Jake Varner

{{short description|American wrestler (born 1986)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Infobox sportsperson | image = Jake Varner 2012c.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Varner in 2012 | full_name = Jacob Stephen Varner | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|03|24}} | birth_place = Bakersfield, California, U.S. | height = 6 ft 1 in | weight = 96 kg | country = United States | team = USA | sport = Wrestling | event = Freestyle and Folkstyle | collegeteam = Iowa State | club = Nittany Lion Wrestling Club | coach = Cael Sanderson | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's freestyle wrestling }} {{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }} {{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games }} center|80px {{MedalGold | 2012 London | 96 kg}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championships }} {{MedalBronze | 2011 Istanbul | 96 kg }} {{MedalCompetition|Pan American Games}} {{MedalGold| 2011 Guadalajara| 96 kg}} {{MedalCompetition |Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin}} {{MedalSilver | 2016 Krasnoyarsk | 97 kg }} {{Medal|Sport| Men's collegiate wrestling}} {{MedalCountry|the Iowa State Cyclones}} {{MedalCompetition|NCAA Division I Championships}} {{MedalGold|2009 St. Louis|197 lb}} {{MedalGold|2010 Omaha|197 lb}} {{MedalSilver|2007 Auburn Hills|184 lb}} {{MedalSilver|2008 St. Louis|184 lb}} }}

'''Jacob Stephen "Jake" Varner''' (born March 24, 1986) is an American wrestler. Varner won the gold medal in the 96 kg category at the 2012 Summer Olympics in freestyle wrestling.<ref>{{cite Sports-Reference|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/va/jake-varner-1.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207224800/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/va/jake-varner-1.html |archivedate=February 7, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.london2012.com/athlete/varner-jacob-stephen-1132186/index.html |title=Jacob Stephen Varner |website=London2012.com |publisher=London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |date=August 13, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822051518/http://www.london2012.com/athlete/varner-jacob-stephen-1132186/index.html |archivedate=August 22, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/18908541 |title=American Jacob Varner takes 96kg freestyle wrestling gold |date=August 13, 2012 |work=BBC |access-date=February 11, 2018 |archive-date=October 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018000459/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/18908541 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Varner wrestled collegiately for the Iowa State University Cyclones. He was a four-time NCAA Division I finalist and two-time NCAA Division I champion (junior and senior). In high school, he was also a two-time California wrestling state champion for Bakersfield High School in Bakersfield, California,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Californian |first=The Bakersfield |date=2022-09-10 |title=Former Driller Varner named head coach of Nittany Lions Wrestling Club |url=https://www.bakersfield.com/sports/former-driller-varner-named-head-coach-of-nittany-lions-wrestling-club/article_5801141e-3154-11ed-ab06-df57816c4201.html |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=The Bakersfield Californian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-08-12 |title=Wrestler Jake Varner's gold medal was a family production |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2012/08/12/jake-varner-olympic-gold |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=SI |language=en-US}}</ref> where was coached by his cousin Andy, who served as head coach, and his father Steve, who served as an assistant. His performance in 2005 earned him the Junior Schalles Award for top high school pinner.<ref>{{cite web |title=Junior Schalles Award |url=https://www.win-magazine.com/win-awards/junior-schalles-award |website=WIN Magazine |access-date=2023-04-28 |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131160645/https://www.win-magazine.com/win-awards/junior-schalles-award/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Varner served as an assistant wrestling coach at Penn State from 2016 to 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gopsusports.com/sports/wrestling/roster/coaches/jake-varner/673 |title=Jake Varner - Wrestling Coach |website=gopsusports.com |access-date=February 16, 2020 |archive-date=February 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216221658/https://gopsusports.com/sports/wrestling/roster/coaches/jake-varner/673 |url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2021, Varner was promoted to head the Penn State Olympic Regional Training Center (RTC), also known as the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports/wrestling/jake-varner-promoted-to-head-coach-of-nittany-lion-wrestling-club/article_0f76d3e4-4412-11ec-9de8-f3fadae87166.html |title=Jake Varner promoted to head coach of Nittany Lion Wrestling Club |date=November 12, 2021}}</ref>

In 2022, Varner was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/1560 |title=Jake Varner |work=National Wrestling Hall of Fame |access-date=September 18, 2022 |archive-date=December 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221204222831/https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame/bio/1560 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Varner defeated Pat Downey by decision at RAF 02 on October 25, 2025.<ref name="b691">{{cite web | last1=Immel | first1=Richard | title=Olympic champions Maroulis, Varner among RAF 02 winners at Penn State | website=USA Wrestling | date=October 26, 2025 | url=https://www.themat.com/news/2025/october/26/olympic-champions-maroulis-varner-among-raf-02-winners-at-penn-state | access-date=March 3, 2026}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons}} * {{UWW|varner-jacob-stephen|Jacob Stephen Varner}} *{{sports links}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Varner, Jake}} Category:1986 births Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:American male sport wrestlers Category:Bakersfield High School alumni Category:Iowa State Cyclones wrestlers Category:Living people Category:Medalists at the 2011 Pan American Games Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in wrestling Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in wrestling Category:Real American Freestyle male wrestlers Category:Sportspeople from Bakersfield, California Category:World Wrestling Championships medalists Category:Wrestlers at the 2011 Pan American Games Category:Wrestlers at the 2012 Summer Olympics