Nick Lee (wrestler) explained

Nick Lee
Fullname:Nicholas Boone Lee
Birth Date:12 March 1998
Birth Place:Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
Country:United States
Sport:Wrestling
Event:Freestyle and Folkstyle
Collegeteam:Penn State Nittany Lions
Team:USA
Club:Nittany Lion Wrestling Club
Coach:Cael Sanderson
Medaltemplates: Penn State Nittany Lions
Show-Medals:yes

Nicholas Boone Lee (born March 12, 1998) is an American freestyle and former folkstyle wrestler who competes at 65 kilograms. In freestyle, he is a Pan American champion and a US National champion.[1] Lee represented the United States at 65 kg at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships.

In folkstyle, Lee was a two-time NCAA Division I National champion and a Big Ten Conference champion out of the Pennsylvania State University.[2]

Career

High school

A native of Evansville, Indiana, Lee attended Mater Dei High School, where he was a IHSAA state champion along with his two brothers Joe and Matt.[3] In freestyle, Lee was a two-time Fargo National champion.[4]

A Penn State commit, Lee decided to forego his senior year and graduated early in order to train at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.[5]

Pennsylvania State University

2016–2017

While not officially attending the Pennsylvania State University, Lee went 2–2 at the Bill Farrell Memorial International in freestyle in November 2016.[6] In February of the following year, Lee placed third at the Edinboro Open while wrestling unattached.[7] Back to freestyle, Lee placed fifth at the U20 US Nationals.[8] Lee also beat Sammy Sasso at Who’s Number 1 and Kanen Storr in the Fargo Finals to affirm his ranking of #1 in the country his senior year.

2017–2018

Competing under a redshirt, Lee placed first at the Mat Town Open, second at the Southern Scuffle and Clarion Open, and third at the Binghamtom Open.[9] In January, Lee's redshirt was pulled, competing as a true freshman instead.[10]

After a third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, Lee became an All-American with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA tournament, closing off the year at 32–7.[11] Lee then competed at the U20 US World Team Trials, placing second.[12]

2018–2019

During the regular season of his sophomore year, Lee claimed titles from the Southern Scuffle and Keystone Classic.[13] At the Big Ten Championships he once again placed third, before repeating as an All-American with another fifth-place finish at the NCAA tournament to close off the year at 31–4.[14]

2019–2020

In the midst of folkstyle season, Lee placed third at the 2019 US National Championships with notable wins over Olympian Frank Molinaro, US National runner-up Jaydin Eierman and NCAA runner-up Ethan Lizak, qualifying for the US Olympic Team Trials.[15]

After winning the Black Knight Invitational during regular season, Lee improved to a second-place finish at the Big Ten Championships to close out the year at 20–1.[16] The NCAA championships were then cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Lee, the second-seed, and all other wrestlers unable to compete.[17]

2020–2021

After several months off competition, Lee won two freestyle matches at the NLWC III and NLWC IV.[18] Back to folkstyle, Lee placed second at the Big Ten tournament before becoming an NCAA National champion, defeating Eierman in the finals, whom he lost to in the Big Ten finals. Lee closed out the year at 13–1.[19]

Fresh as an NCAA champion, Lee competed at the rescheduled US Olympic Team Trials in April, securing a prestigious third-place finish with a lone loss to two-time NCAA champion Jordan Oliver, and notable wins over three-time NCAA champion Zain Retherford, two-time U17 World champion Yianni Diakomihalis, NCAA champion Nahshon Garrett and U20 World finalist Mitch McKee.[20]

2021–2022

Lee went undefeated during his senior year of collegiate wrestling, becoming a two-time NCAA champion and a Big Ten champion with a 21–0 record.[21] Lee was then named the Penn State Male Athlete of the Year, and closed off his career as a two-time NCAA champion and a four-time All-American with a record of 116–13.[22]

Back to freestyle, Lee was unable to place at the US World Team Trials Challenge tournament in May.[23] In November, Lee placed second at the Bill Farrell Memorial, notably defeating U23 World silver medalist Adlan Askarov in the first round.[24]

2023

To start off January, Lee placed seventh at the Grand Prix Zagreb Open, defeating eventual 2023 World finalist Sebastian Rivera before falling to eventual 2023 World champion Ismail Musukaev.[25] On April, Lee became the US Open National champion, with wins over two-time Pan American champion Joseph McKenna and U20 World medalist Beau Bartlett, qualifying for Final X.[26]

