Woman files for protection from wrestler

By CHRIS ANTONACCI
and RYAN HOCKENSMITH
Collegian Staff Writers

A 19-year-old Penn State student filed for a petition under protection from abuse last week against Jamarr Billman, a 149-pound Penn State wrestler.

The petition against Billman, a returning All-American who was deemed academically ineligible for this season, is the result of a long-standing period of verbal and physical abuse, according to court documents.

According to the documents, the petitioner spoke to Billman, 20, on the telephone Jan. 15. She alleges during that call Billman said he wanted to see her and her family dead.

The petition was filed Jan. 20 and Billman was alerted Jan. 21, according to the documents.

Billman (sophomore-health and human development) was not present in practice Jan. 21. That day, Penn State coach Troy Sunderland said Billman was not in attendance because he "had some other things he had to take care of."

The petitioner said Billman also threw her in a chair, shook her violently, called her a whore and spit in her face four times on Oct. 31, according to the documents.

Billman and the petitioner became involved in an altercation during the summer as well, when Billman grabbed her neck and bruised her cheek, according the documents.

"Because of his violent past," she said in the documents, "this scares me, and I feel I need protection."

In an interview yesterday, Billman described his relationship with the woman as "long term, off and on."

Billman was ordered to appear at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow for a court proceeding.

"I'm just going to deal with it (tomorrow)," he said, declining to elaborate on the alleged incidents.

Sunderland said he will wait until tomorrow's court proceedings have been completed before he determines Billman's future with the Penn State wrestling team.

But Penn State coaching assistant Kerry McCoy said the team will support Billman through his ordeal.

"We're like family on the wrestling team," he said. "If your older brother or sister gets in trouble, you stand by them. That's what we'll do.

"We're going to support our athletes to the fullest extent. The bottom line is to hear both sides of the story -- there's always two sides to every story."

This is not Billman's first experience in court. He pleaded guilty to summary harassment before District Justice Carmine Prestia on Sept. 30. Billman served a 90-day probation period and was fined $300 as part of the plea agreement, which stems from a June 15 incident.

On that date, Billman struck Boalsburg resident Mark Kogelmann in the jaw after Kogelmann became involved in an altercation between Josh Perry of Boalsburg and Nittany Lion 165-pound wrestler Bill Dubler.

After the incident took place, Billman had a conference with Sunderland and former Lion coach John Fritz.

"We decided that it was in the past, but for me to keep it in mind," Billman said about that conference. "We just said, 'Forget about it, but kind of don't forget about it.' "

Billman, who was last season's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, was deemed academically ineligible Saturday before the Lions' dual meet with Ohio State. Prior to that, Billman had posted a flawless 21-0 mark, including individual championships at the East Stroudsburg Open, Mat-Town, the Penn State Open and the Wilkes Open.

He did not compete in the team's dual meets against Clarion on Dec. 11 and Edinboro on Dec. 12 because he had to study for his finals. Billman has not wrestled in the Spring Semester because of an academic inquiry into his transcript.

Billman is not the first member of the Lion wrestling team to have legal problems. Heavyweight Kevin Shippos was suspended for the season in November by the Office of Judicial Affairs for his involvement in the July 12 riot on East Beaver Avenue.