Brady Berge, who stepped away from competition following an injury at the 2021 NCAA Championships, announced on Thursday night that he is returning to the mat and Penn State to finish his collegiate wrestling career.
The Minnesota native had a 10-3 record during his junior season and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals at 157 pounds last March before an injury abruptly ended his tournament run. Citing health concerns, including concussions, he announced in April he was finished with competing.
Berge has been a volunteer assistant coach at South Dakota State University since July 2021.
“Stepping away from competition was a difficult decision for me to make but was ultimately the right thing for me to do at the time,” he wrote in a statement on Twitter on Thursday night. “Coaching has allowed me to view the sport of wrestling from a different perspective and I have given my mind and body the necessary time to heal. I am confident that I am healthy and prepared for the challenges ahead.”
He added that over the past months he has “felt that hunger to compete again,” and take a final shot at accomplishing his childhood dream.
“I am excited to announce I’m returning to the one place I can chase this dream – Penn State – where I will finish my wrestling career as a Nittany Lion,” Berge wrote.
Berge also shared that he plans to return to his position with the Jackrabbits after the spring 2022 semester at Penn State.
While the Nittany Lions have started out the 2021-22 campaign with an 8-0 team record, they have yet to get a dual meet win at 157 pounds, with four different wrestlers getting a shot at the weight.
During his redshirt freshman year in 2018-19, Berge posted an impressive 20-5 record at 149 pounds with six major victories and three bouts being won via technical falls, ultimately placing sixth at the Big Ten tournament. He went 2-2 at the NCAA Championships and though he did not place he helped the Nittany Lions to their most recent team national title.
As a sophomore in 2019-20, he wrestled in only two bouts during an injury-shortened season, going 1-1.
Berge lost only one bout — an injury forfeit in the state semifinals — during his high school career at Kasson-Mantorville. He was a three-time Minnesota State High School champion at 145, 152 and 160.
The No. 2-ranked Penn State wrestling team returns to action at 7 p.m. on Friday at Maryland at 7 p.m.
StateCollege.com’s Geoff Rushton contributed to this report.
