Bo Nickal Reveals Top College Wrestlers Rake In $1m+ And Compares It To His Own Time At Penn State

Former Penn State wrestler Bo Nickal made his observation known about current college athletes making a fortune. Nickal also highlighted the difference between the recent pay structure and when he competed.

He competed for Penn State from 2014 to 2018 and posted an impressive record of 90-3. In his freshman year, Nickal won the silver medal in the 174-lbs weight category at the 2016 NCAA Championships in New York. During his time at Penn State, he showed his dominance in the 184-lbs weight category by winning the National Championships in 2017 and 2018.  He concluded his collegiate career with a victory in the 197-lbs category in Pittsburgh.

During a recent media interview, when asked to highlight the pay difference, Nickal said that when he graduated, college wrestlers didn’t earn much from endorsements. He further highlighted that things started shifting around 2021-22, when wrestlers started signing seven-figure deals under NIL policies.

“These kids are balling out of control. So I graduated in 2019, and all that wasn’t even a thing. It didn’t start until 2021-22ish, and now so in for swing these kids are making bank. Those numbers that DC gave for like a top-level college team are like pretty conservative. I have heard of seven-figure deals,” he said.

In 2024, Yardbarker estimated that five-time NCAA champion Carter Starocci would make more than $1.3m. However, Starocci suggested that the earnings might be higher.

Bo Nickal Discloses Who He Wants To Fight At The White House UFC Event

Bo Nickal recently revealed who he wants to fight at the White House UFC Event. Although the lineup has yet to be declared, Nickal has expressed his interest in competing in the historic event.

In a media interview, he said he wants to lock horns with Colby Covington. The urge to fight Covington comes from the latter’s jibe at Nickal for withdrawing against Yoel Romero in a Real American Freestyle after the Cuban athlete missed the weight mark.

“Yeah, you know, obviously that’s been the plan for me since after my last fight, and it’d be a great honor to be able to compete and fight on that card. It’s just going to be so historic,” he said.

“I think that the Colby matchup makes so much sense, especially considering the last RAF event, how everything went,” Nickal added. “And then him declaring that he’s going up to middleweight. That’s just something that I feel like it’s the fight to make.”