Latest news with #CaelSanderson
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Penn State wins fourth straight NCAA wrestling championship
For the fourth striaght year, Penn State is celebrating a wrestling national championship. Penn State clinched the NCAA Division 1 wrestling team national championship on Saturday afternoon, extending one of the most dominant runs in collegiate athletics regardless of sport. Penn State still has a few wrestlers ready to compete for NCAA gold on Saturday night, but the team title was clinched in the consolation rounds on Saturday following victories by Luke Lilledahl (125 lb) and Shayne Van Ness (149 lb). Penn State came into Saturday owning a 34-point lead in the team standings over Nebraska. Now, everyone else is wrestling for second place, as is typically the case in the sport. Penn State has won 12 national titles under head coach Cael Sanderson, all within the last 15 years. Penn State's wrestling program has won 13 national titles in program history, but this incredible display of dominance on the mat has been something truly amazing to see developed. To turn a good wrestling program into one of the best programs in NCAA history has continued to raise the bar every step of the way, every single year. And this time, they did it all before lunch time. The Penn State Nittany Lions have officially clinched their 12th NCAA Championship under Cael Sanderson, and 13th overall, at 11:14 a.m., March 22, 2025!#PSUwr — Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) March 22, 2025 Penn State can add some cherries on top of this championship sundae on Saturday night when Carter Starocci (184 lb), Josh Barr (197 lb), and Mitchell Messenbrink (165 lb) all compete in the finals. Starocci and Messenbrink are No. 1 seeds and Barr is the No. 4 seed, but he reached the finals by taking out the No. 1 seed, Jacob Cardenas of Michigan. Penn State had 10 wrestlers earn All-American status this weekend, making the Nittany Lions just the second team in NCAA wrestling history to secure 10 All-Americans (Minnesota in 2001). TITLE NUMBER 13 🏆@pennstateWREST has clinched the 2025 NCAA DI Men's Wrestling National Championship title, their 12th under Cael Sanderson and 13th overall.#NCAAWrestling — NCAA Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling) March 22, 2025 Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State wrestling clinches another NCAA championship
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Penn State perfect as Day 1 closes in Philly
PHILADELPHIA (WTAJ) — Penn State's wrestlers remain perfect through two sessions at the NCAA Tournament. The Nittany Lions have 10 grapplers in this year's championship field who collectively went 20-0 on Thursday. Penn State (38.5) has a commanding lead in the team standings, Nebraska (28.0) OK State (27.0) Iowa (18.0) and Ohio State (18.0) round out the top-5. Official NCAA Bracket from Trackwrestling The Nittany Lions are seeking a 12th championship in their 14th season under head coach Cael Sanderson. It's the most dominant run in Division I college sports. Asked this week how he seemingly gets the best out of his wrestlers, Sanderson said he prioritizes always keeping things in perspective. 'Sometimes winning a national title is a great blessing. Sometimes it isn't, you know? I mean, we won't know the answer to that until you look back on their life,' said Sanderson. 'You know, you're going to take what you learn here, and you're going to apply it to the next, part of your life. And whether it's your career or your family. This national title thing is going to come and go really fast, but it sure is a heck of a lot more fun to win and than not.' Local wrestlers set to compete in 2025 NCAA Championships This week central Pennsylvania sent five local wrestlers into the NCAA Championships. Four remain alive heading into session three, though none are still in the champions bracket. Only Jude Swisher, a Bellfonte alum, won his first round bout. The Penn wrestler at 157 pounds defeated South Dakota State's Cobe Siebrecht by fall. Swisher, Ed Scott, Jared McGill and Malachi DuVall return to the mat Friday when session three begins at noon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Penn State goes 20-0, takes lead on the opening day of Division I men's wrestling championships
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State is well-positioned to claim its fourth straight national championship after having a perfect opening day Thursday at the Division I Men's Wrestling Championships. It was the first time the Nittany Lions went a perfect 20-0 on the first day of action and sent all 10 of its qualifiers — one in every weight class — to the quarterfinals. Penn State seeks its 12th championship in 14 years under coach Cael Sanderson. The Nittany Lions could be a threat to eclipse the scoring record they posted last year. Penn State's Carter Starocci remains in contention for an unprecedented fifth national title after a pair of wins at 184 pounds. His four previous wins came at 174 pounds. Nebraska is in second place with 28 points and Oklahoma State is in third with 27. Nebraska sent five wrestlers through to the quarterfinals. Oklahoma State, under first-year coach David Taylor, sent six wrestlers to the quarterfinals, the second-most behind Penn State. 'I thought we wrestled pretty well,' Taylor said. 'It's the national tournament. There's ups and downs, but I thought we did pretty well.' Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio State are tied for fourth with 18 points. Minnesota's Gable Steveson, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist seeking his third national title at heavyweight, won two matches Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals.
