Oct. 27, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
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TODAY'S ACTION
STATE COLLEGE, Pa.; October 28, 2010 -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team heads into the second year of the Cael Sanderson era with one of the nation's most talented yet youngest teams. Sporting a pre-season roster with 20 true or red-shirt freshmen, Penn State is still ranked among the nation's top teams in every early season poll. In addition, a number of Penn State individuals, including freshmen, are listed among the national elite at their respective weights.
The Nittany Lions went 13-6-1 in Sanderson's inaugural year as Penn State's mentor, including a 5-3 mark in Big Ten duals. Penn State ended the 2009-10 year ranked No. 10 nationally in the final USA Today/NWCA Coaches dual meet poll and then completed the stunning one-year turnaround by placing ninth at the 2010 NCAA Championships in Omaha, tallying 49 points, the 17th-most in Penn State's long and storied wrestling history.
Sanderson, considered the greatest wrestler in NCAA history after going undefeated throughout his four year career and claiming four NCAA titles, has established himself as one of the nation's top coaches, all while just turning 30 last year. He led Iowa State, his alma mater, to three straight top five finishes at nationals before guiding Penn State back into the top ten during his first year at Penn State after the Nittany Lions had fallen to 17th the year before his arrival. He carries a 57-16-1 career mark into his fifth year as a collegiate coach, including 18 All-Americans, two NCAA Champions and while qualifying 36 of a possible 40 wrestlers for the NCAA Championships.
While last year was the season that laid the foundation for future success, the Nittany Lions will have some holes to fill in the line-up as a trio of talented seniors has moved on. Gone to graduation are 2010 National Runner-Up Dan Vallimont, two-time All-American and Big Ten Champion Cyler Sanderson and 30-plus winner and national qualifier David Erwin. The trio accounted for nearly 100 individual wins last season alone (93 to be exact) and 10 wins at nationals alone.
Despite losing such a hefty cadre of talent, Penn State's fortunes are still looking decidedly `up'. Junior Frank Molinaro, already a two-time All-American after last year's fifth place finish at 149, returns to make a run at the national title as does red-shirt sophomore Quentin Wright. Wright, a local product, was an All-American in 2009 after taking sixth at 174 as a true freshman. This year, Wright is moving up to 184 and is considered by most to be a contender for the national crown at his new weight. Molinaro will head into the new season with a 56-26 career record including 95 dual meet points and 17 major decisions. Molinaro was an eighth place finisher at 141 in 2009 before moving up a weight last season. Wright went 14-1 last year as an unattached grappler (which does not count towards his career record) after posting a 33-13 mark as a true freshman two years ago.
Senior Brad Pataky, a two-time NCAA qualifier at 125, looks to rebound from an early season injury and could return for an All-American run while junior Cameron Wade, also a returning national qualifier, is considered a prime All-America candidate at heavyweight. Pataky has a 74-29 career record with 172 dual meet points and a superb 43-11 dual meet record. He has finished in the `round of 12' for two straight years (just one win shy of All-America status each time). Wade made his NCAA tournament debut last year and went 2-2. He has a 37-25 career record with seven pins.
But to speak of Penn State's fortunes in 2010-11 without mention freshmen would be ill-advised as the Nittany Lions could have more than half of its starters be true or red-shirt freshmen. Leading the list of new faces that Penn State could send to the mat are red-shirts David Taylor, Jake Kemerer and Ed Ruth. Taylor is considered one of the best new faces at 157 pounds nationally while Kemerer could make a mark at 165. Ruth, like Taylor, is also highly touted at 174 and the trio could give Penn State one of the nation's youngest but most talented upper middle-weight gauntlets. The trio helped the 2009 recruiting class earn a top-three ranking nationally. (continued on next page...) A number of true freshmen could also have an impact as Penn State welcomes its second straight top-tier recruiting class. Twin brothers Dylan and Andrew Alton could challenge at 141 or even spell Molinaro at 149, Sam Sherlock is a contender to battle for the 133 spot and Frank Martellotti could compete for a starting spot at 125 or 133. Dirk Cowburn is a contender at 165 or 174 and Nick Ruggear could be a factor at 197. Any of the above could also red-shirt. This group, along with a bevy of talented classmates, helped make last year's recruiting class the second-ranked group in the nation, giving Sanderson two straight top-three classes in his first two years at the helm of the Nittany Lion program.
