Edinboro Athletics Hall of Fame
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Deonte Penn (’17) joined fellow inductee Alex Clemsen as a standout for the Edinboro wrestling program. In fact, the two were teammates together, competing from 2002-07. Penn began his career at 149 lbs. before eventually moving up to 165 lbs. and enjoying great success. He was a three-time national qualifier who earned All-American honors as a junior and senior. In addition, he won two Eastern Wrestling League and two PSAC titles. He finished his career with a 114-43 record and set school records for pins in a career with 53, now ranking second. He began his career as the starter at 149 lbs. as a true freshman in 2002-03, posting a 17-15 record with seven falls. In 2003-04, he improved to 27-13 while tying for the team lead with 12 falls. He would win the EWL title at 149 lbs. to earn his first trip to Nationals. In addition, he placed second at the PSAC Championships and was sixth at the Southern Scuffle. Penn redshirted the following year, then moved up to 165 lbs. to compete in 2005-06. He would earn All-American accolades for the first time, finishing fourth after going in unseeded. He was one of the biggest stories at the NCAA Division I National Championships while helping Edinboro finish eighth as a team. He ended the year with a 33-11 record and 14 falls, the latter figure tied for 11th in a season. He won twice by fall at Nationals and upset the sixth and 10th seeds. He reached the third place match thanks to a 15-10 decision over Joey Bracamonte of Oregon State, but a rib injury forced him to withdraw from the match. He was named to InterMat’s All-Effort Team after finishing third at the EWL Tournament and winning his first PSAC title. He would earn All-American honors for a second time in 2006-07 thanks to a seventh place showing, capping a 37-4 season that included a school-record 20 falls. Edinboro finished ninth as a team and tied the school record for wins while going 17-1. Seeded seventh at 165 lbs., he would once again reach the quarterfinals. Appropriately, he won his final match by fall over Central Michigan’s Mike Miller to place seventh. Penn was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the EWL Tournament after winning all three of his matches by fall. He also won his second PSAC crown and came in first at the Southern Scuffle.
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