Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1187122
most was what fans didn't get to see be- hind closed doors. In the locker room, he was just like chillin'. He had his peace." Rasheed said that Cassar's habit of doing all the right things outside the wrestling room is the key to his success. "He knew that he did everything that he possibly could to be ready for that match," Rasheed said. "And, win or lose, he knows that he gave it his all. To me, that was the most amazing thing." Cassar, who has built a 47-3 career record, pondered his should-I-stay-or- should-I-go options after the champi- onships and opted for another season; he was actually granted two years, but it's unlikely he'll stick around for a second. He has things to do. "I have goals outside of wrestling," Cas- sar said. "For me, it's mixed martial arts. It's more of getting to that style of com- petition as opposed to maxing out wrestling." That can wait. He faces a season in which he will see a combination of folk- style and freestyle competition. He has elite-level training partners, and that in- cludes Olympic champion Kyle Snyder, the Ohio State graduate who recently de- cided to train with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. "I was pumped," Cassar said about hav- ing Snyder in the wrestling room. "It's a great addition. I feel I've jumped levels al- ready and I feel like I've helped him as well, so we're going to continue to do that." He'll continue to train for the college season because, well, why not? "I mean, it was pretty fun doing it the first time and I wouldn't mind doing it again," he said. "So the goal is to be an Olympic champion at the end, and I want to achieve that through Big Tens and na- tionals. "I want to win every match, and just be- cause I have my main goal doesn't mean I'm not going to give my all to win [in col- lege]." ■ U.S. team roster might be composed, and it's even better for the Penn State wrestlers who are permitted at times to work out with the upper-level club par- ticipants. "We want to have the best training op- portunity in the world. My job is to coach Penn State and do what it takes to make sure that we have that, and then it's the kids' job to take advantage of it," Sanderson said. "But it's not about being the best in the room; it's about being the best in the world." QUICK HITTERS Sanderson said Mason Manville, who wrestled in a re- placement role a few times last season at 165 and 184, is taking an Olympic redshirt and is training in the Greco- Roman style at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. … Sanderson said sophomore Brady Berge was injured in the U-23 World Championships in Budapest in late October. It appeared that Berge took a knee to the head and was knocked unconscious. Berge didn't wrestle in Penn State's season opener vs. Navy on Nov. 10, but Sanderson said he was "doing well." ■ FOURTH AND GOAL As he begins his fourth and final season, Hall is tak- ing aim at his second na- tional title. He was the runner-up at 174 pounds the past two years. Photo by Steve Manuel