Senior Adam Lynch, who cracked the national rankings last year at 141, chose to return for a final campaign with Penn State and could see time at either 141 or 149. Lynch went 13-13 last year but was 6-2 in Big Ten duals. He has a 39-31 career record. Veteran wrestlers also set to compete for starting time and looking to earn, ultimately, All-America laurels include sophomores Bryan Pearsall at 133 and Justin Ortega at 174 and junior Clay Steadman at 197.
The Nittany Lions' home slate is outstanding, highlighted by a home opener against rival Lehigh on Nov. 14 and home Big Ten duals against Ohio State on Dec. 19 and Iowa on Jan. 30. Penn State has seven home dual meets. In addition to the three mentioned the Nittany Lions host Lock Haven on Dec. 12, Pittsburgh on Jan. 21, Illinois on Feb. 11 and Wisconsin on Feb. 18. Penn State will also take part in the Nittany Lion Open in Rec Hall on Dec. 5.
Never one to back down from a challenge, Penn State will once again face one of the nation's toughest schedules, which means tough road trips are on the ticket. The Nittany Lions open up the season on Nov. 12 at in-state foe Bloomsburg. Sanderson's Lions will take part in the Sprawl and Brawl Duals on Nov. 21, facing Harvard, West Virginia and Rutgers at the event. A trip to the always rugged Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C., is on tap for Dec. 29-30 and the Nittany Lions will look to challenge for one of the nation's two-dual meet tournament crowns when they compete in the 2011 Virginia Duals on Jan. 7-8 in Hampton, Va. Penn State's Big Ten road duals include trips to Indiana on Jan. 23, Michigan State on Feb. 4, Michigan on Feb. 6 and Minnesota on Feb. 13. The 2011 Big Ten Championships take place at Northwestern on March 5-6 while the NCAA Championships return to the east coast as Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center hosts the event on March 17-19.
Season tickets for the 2010-11 Penn State wrestling season are on sale now. This year's package features seven home duals (the Nittany Lion Open is not part of the package) and costs only $42 for adults and $28 for youth (18 and under). Fans can place new orders for season tickets by calling Joel Diamond at 814-867-2557. A $5 per order handling fee will be added to new season ticket holders. Single dual tickets will go on sale later this fall. The 2010-11 Penn State wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline.
All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC (1390 AM) and WBPZ (1230 AM). All radio broadcasts are streamed live at GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package. The 2010-11 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
HEAD COACH Cael Sanderson
Cael Sanderson comes to Penn State after three extremely successful years as the head coach at his alma mater. Sanderson's teams did not finish any lower than fifth at the NCAA Championships and never had a wrestler not qualify for nationals, getting 30 of 30 grapplers through to the championship tournament. In 2007, Sanderson's rookie campaign, he led ISU to a 13-3 dual meet record and the first of three straight Big 12 Championships. An NCAA Runner-Up finish in Detroit capped off a wildly successful year as the Cyclones crowned one national champion and Sanderson was honored as Big 12 Coach of the Year, National Rookie Coach of the Year and National Coach of the Year. The next year, Sanderson led ISU to a 16-4 dual meet mark, another Big 12 title and a fifth place finish at nationals. Iowa State's seven All-Americans in 2008 were the most at the school since 1993. This past season, Sanderson's team went 15-3 in duals, won its third straight Big 12 title and took third place at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis (just 12 points out of first place). The Cyclones also crowned another national champion. In three years, Sanderson's teams went 44-10, won three conference crowns, qualified all 30 wrestlers for nationals, and earned 15 All-America awards and two individual national titles. In his first year at Penn State, he guided the Lions to a 13-6-1 dual meet mark, 5-3 in Big Ten action, and crowned his first Big Ten Champion. Sanderson now sports a 57-17-1 dual meet mark in this, his fourth year as a collegiate head coach. He went 13-6-1 at Penn State in his first year and guided the team to a ninth place finish at NCAAs with three All-Americans. In four years as a head coach, Sanderson has 36 qualifiers, 18 All-Americans and two National Champions.
