Nov. 14, 2012
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
VIDEO: Preview Interviews with Cael Sanderson & Ed Ruth
The top-ranked Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will open up the 2012-13 season by hosting the No. 24 Lehigh Mountain Hawks on Friday night, Nov. 16, and then trekking to West Virginia for a Sunday dual on Nov. 18. Penn State and Lehigh tangle in a sold out Rec Hall starting a 7 p.m. The Nittany Lions and Mountaineers battle at 2 p.m. in Morgantown on Sunday.
Penn State features a line-up including five returning All-Americans, three NCAA Champions and seven ranked wrestlers. Junior Ed Ruth, two-time All-American and defending NCAA Champion at 174 is ranked No. 1 at 184, his new weight. Junior David Taylor, two-time All-American and defending NCAA Champion at 165 is ranked No. 2. Senior Quentin Wright, three-time All-American and NCAA Champion at 184 in 2011 is ranked No. 3 at 197, his new weight. Sophomore Nico Megaludis, NCAA Runner-Up a year ago at 125, is ranked No. 2. Sophomore Dylan Alton, freshman All-American after placing third at 157 last year, is ranked No. 2. Sophomore Matt Brown is ranked No. 4 at 174 and sophomore Andrew Alton, coming off a red-shirt, is ranked No. 6 at 149.
Lehigh comes into the dual with a 1-0 record. The Mountain Hawks began the year with a 23-16 home win over Binghamton back on Nov. 8. LU features a talented line-up as well, including five ranked wrestlers, led by No. 3 Robert Hamlin at 184. Penn State owns a 63-34-3 lead in the all-time series between the two schools, including the last two. Penn State won 24-12 at Lehigh last year and 21-17 in Rec Hall back in 2010-11. The Mountain Hawks feature four ranked wrestlers. Robert Hamlin is No. 3 at 184, Joey Napoli is No. 13 at 157, Shane Welsh is No. 18 at 149 and Nathaniel Brown is No. 18 at 174.
West Virginia will bring a 1-1 record into the dual on Sunday. The Mountaineers feature a line-up that includes four ranked wrestlers. Penn State owns a 28-7 lead in the all-time series, including six straight. Penn State won 34-6 last year in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions won the last meeting in Morgantown as well, a 33-12 win on Dec. 11, 2009. The Mountaineers have three ranked wrestlers. Colin Johnson is ranked No. 17 at 133, Nathan Pennesi is No. 19 at 141 and Shane Young is No. 20 at 125.
Penn State will take part in the Nittany Lion Open on Sunday, Dec. 2, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions' next home dual is the Big Ten opener against the visiting Indiana Hoosiers on Sunday, Dec. 9, at 2 p.m. Penn State's full season of home duals is sold out. For information on which duals have a limited number of SRO tickets available and to purchase tickets, fans can call 1-800-NITTANY or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office windows beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstateWREST and on Penn State Wrestling's facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2012-13 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
POSSIBLE STARTERS
#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (0-0, 0-0 B1G)
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 #2 Nico Megaludis So. Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional 0-0
133 Jordan Conaway Fr. Abbottstown, Pa./New Oxford 0-0
Frank Martellotti Jr. Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side 0-0
141 Bryan Pearsall Sr. Lititz, Pa./Warwick 0-0
149 #6 Andrew Alton So. Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain 0-0
OR James English Sr. York, Pa./Central York 0-0
157 #2 Dylan Alton So. Mill Hall, Pa./Central Mountain 0-0
165 #2 David Taylor Jr. St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham 0-0
174 #4 Matt Brown So. West Valley City, Utah/Cyprus 0-0
