Penn State wrestling heavyweight talks first National Championship, return for 2025 season

Off his first NCAA Championship this spring, Greg Kerkvliet is set to run it back with Penn State wrestling with the hopes of winning title No. 2 next season. The Nittany Lions heavyweight is returning to Happy Valley for a sixth and final year of eligibility, looking to join an elite list of Penn State wrestlers to win multiple National Championships.

Joining Justin Basch in an episode of the Baschamania podcast released on Monday, Kerkvliet discussed a wide array of topics, including his 2024 National Championship-winning season and his decision to return to the Nittany Lions.

Kerkvliet: Winning the National Championship was “a lot of stress off my back”

Although steadily improving each season, a National Championship had eluded Greg Kerkvliet’s grasp throughout his first four years in Happy Valley.

After going 8-0 during his redshirt year, Kerkvliet earned seventh at Nationals during the 2020-21 season, one in which the 285-pounder was not cleared to compete until the final dual meet of the regular season. Kerkvliet followed it up with two more All-American seasons: a 22-3 fourth-place finish in 2021-22 and a 19-3 National Runner-Up result in 2022-23.

But Kerkvliet got the weight off his back and put a trophy on his mantle during his fifth season, defeating Michigan’s Lucas Davison in the NCAA Finals in March to capture his first National Championship.

“Yeah, I usually don’t do too much, but that was a big goal I’ve had for a while,” the typically composed Kerkvliet told Basch of the fist pump celebration following his title victory. “So, to finally check that off the list felt good. It felt like a lot of stress off my back.”

The 2023-24 season was one of dominance for Greg Kerkvliet. A Dan Hodge Trophy finalist, the Nittany Lions heavyweight finished the year 20-0 with a 70% bonus. More than anything else, Kerkvliet attributes his perfect season to staying the course, never getting too high or too low.

“I think just consistency [helped me make the jump to a NCAA Champion],” he said. “Like, I wasn’t really worried about, like, whether I won or lost. It was just more of like, I’m having fun. I’m doing something I like.”

Nittany Lions heavyweight explains decision to return to Penn State wrestling in 2025

Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-USA TODAY Sports

Following the 2024 NCAA Championships, Penn State now has 14 current or former wrestlers who have won multiple individual national titles. Greg Kerkvliet can make it 15, announcing his return to the Nittany Lions for 2025 in May.

With the COVID pandemic granting him a sixth year of eligibility, Kerkvliet has already started thinking about life after college wrestling.

In August, Kerkvliet will compete for a $1 million payout at the Craig Jones Invitational, the highest-paying grappling event in history. The heavyweight told Basch on Monday that he does plan to pursue an MMA career after wrestling.

But even while it would be more than understandable for him to want to move forward with his life, Kerkvliet’s reason for returning to Penn State wrestling for one more year is simple. Because he can.

“[I chose to come back] just because, I mean, I like wrestling. It’s fun. I like grappling and doing that jujitsu thing,” Kerkvliet said. “So I mean, it’s just another year. It’s just another year I get to come back and keep doing the thing I like. So why not take advantage of that?”

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