NITTANY LION WRESTLERS ANNOUNCE INTRA-SQUAD DUAL MEET
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers will hold an intra-squad dual meet on Thursday, November 4, at 7 p.m. The event will take place at Rec Hall, is free and is open to the public. The coaching staff, led by head coach Cael Sanderson, will decide upon the participating line-up later this fall. Last year's event drew nearly 2,500 fans and gave people a chance to see many wrestlers who ended up red-shirting during the 2009-10 campaign. Penn State will begin its season on Friday, Nov. 12, at Bloomsburg in a 7 p.m. dual. The Nittany Lions open up home action two days later on Sunday, Nov. 14, when rival Lehigh comes to Rec Hall for a 2 p.m. dual.
PENN STATE RANKED #6 IN W.I.N.'S PRE-SEASON POLL
Six members of head coach Cael Sanderson's Penn State wrestling team are ranked by Wrestling Insider Magazine's pre-season individual rankings. The Nittany Lions also received a No. 7 nod in the publication's pre-season Tournament Power Index (TPI), which differs from dual meet rankings. Two-time All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) heads into the new year with a No. 3 ranking at 149 after his fifth place finish a year ago. Molinaro went 33-7 as a sophomore. 2009 All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) moves up a weight to 184 and is ranked No. 7 in the early season listing. Wright, who red-shirted last year, was a sixth-place finisher at 174 two years ago with a 33-13 mark. Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) sports a No. 7 ranking at 125 after his second straight trip to the `round of 12'. The two-time national qualifier went 28-10 last season. Classmate Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) is ranked No. 8 at heavyweight. Wade was a 2010 national qualifier and was 22-11 year ago. Red-shirt freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) is ranked No. 7 early on at 157 while fellow red-shirt freshman Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) is ranked No. 14 at 174. Both Taylor and Ruth are part of one of two top-ranked recruiting classes that Sanderson will draw from in 2010-11. WIN Magazine does not list true freshmen in its pre-season rankings. Penn State's No. 7 nod in the TPI (which WIN uses to `predict' where teams will finish in the NCAA tournament based on the pre-season individual rankings) has it in the top ten with four other Big Ten schools (Minnesota at No. 4, Wisconsin at No. 5, Ohio State at No. 6 and Illinois at No. 10). Iowa (No. 11), Michigan (No. 13), Northwestern (No. 15) and Purdue (No. 18) give the Big Ten nine teams in the top 20.
PENN STATE RANKED #6 IN THE OPEN MAT'S PRE-SEASON RANKINGS
The preseason wrestling rankings continue to roll in and Penn State has received another lofty mention from the national media. TheOpenMat.com has tabbed head coach Cael Sanderson's crew No. 6 in its preseason team rankings. Five Penn State grapplers have also received preseason individual nods. The full release is available at www.theopenmat.com. The Nittany Lions are one of four Big Ten teams in TOM's top ten and one of nine conference teams in the top 25. Minnesota (3), Iowa (5), Penn State (6), Wisconsin (7), Ohio State (11), Purdue (13), Northwestern (18), Illinois (19) and Michigan (20) represent the league on the list. Two-time All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) is ranked No. 3 at 149 after taking fifth last year. Molinaro heads into his junior campaign with a 56-26 career record. All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, N.J.) is ranked No. 5 at his new weight of 184 after taking sixth at 174 in 2009. Wright went 33-13 as a true freshman two years ago. Two-time national qualifier Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) is ranked No. 8 at 125. He will carry a 74-29 career record into his senior campaign. Fellow qualifier Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) is ranked No. 8 at heavyweight. Wade, now a junior, has a 37-25 career mark. Red-shirt freshman David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) is ranked No. 8 at 157 and is heading into his first season of varsity action.