At Final X, in June, Lee defeated four-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis in two close matches to make the US World Team.[27] In July, Lee made the Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial finals, with wins over World medalist Alibek Osmonov and European medalist Islam Dudaev, before falling to World medalist Tömör-Ochiryn Tulga.[28]

At the World Championships, Lee advanced with wins over European medalist Krzysztof Bienkowski, NCAA All-American Austin Gomez and U20 World champion Umidjon Jalolov, before being eliminated by returning World champion Rahman Amouzad, placing seventh in his first showing at the tournament.[29]

2024

To start off February, Lee beat rival Yianni Diakomihalis on points in a US Pan American Qualifier wrestle-off, before Diakomihalis forfeited the next match due to injury.[30]

Lee then competed at the Pan American Championships later in the month, claiming the gold medal.[31] At the Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament, Lee was defeated by Mexico's Austin Gomez and was therefore unable to qualify the weight for the United States.[32]

In April, Lee competed at the US Olympic Team Trials as the top-seed, where after defeating two-time Pan American champion Alec Pantaleo and two-time US National champion Andrew Alirez, he fell to reigning World champion and teammate Zain Retherford in two straight matches to place second.[33]

Freestyle record

! colspan="7"| Senior Freestyle Matches|-! Res.! Record! Opponent! Score! Date! Event! Location|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|36–13|align=left| Zain Retherford|style="font-size:88%"|0–5|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|April 20, 2024|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2024 US Olympic Team Trials|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| State College, Pennsylvania|-|Loss|36–12|align=left| Zain Retherford|style="font-size:88%"|1–2|-|Win|36–11|align=left| Andrew Alirez|style="font-size:88%"|11–9|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|April 19, 2024|-|Win|35–11|align=left| Alec Pantaleo|style="font-size:88%"|9–2|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|34–11|align=left| Austin Gomez|style="font-size:88%"|TF 12–22|style="font-size:88%"|March 1, 2024|style="font-size:88%"|2024 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;"| Acapulco, Mexico|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win||align=left| Agustin Destribats|style="font-size:88%"|INJ|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|February 24, 2024|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|2024 Pan American Continental Championships|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=3| Acapulco, Mexico|-|Win|34–10|align=left| Jacob Alexander Torres|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-|Win|33–10|align=left| Josh Kramer|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win||align=left| Yianni Diakomihalis|style="font-size:88%"|FF|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|February 3, 2024|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|2024 US Pan American Qualifier|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=2| Denver, Colorado|-|Win|32–10|align=left| Yianni Diakomihalis|style="font-size:88%"|12–3|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|31–10|align=left| Rahman Amouzad|style="font-size:88%"|4–7|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|September 18, 2023|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2023 World Championships|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Belgrade, Serbia|-|Win|31–9|align=left| Umidjon Jalolov |style="font-size:88%"|4–3|-|Win|30–9|align=left| Austin Gomez|style="font-size:88%"|Fall|-|Win|29–9|align=left| Krzysztof Bieńkowski |style="font-size:88%"|6–0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|28–9|align=left| Tömör-Ochiryn Tulga|style="font-size:88%"|TF 0–10|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|July 13–16, 2023|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2023 Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial Tournament|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Budapest, Hungary|-|Win|28–8|align=left| Islam Dudaev|style="font-size:88%"|6–4|-|Win|27–8|align=left| Alibek Osmonov|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-|Win|26–8|align=left| Josh Finesilver|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|25–8|align=left| Yianni Diakomihalis|style="font-size:88%"|8–8|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|June 10, 2023|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|2023 