Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1462941
Amine had taken advantage of Brooks' aggressiveness, getting a takedown with 15 seconds left in the third period to send the match to sudden victory, where he won with another takedown. In the rematch at nationals, Brooks was patient and relaxed. He didn't give Amine the kind of opportunities that had cost him at Big Tens. The result was a 5-3 decision that included a three-minute riding time advantage. "My coaches, they're masters," Brooks said. "So [it was just a matter of] listening to them, going out there, staying calm, pursuing the game plan and wrestling hard." With Brooks' victory and four other wins in the final session, Penn State equaled its showing from 2017 when it crowned five individual champs and ran away with the team title. Sanderson was asked after this year's tournament whether he was going to take some time to relax and enjoy the program's latest accomplishment. He conceded that it was deeply satisfying to see all five of Penn State's finalists achieve their goals. "I'm really happy for these guys," he said. "I'm really at peace." But "at peace" doesn't necessarily mean "at rest." One of the reasons why Penn State's wrestling program has become the best nationally is that its lead- ership is never satisfied with the status quo, no matter how good the status quo may be. As Sanderson spoke in the post-tournament press conference, it sounded as though a part of him had already moved on to the next challenge. Said the coach, "The way my mind works, I'm always thinking ahead." PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS A P R I L 2 0 2 2 9