Penn State wrestling: 2x National Champion announces retirement from competition

Two-time Penn State wrestling National Champion Vincenzo Joseph is leaving his metaphorical shoes on the mat, announcing his retirement from the sport Monday evening. The ex-Nittany Lion cites injuries as the reason why he is stepping away from competition in order to pursue coaching full-time. Joseph becomes the second Penn State wrestler national title winner to step away from the sport in the last 10 days, with former Nittany Lions teammate Mark Hall also doing so at Olympic Team Trials last weekend.

Vincenzo Joseph announces retirement from competitive wrestling

After an illustrious career on the mat, Vincenzo Joseph has decided to call it a career. The former Nittany Lion took to social media Monday night to announce his decision.

“Finding the words for this has been difficult,” Joseph wrote in part. I have loved this sport and battled with it plenty over the years. I’m incredibly grateful for the career I’ve had, the ups and downs, and most importantly, the people who have impacted me on my way. I’m thankful for my coaches, parents, teammates, and anybody who has been there on my side throughout this journey.

“This last year has been very difficult with injuries, and I feel very blessed I was able to get on the mat and compete at all. It was not my best or most memorable performance, but I am just grateful I gave myself the opportunity…As I do with everything, I put my heart and soul into this, and I am truly sad that my time has come to an end. With that being said, I am really looking forward to continuing on the other side to be the best coach and mentor I can be. [I’m] already very excited for the future, and I will carry on with a smile on my face.”

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Vincenzo Joseph was part of three Penn State wrestling team titles between 2017 and 2019. He won National Championships at 165 pounds as a freshman (2017) and sophomore (2018) before finishing as National Runner-Up as a junior. His Nittany Lion career was marked by a 99-9 record with 28 pins, including 14 in the 2018-19 season. Joseph’s senior year was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After leaving the Penn State wrestling program, Vincenzo Joseph took an assistant coaching position at Stanford in June 2021. In 2023, he was hired as recruiting coordinator at Arizona State. Since 2022, Joseph has trained with Mark Perry’s Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club.

It was with the Sunkist Kids that Joseph competed at Olympic Team Trials last weekend, falling in the opening round to Jarrett Jacques at 74 kg before not competing in the consolation bracket.

Penn State wrestling legend Mark Hall leaves his shoes on the mat at Olympic Trials

Vincenzo Joseph isn’t the only Nittany Lion National Champion from the late 2010s to call it a career recently. Last week at Olympic Team Trials, Joseph’s teammate — Penn State wrestling great Mark Hall — also announced his retirement.

Despite only winning one title, Hall will go down as one of the most dominant wrestlers of the Cael Sanderson era, posting a 116-6 record while in Happy Valley. The Penn State wrestling icon chose to go out with a symbolic gesture to the Nittany Lion faithful, leaving his shoes on the Bryce Jordan Center mat after falling to Trent Hidlay in last Saturday’s consolation bracket 86 kg.

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