Penn State Wrestling: Most Dominant

According to recently updated statistics from the NCAA offices in Indianapolis, 5 of the 10 most dominant collegiate wrestlers in America wear blue and white singlets. You knew this intuitively, but it’s always nice to have your opinion confirmed by math.

What is “Most Dominant”? How can the NCAA claim Zain is a 5.67? What does that even mean?

The number represents the average of your team points scored in all of your D1 matches.

• Regular decision = 3 points (-3 points for a loss by regular decision)
• Major decision = 4 points (-4)
• Technical Fall = 5 points (-5)
• Fall, Forfeit, or Default win = 6 points (-6)

Sum all of the points you’ve earned (or lost) for your team, divide by the count of matches, and - TA DA! - you’ve calculated an average number of points scored for your team each time you step on the mat, which becomes your “dominance” rating. The higher your number, the better. The best possible score, of course, is 6.0 - meaning you’ve pinned everyone, all of the time.

Zain, Nolf, and Bo aren’t too far off that pace. Those 3 are the only 3 D1 wrestlers (out of approximately 2,500) with an average score better than a technical fall.

That, of course, is absurd.

Anyhow - you knew all of this intuitively, because you see Penn State whipping tail on the mat each weekend. But it’s fun to see butt whippings represented statistically, since it gives all of us one more opportunity to drop our jaws, point, and laugh. And laughter is good for you.