Final X Newark|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=2| Newark, New Jersey|-|Win|24–8|align=left| Yianni Diakomihalis|style="font-size:88%"|7–6|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|23–8|align=left| Joseph McKenna|style="font-size:88%"|10–5|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|April 26–30, 2023|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|2023 US Open National Championships|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=5| Las Vegas, Nevada|-|Win|22–8|align=left| Beau Bartlett|style="font-size:88%"|10–10|-|Win|21–8|align=left| Matthew Kolodzik|style="font-size:88%"|TF 12–1|-|Win|20–8|align=left| Jason Miranda|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-|Win|19–8|align=left| Hayden Bates|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|18–8|align=left| Ismail Musukaev|style="font-size:88%"|TF 0–11|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|February 1, 2023|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|2023 Grand Prix Zagreb Open|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=2| Zagreb, Croatia|-|Win|18–7|align=left| Sebastian Rivera|style="font-size:88%"|TF 13–2|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|17–7|align=left| Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu|style="font-size:88%"|TF 4–14|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|November 18–19, 2022|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2022 Bill Farrell Memorial International|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| New York City, New York|-|Win|17–6|align=left| Pat Lugo|style="font-size:88%"|4–0|-|Win|16–6|align=left| Kamol Begakov|style="font-size:88%"|9–2|-|Win|15–6|align=left| Askarov Adlan|style="font-size:88%"|TF 18–8|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|14–6|align=left| Joseph McKenna|style="font-size:88%"|TF 3–13|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|May 21–22, 2022|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2022 US World Team Trials Challenge|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Coralville, Iowa|-|Loss|14–5|align=left| Evan Henderson|style="font-size:88%"|11–12|-|Win|14–4|align=left| Matthew Kolodzik|style="font-size:88%"|TF 12–2|-|Win|13–4|align=left| Josh Saunders|style="font-size:88%"|10–3|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win|12–4|align=left| Yianni Diakomihalis|style="font-size:88%"|16–8|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|April 2–3, 2021|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|2020 US Olympic Team Trials|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=5| Fort Worth, Texas|-|Win|11–4|align=left| Zain Retherford|style="font-size:88%"|10–4|-|Win|10–4|align=left| Nahshon Garrett|style="font-size:88%"|TF 12–2|-|Loss|9–4|align=left| Jordan Oliver|style="font-size:88%"|3–8|-|Win|9–3|align=left| Mitch McKee|style="font-size:88%"|TF 14–2|-|Win|8–3|align=left| Tariq Wilson|style="font-size:88%"|14–10|style="font-size:88%"|December 22, 2020|style="font-size:88%"|NLWC IV|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=2| State College, Pennsylvania|-|Win|7–3|align=left| Brandon Wright|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|style="font-size:88%"|November 24, 2020|style="font-size:88%"|NLWC III|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Win||align=left| Yianni Diakomihalis|style="font-size:88%"|FF|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=6|December 20–22, 2019|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=6|2019 US National Championships|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=6| Fort Worth, Texas|-|Win|6–3|align=left| Frank Molinaro|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-|Loss|5–3|align=left| Jordan Oliver|style="font-size:88%"|TF 0–10|-|Win|5–2|align=left| Joey Lazor|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-|Win|4–2|align=left| Jaydin Eierman|style="font-size:88%"|10–6|-|Win|3–2|align=left| Ethan Lizak|style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0|-! style=background:white colspan=7 ||-|Loss|2–2|align=left| Joey Lazor|style="font-size:88%"|TF 2–12|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|November 9–11, 2016|style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2016 Bill Farrell Memorial International|style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| New York City, New York|-|Win|2–1|align=left| Shelton Mack|style="font-size:88%"|9–8|-|Loss|1–1|align=left| Jayson Ness|style="font-size:88%"|TF 0–10|-|Win|1–0|align=left| Alan Waters|style="font-size:88%"|TF 15–4|-

