Penn State Wins Four National Titles at 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships

1st round vs No.18 Jacob Koser (Navy): W – 14-4 (major decision)

Beard worked quickly and won the out to take a 2-0 lead early in the first. With a turn and near drop points, Beard strengthened his lead to 6-0 at the end of the first period. In the second, with Beard starting down, he won the knockdown to take an 8-0 lead. Koser eventually managed to escape to cut the lead 8-1. A withdrawal for Beard brought the score to 10-1. A neutral in the third, Beard won another out while Koser came out for one, 12-2. Koser added to his total with one out, making it 12-4. Beard earned another escape.

Round 2 vs. No.31 Owen Pentz (North Dakota State): F – 17-8 (major decision)

Beard won the first out to take a 2-0 lead before giving up a breakout. The same would happen again as Beard led 4-2. The first period continued with flurries as Beard took an 8-4 lead. Pentz escaped in the second period from the bottom to cut the 8-5 lead. Another Beard strike followed by a breakout went 10-6. Beard got another strike out before the end of the period making him 12-6. They started in neutral to start the third period. Another pullout and breakout trade was 14-7. Must be an out game because it happened again making it 16-8. Bear advanced to the quarterfinals with the win.

DAY TWO

Quarter-finals vs. No.26 Jake Woodley (Oklahoma): L – 8-3 (decision)

Beard gave up the first out but was eventually able to escape and cut the lead 2-1. A breakout for Beard in the second tied the game, but Woodley nabbed another out to take a 4-2 lead. Woodley started the third period on the ground and won the flight to a 5-2 lead. Another pullout and breakout combo saw Woodley take 7-3 late in the game. Beard fell in wrestling rounds with the loss.

Blood round vs. No.13 Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State): W – 9-1 (major decision)

Beard worked his way to the game’s first out for a 2-0 lead. He also worked a turn to get four near drop points and a 6-0 lead going into the second period. No change in score in the second as Beard maintained his lead and accumulated over four minutes of driving time towards the third. A breakout for Sloan gave him a point, but Beard landed another out and had more than five minutes of driving. The beard clinched All-American status.

Consolation Quarter-Finals vs. No.7 Rocky Elam (Missouri): L – 5-0 (decision)

Beard failed to find his attack in the first half as they finished scoreless. Elam got the leak and then a pullout in the second period to take a 3-0 lead. Elam pushed him to a 5-0 lead with near drop points. He held onto the lead throughout the third period and took the win, bringing Beard back to the game for 7th place.

Match for 7th place against No.8 Stephen Buchanan (Wyoming): F – 10-8 (decision, sudden victory)

Early in the first period, Beard clinched a strikeout and managed to take Buchanan behind his back for near drop points. He took a 4-0 lead. He eventually drew stall calls to come up 5-0. Buchanan hit a backhand to cut the lead 5-2. Early in the second period, Beard gave up on a breakout and then an out as the game was tied 5-5. At the end of the second, Beard managed a knockdown to come back up 7-5 but Buchanan quickly escaped to make it 7-6. Beard escaped to start the third period but Buchanan nabbed a late strikeout to tie 8-8 and send him to a sudden victory. In overtime, Beard attacked and finished a nice out for the win and 7th place.