2020-21 Wrestling Roster
Wentzel, Jake
Jake Wentzel
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Weight:
- 165
- Hometown:
- South Park, PA
- High School:
- South Park
Bio
Career Highlights
NCAA Qualifier (2020, 2021, 2022)
NCAA All-American (2nd Place, 2021)
ACC Champion (2020, 2021, 2022)
ACC Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2021)
NWCA All-American (2020)
NWCA Scholar All-American (2020, 2021, 2022)
All-ACC Academic Team (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022)
ACC Wrestler of the Week (1/5/21)
National Wrestler of the Week (1/5/21)
2021-22 (165): Completed his Pitt career with another outstanding season ... Became the first three-time ACC champion in Pitt wrestling history ... Didn't concede a point at the ACC Championship for the second straight year ... Advanced to the NCAA Round of 12 but came up one win short of repeating as an All-American ... His last victory was a dominant 13-2 major over returning All-American Anthony Valencia of Arizona State, with Wentzel posting an amazing 5:00 of riding time ... Also pinned Lock Haven's Ashton Eyler at NCAA's, scoring crucial bonus points to help Pitt earn another top-25 finish ... Went 5-0 in ACC duals ... In his final bout at Fitzgerald Field House, got revenge on NC State's Thomas Bullard with a 4-3 win after tiebreaker rounds, sending the Pitt fans into a frenzy ... Named a NWCA Scholar All-American once again and became a four-time All-ACC Academic Team selection ... Wentzel won 12 matches by shutout in his final season, cementing his status as one of NCAA wrestling's best top wrestlers and toughest guys to take down in recent memory.
2020-21 (165): Earned NCAA All-American honors for the first time after finishing second at 165 pounds at nationals in St. Louis ... Finished the season with a 13-2 record ... Heralded in the college wrestling community for his display of sportsmanship after shaking hands with 165-pound champion Shane Griffith of Stanford on the NCAA podium following their memorable national final on ESPN ... Earned the No. 3 seed for NCAAs after building an impressive resume at 165 pounds during the season ... Defended his ACC title to become a two-time conference champion ... Defeated Virginia's Jake Keating 4-0 in the final ... Didn't concede a point at the ACC Championship, also earning a 1-0 win over North Carolina's Kennedy Monday ... In fact, Wentzel entered the postseason without giving up a point in 21:00 of wrestling - all against ranked opponents ... Beat No. 1 Mekhi Lewis of Virginia Tech by injury defeat in the dual in Blacksburg, but was leading the 2019 national champion 3-0 late with riding time nearly secured when Lewis retired ... Posted a 10-2 record against ranked wrestlers ... Selected as ACC Wrestler of the Week and The Open Mat National Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 5 after opening his season with a 5-2 win over No. 7 Tanner Skidgel in Pitt's dual victory at Navy ... Established a reputation as one of the nation's most feared wrestlers on top, rarely conceding escapes and regularly forcing opponents to pick neutral ... Won riding-time points in nearly every one of his wins and went over a month without allowing a takedown ... Also an outstanding student, named NWCA Scholar All-American for the second straight year and selected to the All-ACC Academic Team for the third time ... Became the second Pitt wrestler to be honored as ACC Wrestling Scholar Athlete of the Year, joining Tyler Wilps ... After his memorable campaign, announced his decision to return for another season at Pitt in 2021-22, utilizing an extra year of eligibility granted to all NCAA student-athletes due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2019-20 (165): Posted an 18-7 record overall, including a 10-3 mark in tournament action … Won his first 11 matches of the season … Was ranked as high at No. 10 in the InterMat rankings … Defeated Ben Anderson of Duke, top-seeded Kennedy Monday of North Carolina and David McFadden of Virginia Tech to win the ACC Championship in the 165-pound weight class … Had six major decision victories and a tech fall win … Defeated No. 14 Ethan Smith of Ohio State, 3-2 … Named NWCA All-American ... Selected as the James Conner Comeback Athlete of the Year for Pitt Athletics.
2018-19 (165): Went 9-6 on the season with a 6-4 record in duals… Competed in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite and finished with a record of 3-2… Recorded a pin in 1:48 against Andrew Shomers of number three-ranked Oklahoma State… Complied two major decision victories against Mikil Dawkins of Cornell and Jeremy Thomas of Oklahoma … Suffered a season-ending knee injury in February 2019.
