Most Penn State fans experience wrestling from the stands. However, for students in the front row, the view is far more intense, notably in a sport where every grip matters and every second counts. The Penn State wrestling student section sits at the center of the action, ready to cheer. 

Behind the roaring energy is a group of students who do far more than just show up to matches and cheer. They plan, organize, advertise, and lead one of Penn State’s most dominant sports programs as a shared community experience.

For senior and president Kendyl Ramsay, that work began almost as soon as she arrived on campus.

Ramsay’s involvement began through ROTC, where she met a wrestling manager who invited her to a club meeting. In fact, it was one of the first clubs Ramsay joined as a freshman, and it stuck. 

“All of the officers who were seniors started our freshman year,” Ramsay said. “We all basically met within the first couple of meetings and just loved it.”

What began as a simple way to stay connected to the sport she’d grown up watching quickly turned into something bigger. As the semester progressed, leadership roles became available, which allowed Ramsay to become vice president before moving on to president of The Reckoning PSU club. 

“I’ve been involved with wrestling my whole life,” Ramsay said. “My dad was a coach, and my brother wrestled, so I know everything about the sport. So when I heard about the club my freshman year, I just wanted to be involved.”

Ramsay was determined to strengthen and grow the club while also encouraging others to love the sport as much as she did. 

“I wanted to build more of a relationship with the student section. Not just hyping students up, but being involved with media, with the wrestling club, and with the booster community,” Ramsay said.

On the surface, the wrestling student section appears simple: front-row seats, chants, and signs. But behind the scenes, it’s even more thrilling. 

In the days leading up to a meet, Ramsay and the executive board organize a plan to promote logistics and promotions across campus. They advertise by tabling at the HUB, hanging flyers, posting information on their Instagram page, and engaging directly with students to create excitement.

On the day of the meet, the student section leaders arrive early to act as the first point of contact for students entering Rec Hall and help distribute giveaways. Some of the most popular merchandise included bobbleheads, hats, and shirts. 

“We’re basically the welcoming committee,” Ramsay said. “We want to be the first people students see when they come in to help create a fun environment for fans.”

Once the matches begin, the group sits together in the front rows, saving seats, passing out rules sheets, and bringing energy to a sport where silence often dominates. 

“Wrestling isn’t like football,” Ramsay said. “You need to see where their hands are placed. Everyone’s focused. But Coach Cael wants it louder. The guys want to hear more chants, so that’s where we as a club need to bring our A-game.”

The crowd definitely matters, even in a program as dominant as Penn State’s.

“A call can be swayed based on how the audience reacts. Refs might be quicker to call stalling. Also, when the student section is loud, the wrestlers can feel it, so it definitely provides an energy booster for these athletes. Even if we’re going to win, cheering makes everything just more exciting,” Ramsay said.

For Ramsay, one of her most memorable moments from the club happened at the Bryce Jordan Center meet when the student section sat on the floor alongside wrestlers’ friends and family for a match her freshman year.

“We were right where the wrestlers run out,” Ramsay said. “They were running right by us. We were sitting with old wrestlers like Kyle Dake and Anthony Cassar, it was unreal.”

Beyond the spectacle, what stands out to Ramsay most is the character of the athletes themselves, especially after matches end.

“There are wrestlers who don’t even go back to the locker room for an hour because they’re signing autographs for kids,” Ramsay said passionately. “They talk to every single one. They don’t rush them. It’s really sweet to see how they get younger fans excited about the sport.”

That’s what defines Penn State wrestling culture to Ramsay: excellence paired with humility. 

With a big smile, Ramsay said, “The community is small but tight-knit, but once you’re in, you love it.”

Through banquets, travel trips, and post-meet club dinners, the student leaders of the Reckoning PSU club have built strong relationships with the wrestling community that reaches far beyond just Rec Hall. 

As Ramsay prepares to pass the torch, her long-term goal is simple: growth. 

“As a club, I just hope we grow and that people know they can come to matches as they would for a football or hockey game,” she expressed. 

Most of all, she hopes first-time fans walk away understanding the heart of the sport.

“It’s six minutes,” Ramsay said. “Six minutes to prove yourself. You can’t blame anyone else.”

And for those who are still unsure about showing up, she keeps it simple: it’s free, it’s passionate, and it’s one of the most exciting and reliable wins on campus.