BOTH SINGLE MEET AND DUAL MEET TICKETS ON SALE
Fans wishing to purchase single dual meet tickets for the 2010-11 Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling season can place their orders starting on Monday, October 18 at 10am. Season ticket holders will have the advantage of ordering up to four additional tickets for any home matches on Friday, October 15, before going on sale to the public. With season tickets already at record levels and an attractive seven-match home dual schedule, the public sale of single event tickets is expected to result in early sellouts for some of the home matches this year at Rec Hall. To place reserved ticket orders, fans may call 814-865-5555 or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office. The box office is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ticket pricing is $8 for adults and $5 for youth, and there will be a limit of eight tickets per order. Group sales will begin November 1, based on availability.
Head coach Cael Sanderson's squad features two returning All-Americans, two more returning national qualifiers and two consecutive top-three recruiting classes. This year's home schedule begins in earnest on Sunday, Nov. 14, with a home dual against in-state rival Lehigh at 2 p.m. Lock Haven then invades Rec Hall on Sunday, Dec. 12, for a 2 p.m. match-up. The Big Ten season begins early when conference rival Ohio State comes to Happy Valley for a 2 p.m. dual on Sunday, Dec. 19. The Pittsburgh Panthers close out Penn State's non-conference schedule in Rec Hall on Friday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. The Iowa Hawkeyes come to town on Sunday, Jan. 30, at 2 p.m., followed by a match-up with the Illinois Illini on Friday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. The Nittany Lions close out their dual meet schedule with a home meeting with the Wisconsin Badgers on Friday, Feb. 18, at 7 p.m.
Season tickets are also still available, priced at only $42 for adults and $28 for youth (18 and under). Fans can place new orders for season tickets by calling Joel Diamond at 814-867-2557. A $5 per order handling fee will be added to new season ticket holders. All ticket orders will be fulfilled and mailed by November 1, 2010. All times are subject to change. The 2010-11 Penn State wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
PENN STATE WRESTLING RADIO NETWORK EXPANDS
The Penn State wrestling radio network is expanding with the addition of a second station carrying all live action during the 2010-11 season. In addition, PA Sports Now will carry the Cael Sanderson Show on over 10 stations state-wide (see side panel note). Once again, Forever Broadcasting's WRSC (1390 AM) will serve as the flagship station for the entire dual meet schedule as well as tournament action from the Nittany Lion Open, the Southern Scuffle, the Big Ten Championships and the NCAA Championships. This year, Clinton County's WSQV (92.1 FM) has signed on to carry the live schedule as well. Jeff Byers, long-time voice of Penn State wrestling, will once again call the action for Nittany Lion fans. All live broadcasts, dual meets and tournaments, as well as the Cael Sanderson Show, will also be streamed live on GoPSUsports.com as part of the All-Access package. Simply got to www.GoPSUsports.com, click on the All-Access icon and follow the steps to sign up.
PENN STATE RANKED #6 IN NWCA/USA TODAY COACHES POLL
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, will head into the 2010-11 season ranked No. 6 in the first National Wrestling Coaches Association/USA Today Coaches Poll. The No. 6 nod mirrors other national rankings previously released. Cornell is tabbed as the early season No. 1 with 275 points while Boise State follows at 254. Oklahoma State is ranked No. 3 with 252 points while Minnesota is ranked No. 4 with 244. Wisconsin is next at No. 5 with 224 with Penn State sixth at 215. Iowa (7), Oklahoma (8), Central Michigan (9) and Illinois (10) round out the top ten. Ohio State (12), Michigan (18), Northwestern (19) and Purdue (20) are also ranked in the top 25, giving the Big Ten nine teams on the list. Conference foe Indiana is receiving votes. Looking at Penn State's schedule, nine of Penn State's foes are ranked in the top 25 with another receiving votes. Penn State will face Minnesota (4), Wisconsin (5), Iowa (7), Illinois (10), Ohio State (12), Pittsburgh (14), Lehigh (17), Michigan (18), Rutgers (21) and Indiana (RV) this year.