2017-18 (165): Went 13-13 on the season including a 6-7 record in duals … Competed in the ACC Championship where he went 1-2 … Placed third at the Clarion Open after going 4-1 … Recorded four major decisions, two tech falls and one pin on the season … Earned back-to-back wins over ranked opponents after a 15-0 tech fall over No. 17 Lorenzo De La Riva at CSU Bakersfield dual and a 6-3 decision against No. 10 Evan Wick at Wisconsin dual … Topped North Carolina’s Josh McClure at the ACC Championship after recording a pin in 1:40.
2016-17 (157): Went 2-2 at Midlands, winning a match by fall and technical fall … Placed sixth at the Keystone Classic after finishing 3-2, collecting two wins by technical fall … Picked up a 10-0 major over Chase Delande of Edinboro … Collected a 10-6 decision over Austin Kraisser of Campbell at the Mountaineer Duals … Opened his collegiate career by pinning Zach Wilson of Ohio in 4:12 at the Mountaineer Duals.
HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked 40th in the country in the 2016 freshmen class … Two-time PIAA champion … Three-time regional and WPIAL champion … PowerAde champion as a senior and runner-up as a junior … Set South Park’s win record with 156 total wins (just 15 losses) … Compiled a perfect 42-0 record as a senior and suffered just three losses between his sophomore and junior campaigns … Boasted a .912 win percentage at the conclusion of his high school career … Wrestled under former Pitt standout Tyler Nauman at South Park and also wrestled for Team Nauman where he was a Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic participant at 160 pounds for Team Pennsylvania … Finished third at Super 32 and earned a runner-up finish at FloNationals as a junior … Helped Team Nauman to a Disney Duals National title … High Honor Roll student … President’s Academic Excellence Award … Member of the National Honors Society.
By the Numbers
2021-22 (Pitt): 19-7 - 1st at ACC, 3-2 at NCAAs
2020-21 (Pitt): 13-2 - 1st at ACC, 2nd at NCAAs, NCAA All-American
2019-20 (Pitt): 18-7 - 1st at ACC, NWCA All-America
2018-19 (Pitt): 9-6
2017-18 (Pitt): 13-13 - 1-2 at ACC
2016-17 (Unattached): 9-5
Career Record: 81-40
Career Record for Pitt: 72-35
NCAA Qualifier (2020, 2021, 2022)
NCAA All-American (2nd Place, 2021)
ACC Champion (2020, 2021, 2022)
ACC Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2021)
NWCA All-American (2020)
NWCA Scholar All-American (2020, 2021, 2022)
All-ACC Academic Team (2018, 2020, 2021, 2022)
ACC Wrestler of the Week (1/5/21)
National Wrestler of the Week (1/5/21)
2021-22 (165): Completed his Pitt career with another outstanding season ... Became the first three-time ACC champion in Pitt wrestling history ... Didn't concede a point at the ACC Championship for the second straight year ... Advanced to the NCAA Round of 12 but came up one win short of repeating as an All-American ... His last victory was a dominant 13-2 major over returning All-American Anthony Valencia of Arizona State, with Wentzel posting an amazing 5:00 of riding time ... Also pinned Lock Haven's Ashton Eyler at NCAA's, scoring crucial bonus points to help Pitt earn another top-25 finish ... Went 5-0 in ACC duals ... In his final bout at Fitzgerald Field House, got revenge on NC State's Thomas Bullard with a 4-3 win after tiebreaker rounds, sending the Pitt fans into a frenzy ... Named a NWCA Scholar All-American once again and became a four-time All-ACC Academic Team selection ... Wentzel won 12 matches by shutout in his final season, cementing his status as one of NCAA wrestling's best top wrestlers and toughest guys to take down in recent memory.
