after sitting behind Kerkvliet, Seth Nevills ultimately decided to enter the transfer portal and headed to Maryland for a graduate year.

Seth Nevills looking for redemption against Penn State wrestling this weekend

Seth Nevills has had a solid season so far, compiling a 10-6 record, including a 50% bonus percentage. He currently is No. 25 in the latest InterMat Rankings heading into the matchup with Penn State wrestling. The former Nittany Lion will now face off against the wrestler who took his job in Greg Kerkvliet.

Kerkvliet will be a massive favorite and may pick up some bonus points against Nevills. The senior has dominated just about every opponent he has faced this season. But in a world where the transfer portal is often criticized for being free agency, this is one of the scenarios where it gave an athlete an opportunity for a second chance. And now, Seth Nevills will look for redemption with an upset against the Nittany Lion who took his starting spot in the Penn State wrestling lineup.

Penn State wrestling will face Maryland on Sunday at 1:00 pm ET on the Big Ten Network (BTN). You can check out our full preview of the dual here.

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