Penn State wrestling: 3x NCAA Champion eyeing change after Olympic Trials

One of the former stars of the Penn State wrestling program is set to make a change of course. On Monday, it was announced that three-time National Champion Jason Nolf will make his professional grappling debut next month against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter Andrew Simmons at the Paradigm Open 3. The decision could signal a potential move away from freestyle wrestling for the ex-Nittany Lion after falling in the Olympic Trials Championships in April.

Jason Nolf to make professional grappling debut in June

Paradigm Combat Sports announced Monday evening that former Penn State wrestler and current NLWC member Jason Nolf will make his professional grappling debut on June 9 at the Paradigm Open 3 in Houston, Texas.

Nolf will be taking on B-Team Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter Andrew Simmons. Founded in 2021 in Austin, Texas, B-Team is considered one of the top grappling organizations in the world. Before turning to grappling, Simmons was a two-time All-American wrestler at Missouri Valley College in the NAIA and a Division II coach.

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Of course, Jason Nolf had a stellar career at Penn State, highlighted by two Big Ten titles and three NCAA Championships at 157 pounds. The former Nittany Lion has had a strong start to his senior freestyle career, claiming Gold at the Pan American Championships in 2020 at 79 kg and two straight Zagreb Open Grand Prix titles at 74 kg in 2023 and 2024.

However, one person has consistently prevented Nolf from reaching further success on the international stage: Kyle Dake. In April, Nolf fell to Dake again at the Olympic Trial Championships, continuing his winless streak against his NLWC teammate.

Could Nolf be following another Penn State wrestling great into combat sports?

Next month’s turn to grappling could signal that Jason Nolf is looking to pursue a move to combat sports full-time. He wouldn’t be the first Penn State wrestling great to do so, as his Nittany Lion teammate Bo Nickal also made the transition.

Before Nickal debuted on the MMA or UFC circuit, he appeared in the Third Coast Grappling Championship 3 in December 2019, where he lost to Gordon Ryan. Nickal went 0-1-2 in his short grappling career.

Obviously, the underwhelming performance didn’t hamper Nickal’s move to the UFC any, carrying a 6-0 record early on in his career. Whether Jason Nolf will look to make a similar changeover or return to more traditional freestyle wrestling, only time will tell.

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