Associated Press
21-03-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Penn State goes 20-0, takes lead on the opening day of Division I men's wrestling championships
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State is well-positioned to claim its fourth straight national championship after having a perfect opening day Thursday at the Division I Men's Wrestling Championships. It was the first time the Nittany Lions went a perfect 20-0 on the first day of action and sent all 10 of its qualifiers — one in every weight class — to the quarterfinals. Penn State seeks its 12th championship in 14 years under coach Cael Sanderson. The Nittany Lions could be a threat to eclipse the scoring record they posted last year. Penn State's Carter Starocci remains in contention for an unprecedented fifth national title after a pair of wins at 184 pounds. His four previous wins came at 174 pounds. Nebraska is in second place with 28 points and Oklahoma State is in third with 27. Nebraska sent five wrestlers through to the quarterfinals. Oklahoma State, under first-year coach David Taylor, sent six wrestlers to the quarterfinals, the second-most behind Penn State. 'I thought we wrestled pretty well,' Taylor said. 'It's the national tournament. There's ups and downs, but I thought we did pretty well.' Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio State are tied for fourth with 18 points. Minnesota's Gable Steveson, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist seeking his third national title at heavyweight, won two matches Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Penn State wrestling news: When can it break the nation's longest win streak?
Penn State wrestling is closing in on a 75-year-old record. This comes as coach Cael Sanderson's No. 1 Nittany Lions have been putting on a stunning show since November: They're producing another undefeated season (12-0 and counting) ... are outscoring opponents by an incredulous 493-37 margin ... and doing it with an entire starting lineup ranked in the nation's Top 10. And yet this is season is just a part of their march toward crushing one of the longest-held college wrestling records. The Nittany Lions have won 68 straight dual meets − including weekend dominations of Michigan and Maryland − and will be prohibitive favorites in their final three this season. They haven't lost a meet in five years, since before COVID. They currently own the fifth-best winning streak in Division I and major college men's history. (Grand View, an NAIA school in Iowa, owns the top all-time college win streak at 117). Winning-out this season would jump them to No. 2 in major college history, passing 69-win runs by Oklahoma State (1921 to 1932, 1996 to 1999) and Iowa (2007 to 2011). History would then await at 76 consecutive victories. The Oklahoma State Cowboys accomplished the feat from 1937 to 1951, before college wrestling was divided into divisions. Penn State could end this season with 71 straight dual meet victories. So when could it tie the record of 76 and break it? That's still to be determined. For perspective, Penn State won its fifth dual meet of this season before the end of December, during the middle of the Journeyman Duals in Tennessee. Penn State wrestling analysis: Another star spurns No. 1 Penn State wrestling: So, what's up with America's dynasty? Why did Lions lose No. 1 recruit? Penn State wrestling news: Why top recruit Bo Bassett picks Iowa over PSU, Cael Sanderson What's next for PSU: Penn State wrestling, 2025: schedule, results, details A similar situation could arise next season, particularly if Sanderson and Penn State agree to attend the 16-team National Duals Invitational at Oklahoma State in November. Beyond that? It will be difficult to know exactly when or who the Lions could make history against for quite a while. Penn State does not usually release its finalized schedule until late September or early October, less than two months before the season begins. (Records provided by Jason Bryant at Mat Talk Online, via the NCAA) Penn State's 68 consecutive dual meet victories is sixth among all college divisions. The list is below: 117 − Grand View, NAIA (2013-22) 92 − SUNY Dehli, NJCAA (1979-83) 77 − St. Cloud State, Division II (2017-22) 76 − Oklahoma State, Division I and Major College (1937-51) 75 − Oklahoma City, Women's (2008-12) 68 − Penn State, Division I (2020-25) Frank Bodani covers Penn State sports for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState. This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State wrestling schedule: When can it own the longest win streak?
