Jack Decker Class: Senior Hometown: Roseland, N.J. High School: Seton Hall Prep Height / Weight: 6-0 / 174 Experience: SR

Jack Decker heads into the 2007-08 season looking to battle for the starting spot at 174 or, perhaps, 184. A talented grappler who had 20 wins as a freshman in 2004-05, Decker has shown the ability to compete at the highest level. Decker red-shirted two years ago and went 10-6 in tournament's last season. He was a critical component to Penn State's dual success a season ago and is looking to earn time in the starting line-up in 2007-08.

Lion Career:

2006-07: Decker was 2-0 at the ESU Open before a cut requiring stitches over his right eye forced him to take two medical forfeits and bow out of the tourney...went 4-2 at Mat-Town on 11/25 to place fifth...went 4-1 at Wilkes Open with three pins and a technical fall, winning the tourney's Most Falls Award and placing third...went 4-0 in matches decided by pins.

2005-06: Decker red-shirted in 2005-06...posted 18-8 record wrestling unattached...5-0 in pins...placed third at the Millersville Invitational....third at Wilkes...fifth at ESU Open.

2004-05: Decker took over the starting job at 149 pounds in January after senior co-captain James Woodall (ranked #12 at the time) suffered a torn ACL in the finals at the Midlands Championships...a true-freshman, Decker went on to wrestle in Penn State's last 17 dual meets on the year posting a 19-21 mark overall...He lost in sudden victory overtime (7-5) in his first career dual meet appearance, but rebounded to post his first career dual meet win two days later with a fall at 2:54 over West Virginia's Ted Adams...he placed third in the Central Jersey Open and the Buffalo Open...lost to 12 ranked opponents on the year (six in the top 10), all coming in his last 19 matches...got a big 11-2 major decision win over Northwestern's Jimmy Kim, part of a five-match run that brought Penn State from a 13-3 deficit on the road to a 24-13 win.
Big Ten Championships (1-3; 8th): In his first Big Ten Tournament appearance, he fell by technical fall (21-4) to #1 seed Eric Tannenbaum in the first round but rebounded with a 5-2 win over Steven Wolery in the consolation bracket...lost his following match and fell into the seventh place bout where he was beaten by #3 seed Doug Withstandley and finished eighth.

High School/Personal: The 2004 New Jersey State High School runner-up at 140 pounds, Decker was ranked No. 2 in the final New Jersey's Best Top 12 Individual Rankings at 140...two-time state place winner (he was sixth at 125 in 2003)...posted a 35-3 record in his senior season to improve his career record to 117-22...Seton Hall Prep's all-time career wins leader and the first Pirate to post 100 career wins...lettered four years, was a team captain his senior season and helped lead his team to three runner-up finishes in the Parochial League A North...named Seton Hall's Athlete of the Year in 2004. Jack DECKER

CAREER STATISTICS