Defending the Title: 2012: Those Who Did and Those Who Did Not Defend the Title

 2010 champion Matt McDonough of Iowa wins title #2 as Kyle Dake of Cornell wins title #3 of 4 & Michigan's Kellen Russell finishes off his career as a two time champion. 

2012 Champion 133
Logan Stieber of Ohio State 

With Pat Smith of Oklahoma State being our first & Cael Sanderson of Iowa State being our second, little did we know that our third and fourth four time NCAA Division I champions would be wrestling at the same time.  As eventual four time champion Kyle Dake of Cornell won his third NCAA title, Logan Stieber of Ohio State won his first.  The four time state champion out of Monroeville High school would also win four BIG 10 titles during his career as well.  Repeating as NCAA champion in 2013, 2014 and 2015, he ended his time as a Buckeye with a record of 119-3.  Post college he had success on the international scene winning World Gold in 2016, following it up with Pan-American Bronze and World Cup Silver in 2017, and World Cup Gold and Pan American Gold Gold in 2018. 

2012 Champion 149
Frank Molinaro of Penn State 

Coming to Penn State from Southern Regional high school, Molinaro earned four All American honors for the Nittany Lions.  Placing 8th as a freshman in 2009, he was 5th in the nation as a sophomore in 2010.  He made the NCAA finals as a junior in 2011, capping off his career as the NCAA champion as a senior in 2012.  Post college he won Pan-American bronze and gold, as well as World Cup Silver and Gold.  Coaching at a variety of schools, he's spent time at Virginia Tech, Arizona State, Penn State and Rutgers. 

2012 Champion 165
David Taylor of Penn State 

It's gotta kill an Ohioan when one of their own competes for the Nittany Lions, but nevertheless that is the case with four time state champion David Taylor who came to Penn State from Graham high school.  Going 134-3 sporting the blue and white, two of his losses were in the NCAA finals.  He finished as the NCAA runner-up in his freshman & junior seasons of 2011 and 2013, winning titles in 2012 and 2014.  Post college he has put together a rather overlooked international resume.  While 2021 Olympic Gold is fresh in the minds of the wrestling community, Taylor also has World Gold, two World Cup Golds and three Pan-American Golds. 

2012 Champion 174
Ed Ruth of Penn State 

During high school Ruth competed for both Susquehanna high school in Pennsylvania as well as Blair Academy in New Jersey where he won state titles.  Earning 3rd place All American honors as freshman in 2011, it was nothing but pure domination for there on out for the Nittany Lion.  He was thrice NCAA champion in 2012, 2013 and 2014.  Post college he quickly earned the art of Jiu-jitsu earning Pan-American Silver and Bronze in that sport in 2017 and 2018.  He has since made a career in MMA. 

2012 Champion 184
Steve Bosak of Cornell 

During a time of multiple two, three and four time state champions, Bosak sticks out in particularly as he never won a state title during his prep years. Competing for State College Area high school in Pennsylvania, he was twice a Pennsylvania state runner-up before coming to Cornell.  A rocky start battling injuries, he soon overcame them as he finished in 4th place at the 2011 NCAA championships as a sophomore.  The NCAA title came Bosak's way in his junior season of 2012, as he finished 3rd in 2013 as a senior.  He won 126 matches for the Big Red. 

2012 Champion 197
Cam Simaz of Cornell 

Simaz came to Cornell from Michigan where he won three state titles for Allegan high school.  Competing for the Big Red, Simaz finished 8th in the nation as a freshman in 2009. He then took back to back 3rd place finishes in 2010 and 2011, finishing off his career as the NCAA champion in 2012.  He coached at South Dakota State post college. 

2012 Champion HWT
Tony Nelson of Minnesota

A two time state champion from Cambridge-Isanti, Nelson won three BIG 10 titles for Minnesota during his time as a Golden Gopher. Finishing in 7th place at the 2011 NCAA's as a freshman, he went on to win back to back NCAA titles in his sophomore and junior seasons of 2012 and 2013. He finished off his career as the NCAA runner-up in 2014.  He stayed on at Minnesota post college to coach. 

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McDonough, Russell and Dake Previously mentioned 

Stieber went on to repeat three more times to become DI's fourth four timer 

Bosak did not repeat 

Taylor did not repeat in 2013 but did in 2014 

Nelson repeated in 2013 but not in 2014 

Ruth repeated 

Molinaro and Simaz were both seniors