One win away (wrestling)

ST. LOUIS —With the graduation of Matt Valenti and Matt Herrington, Penn had no returning All-Americans in wrestling this year. But with a win tonight in the third round of the NCAA tournament, both sophomore Rollie Peterkin ad junior Zack Shanaman will become All-Americans. However, if either of them lose tonight here at the Scottrade Center in downtown St. Louis, they will be eliminated from the tournament, despite coming so close to entering the history books. No pressure, right? “I just need to focus on this next match and ignore all of the implications,” the 125-pounder Peterkin said. “Every match is going to be tough. It was tough losing [yesterday] but I’ve got momentum.” Both Shanaman — who wrestles at 165 — and Peterkin lost their second round bout yesterday after winning in the first round, so they’re in the wrestleback portion of the bracket. Even though, losing yesterday wasn’t ideal, Shanaman is still fine with his current status. Being a win away from All-American “is good,” he said. “It’s where I want to be. Hopefully I can win one more. Actually hopefully I win a lot more.” A win clinches All-American status, but after that there are still three more matches to determine the third through eighth place winners. While Shanaman did qualify last year for Nationals, this is the first national tournament for Peterkin. “It’s a different mindset,” Peterkin said of the NCAA’s. “It’s a whole new experience, the big crowds. There’s lots of pressure every match since it’s a new level of competition.” And with an All-American spot up for grabs tonight, that competition will be even higher.