UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. Two members of Penn State’s NCAA Champion wrestling team have earned the CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. Senior Max Dean (Evansville, Ind.) and junior Shahad Ahmed (Muscat, om.) were both selected as third-team CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.
Dean was a three-time All-American last March, winning his first-ever NCAA title in his first year as a Nittany Lion. He won the crown at 197, finishing a perfect 5-0 run from Penn State in the NCAA finals and helping the head coach Buy Sanderson‘s squad to its ninth NCAA team title in its last 11 tournaments. Dean set an overall record of 23-1 this season, including four majors, five techs and two pins. He also won his first Big Ten Championship two weeks before Detroit’s title run.
His 2021-22 accolades include the following: NCAA Champion (197), Big Ten Champion (197), First Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten, First Team Academic All-Big Ten, and First Team NWCA National All- Academic team. He is entering his senior season with a career record of 80-13 and 43-3 in double encounters.
Dean, one of four NCAA champions and five All-Americans to return to Penn State’s lineup next year, is now a three-time All-American, NCAA champion, Big Ten champion, and three-time NWCA National All-Academic honors .
Shahad became Penn State’s first-ever five-time All-American in 2021-22, winning a second consecutive individual championship at 141 pounds. Shahad set a perfect 22-0 record during her senior+ campaign, taking six majors, four technical falls and two pins. She also won her first-ever Big Ten Championship two weeks prior to the NCAA tournament.
Her 2021-22 accolades have expanded: NCAA Champion (141), Big Ten Champion (141), First Team All-American, First Team All-Big Ten, Wrestling’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honoree, 2022 Hodge Trophy Finalist, First Team Academic All-Big Ten and first team NWCA National All-Academic team. She has a career record of 118-13, including a score of 55-2 in double encounters.