The No. 1-ranked Penn State wrestling team is gearing up for a season dedicated to consistency and tradition.
With the much-anticipated season quickly approaching and Penn State earning eight of ten InterMat preseason individual ranking spots, the team is looking to showcase a new lineup to fulfil the legacy left by Bo Nickal and Jason Nolf.
"I think the kids that are the most consistent are going to be your best leaders," head coach Cael Sanderson said. "And as a coaching staff, we try to be consistent in what we're doing and saying and the energy we're bringing to the room every day. That's the vision."
One of those expected to step up as a leader this season is Nick Lee, a true junior preseason ranked third in the 141-pound weight class. Lee had a fifth-place finish at the NCAA National Championships in both 2018 and 2019, with two-straight 30-plus win seasons.
"I get more people asking me for advice and more people asking me for rides, too," Lee said with a laugh. "We have some really good younger guys and having the fresh attitudes is nice. They're hungry and it's fun to be around."
His younger brother, freshman Joe Lee, has joined the Penn State wrestling program, and he said he feels obligated to "watch him a little more closely." The younger Lee recently took first at the 2019 Clarion Open on Sunday.
Though the lineup is stacked with eight All-Americans, that still leaves three competitive spots of contention open for Sanderson to fill. Sophomore Brady Berge, who moved up a weight class to 157 pounds and is ranked sixth in InterMat's preseason rankings, was injured at the U23 Worlds on Oct. 30. Despite being released from the hospital, Sanderson said Berge will most likely be sitting out their first match this Sunday.
In the running for the 125-pound position are Devin Schnupp, Brody Teske or Brandon Meredith. For the 149-pound position, Jarod Verkleeren, Luke Gardner or Bo Pipher are potential candidates — all of whom also have the potential to step in at 157 pounds while Berge recovers.
"We want to win obviously, but its more about how we are going to compete," Sanderson said. "We want the guys that are going to compete with the right attitude because in the long run, that's going to give them, and us our best result."
Although these three spots may face contention, Penn State has three returning sixth-year athletes listed on their roster: Shakur Rasheed, Anthony Cassar and Kent State transfer Kyle Conel.
Conel — predicted to wrestle at 197 pounds — was granted a medical waver his senior year at Kent State, granting him eligibility to finish out his college career at Penn State. He qualified for the NCAA Championship for two years, then placed third as an All-American in 2018.
"The transition has been really easy because there's a lot of people that really care about who I am as a person. There's no pressure," said Conel, who was accepted into a one-year graduate program at Penn State. "I'm not worrying about rankings or what's going on anywhere else. I'm focusing only on what I can focus on."
Senior Mark Hall similarly said his final year is about growing as a person through the program, as well as taking on a leadership role. The 174-pounder is a three-time All-American, taking first place at the NCAA Championships in 2017 and second place in both 2018 and 2019. Despite losing a hard-fought 4-3 decision to Arizona State's Zahid Valencia last year in the finals, Hall and his teammates are encouraged by Sanderson to "not be afraid of losing and making mistakes."
"As painful as losing is, it can often be your greatest blessing. One thing you can learn is that it's not the end of the world," Sanderson said. "You have to be motivated by an opportunity, not scared of it."
Equipped with new leadership and a stacked roster, Penn State will face Navy for their first home match at Rec Hall Nov. 10 at 2 p.m.
"Anytime you have a military team, you know the kids are tough. We have all the respect in the world for them as individuals and competitors." Sanderson said. "We expect them to come in here and wrestle hard, so we better be ready to go."