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dutta . Yashika . 2024-02-24 . Pan American Championship: Team USA's Top Ranked 65kg Wrestler Nick Lee Secures Gold . 2024-02-25 . EssentiallySports.
  2. Web site: Nick Lee - Wrestling . 2024-02-25 . Penn State Athletics . en.
  3. Web site: 2019-12-05 . Greatness Runs in the Family . 2024-02-26 . Penn State Athletics . en.
  4. Web site: Mater Dei's Lee brothers cap memorable summer of wrestling . 2024-02-26 . www.courierpress.com . en.
  5. Web site: Lindskog . Chad . Mater Dei's Joe Lee prepares to defend state wrestling title . 2024-02-26 . Courier & Press . en-US.
  6. Web site: Pyles . Christian . 2016-11-11 . Bill Farrell Men's Freestyle Bracket Breakdown . 2024-02-26 . FloWrestling . en.
  7. Web site: Lindskog . Chad . Lee brothers cementing Mater Dei wrestling legacy . 2024-02-29 . Courier & Press . en-US.
  8. Web site: 2017-04-30 . 2017 UWW Junior Freestyle National Championships . 2024-02-29 . The Guillotine . en-US.
  9. Web site: Engelhardt . Gordon . Redshirt removed, true freshman Nick Lee thriving for No. 1 Penn State wrestling program . 2024-02-29 . Courier & Press . en-US.
  10. Web site: Colucci . Anthony . 2018-01-13 . Penn State Wrestling Wins Seven Straight, Burns Nick Lee's Redshirt In 25-12 Win Over Michigan . 2024-02-29 . Onward State . en-US.
  11. Web site: Collegian . Sara Perlowitz The Daily . 2018-03-29 . From redshirt to All American: How Nick Lee gave Penn State wrestling a boost as a freshman . 2024-02-29 . The Daily Collegian . en.
  12. Web site: 2018-05-19 . Action Photos from the 2018 UWW Junior Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament . 2024-02-29 . The Guillotine . en-US.
  13. Web site: 2019-01-02 . Nittany Lions Win 2019 Southern Scuffle . 2024-02-29 . Penn State Athletics . en.
  14. Web site: Colucci . Anthony . 2019-03-23 . Penn State Wrestling's Lee Takes Fifth, Bravo-Young Takes Eighth At NCAA Championships . 2024-02-29 . Onward State . en-US.
  15. Web site: PennLive . Jim Carlson Special to . 2019-12-23 . Nick Lee 1 of 3 Nittany Lion Wrestling Club athletes to qualify for Olympic Trials . 2024-02-29 . pennlive . en.
  16. Web site: 2024-02-27 . Iowa Claims Big Ten Wrestling Title . https://web.archive.org/web/20200416223741/https://bigten.org/news/2020/3/8/iowa-claims-big-ten-wrestling-title.aspx . dead . April 16, 2020 . 2024-02-29 . . en.
  17. Web site: Engelhardt . Gordon . Penn State's Nick Lee is first national wrestling champion from Mater Dei . 2024-02-29 . Courier & Press . en-US.
  18. Web site: Collegian . Jake Aferiat The Daily . 2020-11-25 . Latest Nittany Lion Wrestling Club event sees Penn State rising stars, established veterans shine . 2024-02-29 . The Daily Collegian . en.
  19. Web site: Scovel . Shannon . 2021 college wrestling championship: Iowa Hawkeyes take home team title NCAA.com . 2024-02-29 . www.ncaa.com . en.
  20. Web site: Engelhardt . Gordon . Mater Dei grad Lee third in U.S. Olympic wrestling trials, earns spot on national team . 2024-02-29 . Courier & Press . en-US.
  21. Web site: 2022-06-22 . Wrestler Nick Lee is Penn State's Male Athlete of the Year . 2024-02-29 . www.themat.com . en.
  22. Web site: Hancock . Aaron . 2022-03-21 . Nick Lee Wins Second Individual NCAA Wrestling Championship at Penn State . 2024-02-29 . www.14news.com . en.
  23. Web site: 2022-05-18 . Men's Freestyle World Team Trials Challenge Tournament preview . 2024-02-29 . www.themat.com . en.
  24. Web site: 2023-11-19 . Lee, Larkin, Nolf, Hidlay, Macchiavello, Gwiazdowski win Bill Farrell men's freestyle titles . 2024-02-29 . www.themat.com . en.
  25. Web site: 2023-01-31 . Zagreb Open Ranking Event: Team USA day-by-day rosters and preview . 2024-02-29 . www.themat.com . en.
  26. Web site: 2023 us open nick lee - Google Search . 2024-02-29 . www.google.com.
  27. Web site: 2023-06-10 . Penn State Olympic RTC/NLWC Dominates at Final X . 2024-02-29 . Penn State Athletics . en.
  28. Web site: 2023-07-13 . Lee, Valencia, Snyder, Parris go for gold, Richards in for bronze at Budapest Ranking Series event . 2024-02-29 . www.themat.com . en.
  29. Web site: McKeon . Mara . 2023-09-19 . Two Former Penn State Wresters Win Gold At 2023 Wrestling World Championship . 2024-02-29 . Onward State . en-US.
  30. Web site: Dutta . Yashika . 2024-02-06 . Pan American Olympic Qualifiers: After Injury-Filled Wrestle-Offs, USA Wrestling Announces Final Wrestler Roster . 2024-02-29 . EssentiallySports.
  31. Web site: Dutta . Yashika . 2024-02-24 . Pan American Championship: Team USA's Top Ranked 65kg Wrestler Nick Lee Secures Gold . 2024-02-29 . EssentiallySports.
  32. Web site: March 1, 2024 . U.S. wrestlers Zane Richards and Nick Lee fail to pick up quotas in Acapulco . Olympics.
  33. Web site: Stine . Andy . 2024-04-20 . Penn State Wrestling Recap: Zain Retherford Sweeps Nick Lee for the 65 KG title . 2024-04-21 . Nittany Sports Now . en-US.

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