Feb. 13, 2015
By Matt Allibone, GoPSUSports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - For a squad looking to be at its best in the March, the Penn State wrestling team couldn't have asked for a better stretch of opponents to prepare against.
A week after battling No. 1 Iowa in a close 18-12 loss, the Nittany Lions have a chance to get back on track this weekend, when they take on eighth-ranked Oklahoma State on the road on Sunday.
The two schools have 17 ranked wrestlers between them, with nine of them competing for Penn State. With a 9-2 record and coming off of a 25-9 win over Oklahoma, the Cowboys will have plenty of momentum heading into the weekend, which includes a Friday night match against Clarion before they face the Nittany Lions.
Despite the setback to the Hawkeyes, head coach Cael Sanderson remains confident in his wrestlers and for good reason. The Blue and White have lost to the top two teams in the country (Iowa and Minnesota) by a combined seven points in matches that were each decided by a single bout.
"I think our guys are wrestling fairly consistent," Sanderson said. "I think our effort is good, I think they're in good shape, believing a little bit more in themselves each week. When you believe you're going to be a bit more bold and I think this will be another good match. Oklahoma State is another good program. Going down there into their house is a great challenge for us."
The Cowboys' house is the Gallagher-Iba Arena, one of the most famous venues in college wrestling. With a capacity over 13,600, the Lions can look forward to another huge crowd a week after drawing 15,967 at home in the Bryce Jordan Center last Sunday.
Still, Oklahoma State is more than just a current top-10 team with a big venue. It is truly one of the legendary programs in college wrestling with a record 34 national championships, the most recent set a four-peat from 2003-'06.
When the schools met last year in Rec Hall, the Nittany Lions prevailed 23-12 in a tough match. With a number of young wrestlers in Penn State's lineup this year however, facing the Cowboys will be a new experience for a couple of Nittany Lions, including freshman 165-pounder Garett Hammond.
"I'm excited, I wrestled Iowa and Minnesota and this is another program I think is right up there with those guys," Hammond said. "Very storied, and growing up I watched them compete. I've never been there but they were one of the schools I was looking at coming out [of high school]. We like competing in front of a lot of people, whether it's for you or against you it's pretty fun."
Sunday will be a huge test for Hammond, who will take on undefeated and top-ranked Alex Dieringer, who captured a national title at 157 pounds last year.
As daunting a test as it will be, it is coming at an ideal time for the 18th-ranked Hammond, who just posted the biggest win of the his young career with a 4-2 win over Iowa's seventh ranked Nick Moore. Having faced Dieringer at the Southern Scuffle in January, the redshirt freshman has an idea of what the All-American likes to do.
"I wrestled him at the Southern Scuffle so I know what to expect," Hammond said. "I think I'm wrestling a lot better now than I was then and I've kept improving.
"Anytime you get a big win it helps your confidence out, just going in and expecting to win, doing what it takes to win. Moving forward it's the same thing. I'm preparing for the match like it's any other match."
Another Nittany Lion with a big match is sophomore 149-pounder Zack Beitz, who will face fourth ranked Josh Kindig, last year's NCAA runner up.
Beitz, also ranked 18th at his weight, is 9-4 in dual meets this season and has a recent victory over a top-10 opponent with a win 6-4 over Michigan's ninth ranked Alex Pantaleo on Jan. 30. Last year, the 149-pounder battled Kindig tough, dropping a 5-3 decision.
"Zack is as consistent as they get," Sanderson said. "He's worked hard, competes hard and he's right there nipping at the top guys in the country. I think he's wrestling the best he's ever wrestled."
With a number of top-10 ranked wrestlers of their own in 125-pounder Jordan Conaway, 133-pounder Jimmy Gulibon, 174-pounder Matt Brown and 197-pounder Morgan McIntosh, the Nittany Lions feel good about their chances.
After experiencing a loud and vibrant environment at home last weekend, the Lions are eager to face the sound of such a crowd on the road.
"When you wrestle in Rec Hall and you wrestling in the BJC I think that's great preparation," Sanderson said. "Because you're used to a big crowd and you're used to not being able to hear your coaches and you're used to that energy and it's just a matter of funneling it in a positive way."