2020-21 (165): Earned NCAA All-American honors for the first time after finishing second at 165 pounds at nationals in St. Louis ... Finished the season with a 13-2 record ... Heralded in the college wrestling community for his display of sportsmanship after shaking hands with 165-pound champion Shane Griffith of Stanford on the NCAA podium following their memorable national final on ESPN ... Earned the No. 3 seed for NCAAs after building an impressive resume at 165 pounds during the season ... Defended his ACC title to become a two-time conference champion ... Defeated Virginia's Jake Keating 4-0 in the final ... Didn't concede a point at the ACC Championship, also earning a 1-0 win over North Carolina's Kennedy Monday ... In fact, Wentzel entered the postseason without giving up a point in 21:00 of wrestling - all against ranked opponents ... Beat No. 1 Mekhi Lewis of Virginia Tech by injury defeat in the dual in Blacksburg, but was leading the 2019 national champion 3-0 late with riding time nearly secured when Lewis retired ... Posted a 10-2 record against ranked wrestlers ... Selected as ACC Wrestler of the Week and The Open Mat National Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 5 after opening his season with a 5-2 win over No. 7 Tanner Skidgel in Pitt's dual victory at Navy ... Established a reputation as one of the nation's most feared wrestlers on top, rarely conceding escapes and regularly forcing opponents to pick neutral ... Won riding-time points in nearly every one of his wins and went over a month without allowing a takedown ... Also an outstanding student, named NWCA Scholar All-American for the second straight year and selected to the All-ACC Academic Team for the third time ... Became the second Pitt wrestler to be honored as ACC Wrestling Scholar Athlete of the Year, joining Tyler Wilps ... After his memorable campaign, announced his decision to return for another season at Pitt in 2021-22, utilizing an extra year of eligibility granted to all NCAA student-athletes due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
2019-20 (165): Posted an 18-7 record overall, including a 10-3 mark in tournament action … Won his first 11 matches of the season … Was ranked as high at No. 10 in the InterMat rankings … Defeated Ben Anderson of Duke, top-seeded Kennedy Monday of North Carolina and David McFadden of Virginia Tech to win the ACC Championship in the 165-pound weight class … Had six major decision victories and a tech fall win … Defeated No. 14 Ethan Smith of Ohio State, 3-2 … Named NWCA All-American ... Selected as the James Conner Comeback Athlete of the Year for Pitt Athletics.
2018-19 (165): Went 9-6 on the season with a 6-4 record in duals… Competed in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invite and finished with a record of 3-2… Recorded a pin in 1:48 against Andrew Shomers of number three-ranked Oklahoma State… Complied two major decision victories against Mikil Dawkins of Cornell and Jeremy Thomas of Oklahoma … Suffered a season-ending knee injury in February 2019.
2017-18 (165): Went 13-13 on the season including a 6-7 record in duals … Competed in the ACC Championship where he went 1-2 … Placed third at the Clarion Open after going 4-1 … Recorded four major decisions, two tech falls and one pin on the season … Earned back-to-back wins over ranked opponents after a 15-0 tech fall over No. 17 Lorenzo De La Riva at CSU Bakersfield dual and a 6-3 decision against No. 10 Evan Wick at Wisconsin dual … Topped North Carolina’s Josh McClure at the ACC Championship after recording a pin in 1:40.
2016-17 (157): Went 2-2 at Midlands, winning a match by fall and technical fall … Placed sixth at the Keystone Classic after finishing 3-2, collecting two wins by technical fall … Picked up a 10-0 major over Chase Delande of Edinboro … Collected a 10-6 decision over Austin Kraisser of Campbell at the Mountaineer Duals … Opened his collegiate career by pinning Zach Wilson of Ohio in 4:12 at the Mountaineer Duals.
HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked 40th in the country in the 2016 freshmen class … Two-time PIAA champion … Three-time regional and WPIAL champion … PowerAde champion as a senior and runner-up as a junior … Set South Park’s win record with 156 total wins (just 15 losses) … Compiled a perfect 42-0 record as a senior and suffered just three losses between his sophomore and junior campaigns … Boasted a .912 win percentage at the conclusion of his high school career … Wrestled under former Pitt standout Tyler Nauman at South Park and also wrestled for Team Nauman where he was a Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic participant at 160 pounds for Team Pennsylvania … Finished third at Super 32 and earned a runner-up finish at FloNationals as a junior … Helped Team Nauman to a Disney Duals National title … High Honor Roll student … President’s Academic Excellence Award … Member of the National Honors Society.
By the Numbers
2021-22 (Pitt): 19-7 - 1st at ACC, 3-2 at NCAAs
2020-21 (Pitt): 13-2 - 1st at ACC, 2nd at NCAAs, NCAA All-American
2019-20 (Pitt): 18-7 - 1st at ACC, NWCA All-America
2018-19 (Pitt): 9-6
2017-18 (Pitt): 13-13 - 1-2 at ACC
2016-17 (Unattached): 9-5
Career Record: 81-40
Career Record for Pitt: 72-35
Pitt Wrestling Highlights | Pitt vs. North Carolina
Saturday, March 01
Highlights | Pitt vs. North Carolina
Friday, February 07
Pitt Wrestling | No. 16 Pitt 42, Duke 0 | Highlights
Sunday, February 02
Highlights | Pitt vs. Duke
Saturday, February 01
