It is hard to put into words what Penn State Wrestling means to me, but I’m going to try anyway. The lessons I learned and the adversity I faced has sculpted me into the man that I am today. My time at Penn State was incredibly humbling. I guess that will happen though when you get your head kicked in for the first two years on the team. It was through those tough times that I learned grit & perseverance and eventually started to find success. I fell in love with the sport again. The coaching staff helped me believe in myself, even when that was a really difficult concept given previous struggles. They taught me not only how to be a better wrestler, but how to be a better person. It’s in those lessons that I continue to find the most value.
During my time at Penn State we won three Big Ten & NCAA Championships and I was fortunate enough to be a starter and contributor on those teams. The accomplishments are not what I look back on most fondly though, as my plaques and NCAA Championship rings are tucked away somewhere in my basement. It’s the crazy friends that I made, the mentors that I gained, the funny stories, the inside jokes, the long trips, the grueling practices, the games we played, the Saturday morning workouts, the good times, and the bad. I’ll also never forget Rec Hall and the fans that made it come alive. I still get the chills when I visualize making that run out onto the mat. I’d give anything to wear the Blue & White singlet just one more time. Thank you, Penn State Wrestling for the memories.
Bryan Pearsall
Class of ’13
133/141 lbs
