Penn State Sports Magazine
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4 4 M A Y 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 P enn State wrestling is fresh off its latest NCAA championship. The Nittany Lions went five-for-five in the finals to blow out Michigan and everyone else in the team race during this year's national tournament in De- troit. "These guys care about each other, and they compete as individuals," head coach Cael Sanderson said following the championship. "But winning as a team is a lot more fun. You go in as an indi- vidual, but if your team doesn't do well … well, it's just a different experience. "We just have a great group of kids and they're competitors. They step up in these big moments, and they did this weekend." The celebration has since abated, and attention has started to shift from last season's accomplishments to next year's challenges. Indeed, Sanderson said at his news conference following the final round that he was already beginning to think about the future. "That's the way my mind works," he said. If you're looking to follow someone's lead, you could do a lot worse than Cael Sanderson. So, with that in mind, let's take our own look at how the Nittany Lions are shaping up as they head into the offseason. A KEY QUESTION The biggest question, which was still unresolved as of mid-April, was whether two-time 133-pound national champion Roman Bravo-Young plans to return for his super senior season. Last November, Bravo-Young said that the 2021-22 season would most likely be his last as a Nittany Lion. But in the immediate aftermath of his vic- tory over Oklahoma State's Daton Fix for the NCAA title, the Penn State se- nior indicated that he hadn't ruled out coming back for the 2022-23 season to try for one more title. "Three does sound good," he told ESPN's Quint Kessenich after coming off the mat. "You never know." It's believed that securing a name, im- age and likeness deal could be a key fac- tor in making that a reality. Penn State's new NIL collective, Suc- cess With Honor, launched in March and is expected to play a role in making those kinds of opportunities happen for ath- letes in all Nittany Lion sports. However, Bravo-Young could instead decide it's time to move on, either to Olympic freestyle competition with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club or to a ca- reer in mixed martial arts. Until a deci- sion is made, this will be a major topic of conversation around the program. SANDERSON'S FUTURE Another topic of conversation is whether Penn State will sign Sanderson to a new contract. The university's policy is to only disclose the contract terms for the coaches of its two most prominent programs: football and men's basketball. When asked in March about whether Penn State was looking to give Sanderson a long-term deal as it did last year with James Franklin, athletics director Sandy Barbour noted only that "those kinds of conversations are always on the mind or in the works." Sanderson most likely gained some bargaining power when Iowa's Tom Brands signed a contract extension that will keep him with the Hawkeyes through the 2028-29 season. According to a copy of the contract obtained by KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Brands' salary for the 2023-24 season will be $625,000. His pay will rise by $75,000 the next year, and $25,000 raises will follow each of the next four years. During the final year of the pact, Brands will be paid $800,000. The terms of Sanderson's contract are not known, but he has won nine national championships in 13 seasons with the Nittany Lions, while Brands has won four in 16 seasons with the Hawkeyes. If Penn State does sign Sanderson to a new contract, it's unlikely that the terms will be made public, and the university might not even disclose the signing itself. However, university officials have every reason to get it done before next year. COMINGS AND GOINGS Bravo-Young is not the only wrestler with a decision to make. Max Dean, the new 197-pound NCAA champion, also has a season of eligibility remaining. The former Cornell star, who joined Penn State ahead of the 2021-22 season, had not made his plans public as of mid-April. But if he wants to vie for a second consecutive title, he has that option. There is the possibility of inbound or outbound transfer news. Penn State has the most competitive room in collegiate wrestling, which means that some very talented performers are left off the mat each year. Given the competitive real- ity within the program, it would not be surprising to see one or more wrestlers decide to seek starting spots elsewhere this offseason. Conversely, as we saw when it wel- comed 125-pound graduate transfer Drew Hildebrandt for the second half of the 2021-22 season, Penn State will not be shy about adding wrestlers who could help push it over the top. How will the next PSU lineup take shape? We can be sure of a couple of WRESTLING NEVER SATISFIED Penn State's push for an NCAA championship repeat has already begun, but big questions remain to be answered G R E G P I C K E L | GPIC92@GMAIL.COM In March, Roman Bravo-Young defeated Oklahoma State's Daton Fix in the 133-pound NCAA final for the second year in a row. After the season, Bravo-Young was mulling whether to use his final season of eligibility to chase a third national title. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS