Penn State wrestling is a championship team, and championship teams get honored at the White House.
Coach Cael Sanderson and his squad had the opportunity to visit the White House Tuesday, where they got to meet figures such as
President Donald J. Trump, PA Senators John Fetterman and Dave McCormick.
Also in attendance was Bo Nickal, a Penn State wrestling legend turned UFC fighter who recently fought— and won— on the White House lawn.
https://nittanysportsnow.com/2026/06/penn-state-wrestling-legend-bo-nickal-dominates-at-white-house/
This is in recognition of Penn State’s most recent national title, which the squad nailed down in Cleveland this past March. PSU wrestling has become an empire under Sanderson, winning 13 of the past 15 national titles, and some of its greatest nights have come in front of the President. In March 2023, Trump— who was in between presidential terms— was there to see Penn State win its 10th national title under Sanderson at that year’s national championships in Tulsa. Two years later, Trump was back in office, and back at the national championships, witnessing Penn State win No. 12 under Cael in Philadelphia. Several months prior, near the end of the 2024 election, Trump visited State College; Trump invited Penn State wrestlers onto the stage at the Bryce Jordan Center.
During the 2025 championships, Mitchell Mesenbrink told reporters that, regardless of political views, he felt the President’s interest in the sport was a positive.
“We want to get people to watch, right?” Mesenbrink said. “We want people to watch wrestling. We want people to funnel, not just money, but people’s time, and attention is money. So, I think that’s cool. And I think if it was conservative or liberal, it would be really, really cool.
“Democrat or Republican, whoever it is, it’s the president of the United States. The leader of the free world at our wrestling event is really cool when you think about it that way.”
Penn State wrestling opens its 2026-27 season in November at a date to be determined.
ED SAYLOR
August 4, 2026 at 6:12 pm
So Cool!