184 #1 Ed Ruth Jr. Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township 0-0
197 #3 Quentin Wright Sr. Wingate, Pa./Bald Eagle Area 0-0
285 Jimmy Lawson So. Tom's River, N.J./Manchester Township 0-0
Jon Gingrich So. Wingate, Pa./Bald Eagle Area 4-0
#24 LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (1-0)
WT NAME EL HT REC
125 Alex Abreu Jr. Highlands Ranch, Colo. 0-1
133 Laike Gardner Fr. Biglerville, Pa. 1-0
141 Anthony Salupo So. Lakewood, Ohio 1-0
149 #18 Shane Welsh Sr. Lower Burrell, Pa. 0-1
157 #13 Joey Napoli Jr. Boiling Springs, Pa. 1-0
165 Eric Hess Fr. Benton, Pa. 1-0
174 #18 Nathaniel Brown So. Lewisburg, Pa. 0-1
184 #3 Robert Hamlin Sr. Jonesville, Vt. 1-0
197 John Bolich Fr. Willow Grove, Pa. 0-1
285 Jack Delia Fr. Lebanon, N.J. 1-0
WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS (1-1)
WT NAME EL HT REC
125 #20 Shane Young Sr. Jeannette, Pa. 1-0
133 #17 Colin Johnston Jr. Eighty-Four, Pa. 2-3
141 #19 Nathan Pennesi Jr. Latrobe, Pa. 6-1
149 Brutus Scheffel So. Oakland, Md. 4-3
157 Dominic Prezzia So. St. Clairsville, Ohio 4-2
165 Ross Renzi Fr. Burke, Va. 5-2
174 Bubba Scheffel Fr. Oakland, Md. 2-2
184 Lance Bryson Jr. Shoaf, Pa. 2-2
197 A.J. Vizcarrondo Fr. Philadelphia, Pa. 3-2
285 Phil Mandzik Sr. Bradenton, Fla. 3-3
All Rankings are Intermat as of 11/13/12
HEAD COACH Cael Sanderson
Cael Sanderson, last year's Intermat National Coach of the Year, is in his fourth season as head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team. The veteran head coach now has two straight NCAA and Big Ten titles in hand as the 2012-13 season unfolds.
THE PENN STATE YEARS...
In his first year at Penn State (2009-10), 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. The Lions finished No. 10 in the final USA Today/Coaches dual meet poll and placed ninth at NCAAs.
In 2011-12, Sanderson guided the Nittany Lions to its first-ever Southern Scuffle Co-Championship (2010-11) and its first Virginia Duals Championship since 1991 (2010-11). In guiding Penn State to a 6-1-1 conference mark, Sanderson equaled the most Big Ten dual meet wins in Penn State history in just his second year at the helm of the Nittany Lions (Penn State won six Big Ten duals in 1998). Sanderson led Penn State to the school's first ever Big Ten Championship on March 5-6 and was named 2011 Big Ten Coach of the Year. Saving the best for last, he led the Nittany Lions to the 2011 NCAA National Championship in Philadelphia on March 17-19, Penn State's first since 1953 and Sanderson's first as a collegiate head coach.
Last year, Sanderson led Penn State to a school record 7-1 Big Ten dual record and a share of the 2012 Big Ten dual meet championship. Sanderson then made it two in a row by leading Penn State to the 2012 Big Ten Championship at Purdue on March 3-4 and was named 2012 Big Ten Coach of the Year, earning the honor for the second straight season. Two weeks later, Sanderson led Penn State to a second straight NCAA crown, helping Penn State to become just the fourth team in NCAA history to win back-to-back titles.
In three years as Penn State's coach, Sanderson has led the Nittany Lions to two-straight conference titles, two straight national titles, collected 14 All-Americans, three national champions, two Gorriaran winners, one NCAA tourney OW and one Hodge Trophy winner.
Coach Sanderson now sports an 87-18-2 dual meet mark in this, his seventh year as a head coach. He is 43-8-2 and in his fourth year at Penn State.
THE IOWA STATE YEARS...
Sanderson came 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 finished in Detroit capped off a wildly successful year as the Cyclones crowned one national championship 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. In his final year at ISU, 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.
