As the sounds of music and chatter blended together Monday inside the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex, redshirt junior Brad Pataky got right to work.
Jogging, roll-ing and lunging back and forth across the wrestling mat, Pataky warmed up by himself as he stretched in a business-like manner.
His straight-forward work ethic has helped the nation's sixth-ranked 125-pounder take care of business, and he has a 5-0 record to show for it.
Pataky's experiencing early success for the second year in a row, and he's one of two Nittany Lions with an unblemished dual meet record, along with 149-pounder Frank Molinaro.
Pataky leads the Lions with 20 takedowns, and has yet to be taken down by an opponent. Though he's amassed several points from takedowns, they're just part of his approach in matches.
"[My strategy] is just going for the points by whatever is there," Pataky said. "Whether it's a takedown, back points or escapes. But when I'm on my feet I've been trying to focus mainly on getting takedowns."
Pataky credited coach Cody Sanderson for helping him focus during all three periods of his matches. It's Pataky's willingness to follow coaches' instructions that's made him a prime example of how to go about practice.
Standing 5-foot-3, Pataky may be small in stature, but his impact on the team is much larger. Assistant coach Troy Letters said though the junior is a quiet person, he's able to lead by example for the rest of the team.
Lion 133-pounder Tyler Saltsman believes Pataky makes everyone he wrestles in practice better, but his impact is also felt in other areas.
"He continues to do the right thing on and off the mat," Saltsman said. "He doesn't say much, but when he does everyone listens."
Early on, Pataky's wrestling has spoken for itself. His quick start is representative of how the 125-pounder goes about attacking his opponents. The junior said he likes to make the first contact, and he's been working on getting his hand on his opponent and controlling him from the start.
Letters said Pataky will "throw the kid the sink" right away and goes at competitors the second the whistle blows.
The Lions can expect a lot of points from the 125-pound bouts if Pataky's hard work continues to pay off, and Letters believes the junior could potentially have a special ending to his season.
"I think Pataky is wrestling a lot smarter," Letters said. "He can wrestle with anyone in the country at that weight class. So, I think as long as he keeps focused and continues to work hard, he'll be a contender for the national title this year."
