Dave Rella Class: Junior Hometown: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio High School: Walsh Jesuit Height / Weight: 5-8 / 165 Experience: SO

One point, just one point can be what a wrestler focuses on during the long hot summers that occur between wrestling seasons. By all accounts, Dave Rella had an outstanding freshman campaign. He emerged in the Nittany Lion starting line-up as a true freshman. He posted over 20 wins, he had three wins in Big Ten duals. But in the end, the talented and firey Nittany Lion 165-pounder used a one-point loss in the seventh place bout at Big Tens last year as his motivation during the off-season. Rella heads into the new campaign determined and driven to not only earn a trip to nationals, but to take advantage with an All-America tag. His abilities were evident throughout his rookie campaign and his hard work over the summer make him one to watch as the 2007-08 campaign gets underway.

Lion Career:

2006-07: Rella wrestled unattached through the entire first semester, taking part in three tournaments and placing no lower than third in each...went 6-1 at the ESU Open to place third and then was a perfect 4-0 at Mat-Town USA to win the 165-pound title...he advanced to the finals at the 2006 Nittany Lion Open, going 5-1 and finishing second...made collegiate debut with 2-1 loss to No. 1 Steve Anceravage of Cornell on Jan. 7, 2007...lost tough 7-3 decision to No. 8 Deonte Penn of Edinboro on 1/13 at the Virginia Duals...downed Wisconsin's Jake Donar 6-4 in Big Ten dual debut on 1/19...beat Greg Hagel of Northwestern 12-7 on 2/2 for second Big Ten win...beat Michigan State's Rex Kendle on 2/18 for third conference win and 20th win of season...went 1-3 in Big Ten Tournament, including tough one-point loss in seventh place bout...posted 21-13 overall record.
Big Ten Championships (1-3, 8th): Went 1-3 in first run through Big Tens...seventh seed at tournament...lost 13-2 to #2 seed Mark Perry of Iowa...beat Michigan State's Rex Kendle 9-6...fell 9-6 to #3 seed Tyler Safratowich of Minnesota...lost heart-breaking 3-2 decision to Indiana's Max Dean in seventh place bout, missing shot at nationals with the defeat.

High School/Personal: Rella entered the 2005-06 high school season as the defending Ohio State Champion at Walsh Jesuit High School in Cleveland, Ohio...2005 Junior National Freestyle runner-up...a Junior National All-American...runner-up at the FILA Junior National Freestyle Championships...two-time Powerade Champion and an Ironman Champion...Rella claimed yet another Ohio state title in 2006, his second straight...won the 2006 High School National Championship.

CAREER STATISTICS