Penn State Sports Magazine
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4 0 A P R I L 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M trators, such as athletics director Sandy Barbour and associate AD Rick Kaluza, posed for team pictures — and there were plenty of smiles. They initiated the school's "We are" chant from center mat for the first time since 2019, while holding the team tro- phy and acknowledging the hundreds of Penn State wrestling fans who made the trip to the Motor City. The team's success, Sanderson said, comes from teamwork. "We're a team, but we're made up of individuals. We just want our kids to be happy and reach their goals when they come to Penn State," said Sanderson, who was named Coach of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. "Our job is to give them the resources and whatever we can do to help them be the best they can be. When it works out for them, that's great. It doesn't most of the time. So when it does, it's a special thing." Sanderson cited his staff of Cody Sanderson (Cael's brother), Casey Cun- ningham and Jimmy Kennedy, along with former assistant Jake Varner, who now runs the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. "We've just spent a lot of time to- gether. I just try to stay out of their way, because they do a great job," Sanderson said. "There are a lot of support people — our director of ops Adam Lynch, our strength coach Michael Schroeder, our trainer Dan Monthley … a lot of people doing hard work." That work over the years has equated not only to the nine NCAA team titles but also 70 All-Americans under Sand- erson, 46 finalists and 32 champions. They've gone nine for nine in the final round of the past two NCAA Champion- ships (and 10 in a row dating back to the last match of the 2019 finals, Bo Nickal at 197). Overall under Sanderson, PSU has won 45 of 50 bouts in the NCAA semifi- nals — an amazing statistic. Sanderson stresses the team concept, and his student-athletes wrestle for the program. "I think anybody that comes into our room from outside can tell you it's a very different vibe, a different atmo- Charting Cael Sanderson's Championship History When Penn State made the stunning announcement in April 2009 that it was bringing in Cael Sanderson to take charge of its wrestling program, a lot of people saw the blockbuster hire as the potential awakening of a sleeping giant. The Nittany Lions hadn't won a national title since 1953, but Pennsylvania was a wrestling hotbed, and Sanderson was one of the biggest names in the history of the sport. Surely the combination would yield positive results. Thirteen years have since passed, and if anything, the reality has exceeded even the rosiest predictions for Sanderson's future at PSU. The Nittany Lions are in the midst of one of the great dynastic runs in all of college sports, with nine NCAA team titles in the past 12 years and no signs that they are slowing down. Here's a look at the nine championships the 42-year-old Sanderson has won so far. — Matt Herb Thanks in large part to Vincenzo Joseph title-winning performance at 165 pounds, Penn State compiled 146.5 team points and easily outdistanced Ohio State for the 2017 national championship. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS Penn State's NCAA Titles Under Sanderson SEASON POINTS RUNNER-UP INDIVIDUAL CHAMPS 2010-11 103.5 Cornell Quentin Wright (184) 2011-12 143.0 Minnesota Frank Molinaro (149), David Taylor (165), Ed Ruth (174) 2012-13 123.5 Oklahoma State Ed Ruth (184), Quentin Wright (197) 2013-14 109.5 Minnesota David Taylor (165), Ed Ruth (184) 2015-16 123.0 Oklahoma State Zain Retherford (149) 2016-17 146.5 Ohio State Zain Retherford (149), Jason Nolf (157), Vincenzo Joseph (165), Mark Hall (174), Bo Nickal (184) 2017-18 141.5 Ohio State Zain Retherford (149), Jason Nolf (157), Bo Nickal (197), Anthony Cassar (285) 2018-19 137.5 Ohio State Jason Nolf (157), Bo Nickal (197), Anthony Cassar (285) 2021-22 131.5 Michigan Roman Bravo-Young (133), Nick Lee (141), Carter Starocci (174), Aaron Brooks (184), Max Dean (197)