2019 NCAA champion Penn State team members and seven individual national champion wrestlers visit The White House today
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Seven 2019 NCAA Division I individual national wrestling champions and members of the 2019 NCAA Division I wrestling champion team from The Pennsylvania State University, visited the White House on Friday morning.
The wrestling delegation was among 22 collegiate national sports teams who were honored today at The White House, and met with President Donald J. Trump as part of their visit.
The wrestling visit was organized by Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, chairman of the Congressional Wrestling Caucus, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a NCAA wrestling champion for the University of Wisconsin and Capt. Adam Chamie, who helped found the Congressional Wrestling Caucus.
Invited to the White House were Penn State’s 2019 NCAA championship team, as well as all 10 of the 2019 NCAA Division I individual champions, which also includes athletes from Arizona State University, Cornell University, Northern Iowa University, Rutgers University, the University of Iowa, and Virginia Tech University. While wrestlers have been to The White House before, this is reportedly the first time all of the NCAA Div. I individual wrestling champions have been invited.
Seven of the 10 NCAA champions from 2019 were in attendance, as well as four members of the 2019 Penn State team. Some of those invited were not able to attend because the White House visit conflicted with scheduled competition.
Photos were taken with each of the wrestling teams represented, with Rep. Jordan and United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in many of the photos. The wrestling delegation was also invited for a private meeting in the Oval Office afterwards.
Photos of each of the college wrestling teams were taken by Capt. Chamie, and are posted below.
Penn State University (left to right): Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Jason Nolf (2019 NCAA champion at 157 pounds), Nick Nevills (Varsity wrestler), President Donald J. Trump, Rick Kaluza (Senior Associate Athletic Director, Finance and Business Operations), Bo Nickal (2019 NCAA champion at 197 pounds), Mason Manville (Varsity wrestler)
Rutgers University (left to right) Donny Pritzlaff (Associate Head Coach), Nick Suriano (2019 NCAA champion at 133 pounds), President Donald J. Trump, Anthony Ashnault (2019 NCAA champion at 149 pounds), Scott Goodale (Head Coach), Rep. Jim Jordan (OH)
Cornell University (left to right) Rob Koll (The David Dunlop ’59 Head Coach of Wrestling), President Donald J. Trump, Yianni Diakomihalis, 2019 NCAA champion at 141 pounds
Virginia Tech (left to right) Rep. Jim Jordan (OH), Mekhi Lewis (2019 NCAA champion at 165 pounds), President Donald J. Trump, Tony Robie (Head Coach)
University of Northern Iowa (left to right) Randy Pugh (Assistant Coach), President Donald J. Trump, Drew Foster (2019 NCAA champion at 184 pounds), Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos
The wrestling delegation was among 22 collegiate national sports teams who were honored today at The White House, and met with President Donald J. Trump as part of their visit.
The wrestling visit was organized by Rep. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, chairman of the Congressional Wrestling Caucus, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a NCAA wrestling champion for the University of Wisconsin and Capt. Adam Chamie, who helped found the Congressional Wrestling Caucus.
Invited to the White House were Penn State’s 2019 NCAA championship team, as well as all 10 of the 2019 NCAA Division I individual champions, which also includes athletes from Arizona State University, Cornell University, Northern Iowa University, Rutgers University, the University of Iowa, and Virginia Tech University. While wrestlers have been to The White House before, this is reportedly the first time all of the NCAA Div. I individual wrestling champions have been invited.
Seven of the 10 NCAA champions from 2019 were in attendance, as well as four members of the 2019 Penn State team. Some of those invited were not able to attend because the White House visit conflicted with scheduled competition.
Photos were taken with each of the wrestling teams represented, with Rep. Jordan and United States Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in many of the photos. The wrestling delegation was also invited for a private meeting in the Oval Office afterwards.
Photos of each of the college wrestling teams were taken by Capt. Chamie, and are posted below.
Penn State University (left to right): Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Jason Nolf (2019 NCAA champion at 157 pounds), Nick Nevills (Varsity wrestler), President Donald J. Trump, Rick Kaluza (Senior Associate Athletic Director, Finance and Business Operations), Bo Nickal (2019 NCAA champion at 197 pounds), Mason Manville (Varsity wrestler)
Rutgers University (left to right) Donny Pritzlaff (Associate Head Coach), Nick Suriano (2019 NCAA champion at 133 pounds), President Donald J. Trump, Anthony Ashnault (2019 NCAA champion at 149 pounds), Scott Goodale (Head Coach), Rep. Jim Jordan (OH)
Cornell University (left to right) Rob Koll (The David Dunlop ’59 Head Coach of Wrestling), President Donald J. Trump, Yianni Diakomihalis, 2019 NCAA champion at 141 pounds
Virginia Tech (left to right) Rep. Jim Jordan (OH), Mekhi Lewis (2019 NCAA champion at 165 pounds), President Donald J. Trump, Tony Robie (Head Coach)
University of Northern Iowa (left to right) Randy Pugh (Assistant Coach), President Donald J. Trump, Drew Foster (2019 NCAA champion at 184 pounds), Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos
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