Last of wrestling’s Nevills brothers commits to Penn State

Clovis High junior Seth Nevills, who has established himself as one of the country’s most coveted prep wrestling recruits, figured it only made sense to choose a college where “someone (could) show me the ropes.”

That someone is older brother Nick and the destination is the country’s most dominant college wrestling program.

Seth Nevills decided this month to commit to Penn State, which has won six of the past seven NCAA Division I titles, including last season when Nick Nevills helped the Nittany Lions to a second straight championship with a fifth-place finish at 285 pounds.

Joining forces for the first time on a team with his older brother, who will be a senior when little brother arrives in Happy Valley as a freshman, was a factor but not the only reason Seth decided on Cael Sanderson-coached Penn State.

“I didn’t really think too much about that in the process of my decision, but he’s the heavyweight there and will be one of my workout partners,” Seth Nevills said of Nick. “And I am happy I will be there with him and have someone to show me the ropes. He had a role in it, but it was mostly the program and the coaches and all the accolades and things they’ve done throughout the years.

“I’ve been back there a few times in the summer. I fell in love with the place since my freshman year. It’s a great place and a wonderful program with wonderful people in it.”

Seth Nevills said the Penn State coaching staff and future teammates will help give him his best opportunity to accomplish his objectives of becoming a four-time individual collegiate champ on a team that wins four straight titles.

“I’ve always had my eye on them. You can’t look past this opportunity,” Nevills said. “It’s the (wrestling) room you want to be in to make it to the top.”

Seth Nevills is the consensus No. 2-ranked 285-pounder in all major national prep rankings, and the No. 10 overall recruit pound-for-pound in the Class of 2018 by Flo Wrestling.

He won the 285-pound title at the FloNationals on April 1 with an 8-0 decision over Cornell commitment and national No. 7-ranked Brendan Furman of Pennsylvania. Nick Nevills and NCAA 157-pound champion Jason Nolf of Penn State served as Seth’s coaches for the tournament.

Seth Nevills is the only competitor in California wrestling history to go undefeated as a freshman, sophomore and junior.

Nevills capped a 37-0, all-pin junior season in March by stopping Delhi’s Jesus Flores in 59 seconds of the 285-pound final at the CIF State Championships, joining Nick as one of 23 three-time state champs in California history. Seth Nevills won a state title at 220 pounds while going 44-0 as a freshman and a title at 285 while going 46-0 as a sophomore.

Nevills is 127-0 in his three-year career. He can join Bakersfield’s Darrell Vasquez (1999-2002) and Clovis teammate Justin Mejia (2014-2017) as the only four-time state champions since the event began in 1973 with another title next March.

Seth is the third of Wayne and Kerri Nevills’ four sons to sign with Penn State, and the fourth who will wrestle for an NCAA Division I program.

Nick Nevills chose the Nittany Lions after capping the most decorated career to date for a California heavyweight with his third state title and fourth state medal overall in 2014. AJ Nevills initially signed with Penn State after capturing his first state title and third state medal overall in 2016, then spent a year in Happy Valley as a grayshirt before deciding to transfer to Fresno State, where he will launch his college career next season.

Oldest brother Zach just completed his senior season at Stanford as an NCAA Tournament qualifier.

This story was originally published April 21, 2017 at 9:33 AM with the headline "Last of wrestling’s Nevills brothers commits to Penn State."