GINGRICH WINS HWT CROWN AT BINGHAMTON OPEN
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team sent 17 wrestlers to the Binghamton Open at Binghamton University. Seven Nittany Lions placed at the event, which featured over 300 wrestlers, led by sophomore heavyweight Jon Gingrich who won the crown at 285. Most of the Nittany Lions competing were wrestling unattached. Gingrich was a perfect 4-0 on the day, including a 9-1 major decision over Lock Haven's Harry Turner in the finals. Gingrich was one of seven Nittany Lions to place. Penn State had champ (Gingrich), four third-place finishers, a fourth-place finisher and a fifth-place finisher. True freshman Jimmy Gulibon went 6-1 with two majors at 133 to take third place. Sophomore Seth Beitz was 6-1 with two pins and two majors at 149 and also placed third. Junior James Vollrath went 7-1 with a major, a tech fall and a pin, and finished third at 157. Sophomore Morgan McIntosh posted a 4-1 mark at 197 with a pin and a major and finished third as well. Senior Nick Fischer was 6-1 with a tech fall and two majors and placed fourth at 165 and red-shirt freshman James Frascella was 5-2 with a pin to finish fifth at 174.
REGULAR SEASON SOLD OUT! ONLY LIMITED SRO TIX ARE AVAILABLE HEADING INTO 2012-13 SEASON
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team has, for the first time in school history, sold out its entire season in advance of the first dual. A limited number of Standing Room Only tickets will go on sale, on a single dual basis, beginning Tuesday at 10 a.m. for select events. For information on which duals have SRO tickets available and to purchase tickets, fans can call 1-800-NITTANY or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office windows beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Penn State, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, will host seven home duals in front of what will be sold out Rec Hall crowds. The Nittany Lions host Lehigh on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m., Indiana on Dec. 9 at 2 p.m., Lock Haven on Dec. 15 at 2 p.m., Michigan State on Jan. 13 at 2 p.m., Wisconsin on Jan. 18 at 7 p.m., Nebraska on Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. and Rider on Feb. 17 at 2 p.m.
FOUR LIONS COMPETE AT CLARION KNIGHT POINT OPEN
Four members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team opened up the 2012-13 open tournament season at the Knight Point Open at Clarion University on Sunday. Each grappler wrestled unattached at the event which concluded late yesterday evening. Junior Andrew Church (Erie, Pa.) posted a 4-2 record at 174, advancing to the consolation quarterfinals. True freshman Wes Phipps (Grove City, Pa.) debuted at 184 and 2-2, advancing to the consolation semifinals. Phipps tallied two majors. Red-shirt freshman David Owens (Derry, N.H.) wrestled at 149 and went 0-2 and true freshman Caleb Livingston (Drexel Hill, Pa.) went 1-2 at 165 with a pin (a 2:59 pin over Kent State's Mike Crawford).
SEVEN NITTANY LIONS RANKED IN TOP 6 BY INTERMAT AS PENN STATE HOLDS #1 SPOT IN TEAM TPI
Seven members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team remain ranked nationally by Intermat, all of whom now appear in the top six at their respective weights. In addition, head coach Cael Sanderson's two-time defending NCAA and Big Ten Champions are the No. 1 team on Intermat's Tournament Power Index (TPI). The full list of national rankings is available at www.intermatwrestle.com.
Sophomore All-American Nico Megaludis (Murrysville, Pa.) is ranked No. 2 at 125 after his national runner-up finish a year ago in St. Louis. Sophomore Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) returns to the mats after a red-shirt season last year and is ranked No. 6 at 149. Sophomore All-American Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) is ranked No. 2 at 157. Defending NCAA Champion and two-time All-American David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) is ranked No. 2 at 165 to begin the season. Sophomore Matt Brown (West Valley City, Utah) is ranked No. 4 at 174. Defending NCAA Champion and two-time All-American Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.) is ranked No. 1 nationally at 184. Three-time All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.), the 2011 NCAA Champion at 184 and national runner-up at that weight a year ago, is ranked No. 3 at 197, his new weight.
NITTANY LIONS RANKED NO. 1 NATIONALLY BY W.I.N.
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team is ranked No. 1 in TPI by W.I.N. Magazine. Penn State's Tournament Power Index (TPI) of 92.5 has it in first place, over ten points ahead of the second place team. Sophomore Nico Megaludis is ranked No. 2 at 125, sophomore Andrew Alton is No. 8 at 149, sophomore Dylan Alton is No. 2 at 157, junior David Taylor is No. 2 at 165, sophomore Matt Brown is No. 7 at 174, junior Ed Ruth is No. 1 at 184 and senior Quentin Wright is No. 4 at 197.