Choosing which university to attendโ whether itโs Penn State or anywhere elseโ is perhaps the most stressful decision a high school wrestling senior has to make.
When it comes to high-profile recruits, the decision becomes a little more complicated. Many of Penn Stateโs backups could move on to other schools and be a starter. But some choose to be with the PSU and remain a backup.
Why is that?
PSU coach Cael Sandersonโs response is maybe the best recruiting pitch he could sell to student-athletes.
โWe have a special thing going here,โ Sanderson said. โItโs bigger than just winning or being a starter or being the man. If you can make the lineup at Penn State, you can win the national tournament. These kids want to win the national tournament. Some kids want to be four-year starters. Some kids want to be national champions. It just depends on the kids. It depends on what their ultimate goals are.
โHistory has shown that this is a really good place to attack your goals on the international scene. Our kids get better. They enjoy what theyโre doing, and I think thatโs a big part of them getting better. Thereโs very few cases of kids that arenโt coming in and improving each year. Theyโre better as seniors than they are as freshmen. Thatโs not always the case. Kids that come here want to be the best version of themselves they can be, and they feel like this is the best place for them.โ
How do they keep churning out talent year after year? Just ask Joshua Barr.
โI get to wrestle the best guys in the world in here every single day,โ he said.
Itโs a classic case of โiron sharpens ironโ in the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex.
HAINES FALLS TO OโTOOLEย
Photo by Penn State Athletics: Levi Haines
In the last action right before the holiday break, Penn State wrestling beat Binghamton, Arkansas-Little Rock and Missouri in the Journeymen Duals in Nashville. Penn State only dropped one match in the three dual meets.
That lone loss came from Levi Haines, ranked second at 174, against top-ranked Keegan OโToole of the Tigers in a match between two national champions last season. OโToole beat Haines in sudden victory, 4-1. It was Hainesโ first loss since the national championship bout against North Carolinaโs Austin OโConnor his freshman season in 2023.
โLevi is such a solid human being,โ Sanderson said. โHeโs fine. He does not like to lose obviously. Thatโs one of the reasons heโs as tough as he is, and he works as hard as he does, and as disciplined as he is. Itโs a tough match. He was right there. He has time to make small adjustments.โ
PSU SOLID AT SOUTHERN SCUFFLE, EDINBOROย
Penn State sent plenty of wrestlers over the weekend to either the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn. or the Edinboro Open.
Three true freshmen in Zack Ryder (184), Connor Mirasola (197), and Cole Mirasola (285) all won titles at the Southern Scuffle, while Cael Nasdeo won the championship at 141 at Edinboro.
โI think itโs awesome to see all my teammates succeed,โ Barr said. โIt brings a lot of joy knowing those are my partners. They kick butt all over the country. Iโm happy for those guys. Everyone in our room works so freaking hard. Itโs good to see them get their shot. The Southern Scuffle is a very tough tournament. Having three true freshmen win is pretty impressive.โ
