By Noah Radio

After a third place finish at last year’s PIAA State Championship, the State College Boys Wrestling Team is shooting for the top in 2024-25. While there is a strong core of returning wrestlers, the face at the helm will be new this year.

First year Head Coach Jason Nickal is entering his second season with the program after starting as an assistant coach last year. Nickal’s coaching career spans nearly three decades and includes a stint at Rio Rancho High School in New Mexico where his team won four state championships in four years.

Nickal is looking to add a Pennsylvania state title to his resume and will certainly have the team to do so at State High. The Little Lions return two individual District VI champions in senior Asher Cunningham and sophomore James Whitbred.

Cunningham, a Penn State commit, won the individual state championship at 160 pounds last season. According to Mat Scouts, Cunningham is the 18th best pound for pound senior in the country.

Whitbred is the 89th ranked pound for pound sophomore in the country. After winning district and regional championships at 133 pounds last year, Whitbred was eliminated from the state championship in the round of 16. This summer, Whitbred placed second in the 16u Greco-Roman USA Wrestling National Championships and fifth in the freestyle division.

Nickal complimented Whitbred on his offseason and called him, “a bright spot,” going into this season. Nickal also mentioned senior Nicholas Berrena and sophomore Noah Young as promising members of the team.

As a freshman, Young placed second at the District VI Championships and second at the regional competition before losing in the round of 16 at the PIAA State Championships. Berrena placed fourth in District VI last season and committed to Norwich University on Oct. 26.

Cunningham, Whitbred, Berrena and Young lead a talented State College team into a challenging Mid-Penn Commonwealth schedule, which began on Dec. 12 against Cedar Cliff.

Further information on the State College Boys Wrestling team can be found on the team’s Instagram account, @statecollegewrestling.