“Becoming a captain as a sophomore can be tough, but I knew he was ready,” Weiss says. “He’s really embraced the notion that the more you give, the more you receive. The summer before his freshman year, I had a feeling he’d be one of our great captains, and it’s a pleasure to see him living up to that.”

Despite his accomplishments, Peppelman is soft spoken and decidedly modest in speaking of his success.

“I’m extremely thankful for my teammates and entire support network,” says Peppelman, as his tone changes from excitement over his performance to reserved sincerity. “From the starters, to the non-starters, to the injured guys, we’ve really become a family. They all traveled to nationals to support me and Steven. I’m thankful for each and every one of them.”

He is still quietly confident about his future in wrestling.

“The ultimate goal is a national championship, and this is certainly a step in the right direction,” Peppelman says. “Coming into the year, few would have expected this. I was just fortunate that things worked out for me.”

He is quick to point out that becoming a national champion doesn’t come easily, but he is not alone in setting such lofty goals for himself.

“From the moment I met him, I knew something was different,” Weiss says. “He has the ability to be a national champion.

Whether he makes it or not, he’ll always have this season to remember.”

“Everyone on the team loves him,” Knapp adds. “I really can’t say enough good things about him.”

Sounds like an All-American in the truest sense of the word.