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NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

March 17, 2018

Jason Nolf

Cleveland, Ohio

157 POUNDS

THE MODERATOR: Now joined by the 2018 NCAA Division I national champion at 157 pounds from Penn State, Jason Nolf. Questions?

Q. During your match, Jordan just tweeted that Jason Nolf is not a human being. Do you understand why he would say that?
JASON NOLF: I'm definitely a human being. Yeah, I know what you're saying. I'm going to do what I do. I don't really -- definitely don't see myself as super human. I'm definitely not perfect or anything like that. But to be able to go out there and win was definitely a blessing.

I just fought my match. I lifted my life up to the Lord and said, it's in your hands now. Definitely felt real spiritual out there and just grateful.

Q. You had a lot of emotion this time around, more so than last year. Was that because of the trials and tribulations you kind of had to go through the last couple of months?
JASON NOLF: Yeah, I didn't really mean to get that excited over it. But it happened. But, yeah, definitely there's adversity with everything. So got through it. And I ended up on top.

Q. How does the thrill of the second title compare to the first?
JASON NOLF: That one was a little bit closer match. So it was a little bit -- seemed like it felt better. Maybe that's why I got more excited at the end. Just closer to the first match, kind of scored a lot of points. Hayden has really good defense. He stays in a really good position.

So got through on a couple of attacks early in the first period and probably should have got more attacks towards the end, but I didn't. But it worked out anyway.

Q. David Taylor also mentioned during that match that you're very creative in making things happen that people ask you, how did you make that happen, how did you do that. You say, maybe I did it when I was six years old or something like that. Can you talk about your creativity and the (indiscernible) scuffle, getting the takedown sometimes. And then how much has that knee hampered that ability?
JASON NOLF: I definitely felt a little bit slower since I got injured, but I feel better now than I did before. Just overall, physically, I was a little bit slower, I think hesitant because I wanted to protect my knee. And some of the stuff that -- I could do everything that I used to.

But I just wanted to protect my knee, not put myself in any bad situations to be out longer. Just finding opportunities to score. A couple of times I felt him reach in and post it and got the leg. And the other time I kind of passed his elbow by and got the leg. So I was just waiting for those opportunities.

So a little bit different than my normal style, instead of going and getting it I have to be a little bit more patient so I don't get myself in those situations. But I think I did a really good job this week.

Q. Your victory put Penn State on top of Ohio State currently in the team race. How much thought are you giving to the team race while you're out there competing?
JASON NOLF: I just know that we're going to do what we do, and we're going to let the score settle itself. I assume we'll have five national champions. And if we do that we'll win. Nothing to it.

Q. The tournament goes to Pittsburgh next year. Have you thought about it and what does it mean to you to win another title in Pittsburgh?
JASON NOLF: I haven't really thought about next year yet. I'm focused on this season. But it's going to be really cool to be -- cuz I'm around the Pittsburgh area. I live about an hour from there. So it will be pretty cool. I have a lot of people supporting us out there, as we do here, not too far from Pittsburgh here.

Q. Could you talk about the preparation kind of as a team and as an individual with five guys going to the finals and what you guys are doing before and throughout the day from yesterday to the semis and now for the final?
JASON NOLF: We're just doing the same thing we've always done. It's been working. So sticking to the plan and believing in our training and believing in ourselves and our teammates. So it's definitely a blessing.

Q. You said you don't really like to show a lot of emotion. You're showing your mom there -- she was crying there at the end. Is that just typical of her and how much of that is in you?
JASON NOLF: My mom probably shows more emotion than I do. But she gets pretty excited about it. And she'll cry over a lot of things. So I walk home and see her watching a Lifetime movie and she'll be crying. I'm like, what are you doing?

But she's pretty emotional. I think I get my stoic side a little bit from my dad and my wrestling family. I try not to be cocky out there. That's kind of why I get my hand raised and lift my hands up and walk off the mat, because a lot of that stuff is not necessary. But there's nothing wrong with it if you do do it.

Q. Are we going to see you at the World Team Trials this year?
JASON NOLF: That's the plan, yep.

Q. I've seen you very flamboyant in the past and I know that you said you wanted to protect your knee. How bad is that knee? Are you going to take some time off to let it heal more? I know your style is more basic than I've ever seen it.
JASON NOLF: Yeah, definitely more basic. I learned -- that's the first thing I ever learned in wrestling I went to Coach Weller -- I don't know if anybody knows him -- but he definitely nails the basics.

We did double legs for two hours every day. So I learned the basics, and when I went to the other clubs, like (indiscernible), that's when I started to learn how to scramble and wrestle in a more exciting way.

But I know that I have the basics if I need them. You can win a national championship, you can win a world championship in one shot. So that's what I was doing today.

Q. And the knee, will you be resting it for a while?
JASON NOLF: I'll rest. I usually take a rest after nationals, a couple of weeks just to let my whole body heal. So my knee's good, and I'll be getting back pretty soon. I'm not going to take too long off.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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