Penn State wrestling adds another piece to its 2019 class
.JPG "Penn State wrestling head coach Cael Sanderson waits between matches during the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in March at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The Nittany Lions added another piece of their 2019 recruiting class with a verbal commitment from New York’s Monroe-Woodbury standout Marco Vespa.")
The future of Penn State wrestling remains bright as Monroe-Woodbury standout Marco Vespa announced his verbal commitment on Sunday, according to the Times Herald-Record.
Vespa joins East South Manor senior Adam Busiello as the second member of Penn State’s 2019 recruiting class to come from the state of New York.
He is projected to wrestle 125/133 pounds at the college level.
Vespa is a three-time Section 9 champion with a 169-25 career record, heading into his senior season. He’s 51 wins away from becoming Monroe-Woodbury’s all-time wins leader, according to New York Wrestling News. He is a two-time state medalist who placed third at 120 pounds as a junior.
“I’m really excited. I have the opportunity to wrestle in the best wrestling room in the country and get better ever day, which I’m grateful for,” he told the publication. “As soon as I went on my official visit I felt very comfortable and knew that this is the place I needed to be if I’m going to achieve my goals in wrestling and in life.”
During his official visit on Saturday, he told New York Wrestling News, he went to the Penn State football game against Kent State and was shown around campus by national champions Vincenzo Joseph and Mark Hall.
Hofstra, North Carolina State, Virginia and Old Dominion were other schools that showed interest in Vespa, according to the Times Herald-Record.
“It’s a great decision for me. As soon as I met the team, it felt really comfortable,” he told the Times Herald-Record. “I also feel really comfortable with the coaches and so does my mom. That’s a really big factor. The coaches really treated me well and I’m excited to get out there and train.”
In addition to Busiello, Vespa joins “gray shirts” Joe Lee, Seth Nevills, Michael Beard and Aaron Brooks in the 2019 recruiting class.
The Nittany Lions have won seven of the past eight national championships and return four national champions and seven All-Americans for the 2018-19 season.
This story was originally published September 20, 2018 at 5:36 PM.