Penn State Wrestling Looks To Be Even More Dominant In 2026

After yet different play of Big Ten wrestling dominance, moreover Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson had to sheepishly admit nan obvious.

"We person a typical point going here," he said.

The top-ranked Penn State wrestling squad yet again cemented its grip connected nan athletics during a play roadworthy travel to Iowa and Northwestern. The Nittany Lions defeated fourth-ranked Iowa and Northwestern by a mixed people of 83-3, adding to their agelong tally of ascendant performances. They're doing it again this season, conscionable pinch moreover much emphasis.

"There is simply a spread betwixt Iowa and Penn State," Hawkeyes coach Tom Brands said aft their lucifer astatine Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

And betwixt Penn State and everyone else. The Nittany Lions (9-0) person unopen retired 5 opponents this play and outscored their scheduled 381-19 truthful far. Over nan past 2 seasons, nary squad has won much than 3 individual bouts against nan Nittany Lions successful immoderate match. Penn State's starters are 49-1 successful nan team's past 5 matches and 84-6 connected nan season.

According to nan latest InterMat Wrestling rankings, six of Penn State's starters are classed No. 1 astatine their weight classes, pinch Luke Lilledahl (125 pounds) and Rocco Welsh (184) ascending aft large wins astatine Iowa.

The Nittany Lions person won an NCAA-record 80 consecutive matches and 4 consecutive NCAA squad titles. They person group NCAA tourney scoring records successful consecutive years and tin do truthful again this March successful Cleveland. According to Wrestlestat, 5 of nan apical 8 contenders for nan Hodge Trophy wrestle for Penn State.

So what's nan concealed sauce? According to Mitchell Mesenbrink, a 2025 NCAA champion who is 68-1 successful 3 seasons astatine Penn State, it's that nary exists.

"I don’t deliberation there’s immoderate concealed sauce," Mesenbrink told reporters astatine nan team's play media readiness successful State College. "Just support doing nan aforesaid things and focusing connected nan bigger image of things successful preparing for nan mext match. It's instilling values into your day-to-day that mean thing to you and mean thing to God and make a difference. Everybody knows them. They're not conscionable immoderate crazy fable aliases connection that you've ne'er heard. What's nan quote? 'Extraordinary is conscionable mean complete and over.'"

Sanderson shared Mesenbrink's evaluation, saying that Penn State succeeds by recruiting nan correct wrestlers, training them to internalize regular habits and incrementally tiering their attraction for nan NCAA Championships. Sanderson has maintained that attack moreover successful nan NIL era.

"I deliberation I person a beautiful bully thought of what we’re doing and what we’re not doing," said Sanderson, whose teams person won 12 NCAA titles. "In this era of NIL and each nan different motivations to spell to different programs, our kids cognize they're coming present because they want to beryllium nan champion wrestlers that they tin imaginable be.

"... The chemistry is really unthinkable correct now successful nan program. Just a batch of bully kids who are present for nan correct reasons. Kids who could person named their value and gone to different schools are present conscionable because of what nan programme represents and stands for. Those are nan kids who are going to attraction astir 1 different and attraction astir nan team. When you do that, evidently you’re going to get your champion self."

Penn State wrestles 2 much matches this weekend, hosting Indiana connected Friday and visiting Maryland connected Sunday. After that, nan Nittany Lions will big their 2 biggest matches of nan location season.

No. 5 Nebraska visits nan Bryce Jordan Center connected Jan. 30, and second-ranked Ohio State visits Feb. 13 for nan Big Ten finale. Penn State past hosts nan 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships connected March 7-8.

"What Cael has done for nan programme is mind-boggling," erstwhile Minnesota heavyweight Gable Steveson said astatine nan 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships. "Seeing a coach bring a group of guys together and predominate a collegiate athletics is conscionable crazy. It reminds maine of Alabama shot aliases Coach K [Mike Krzyzewski] astatine Duke successful basketball, conscionable taking complete nan crippled and moving pinch it."

Sanderson frames Penn State's occurrence successful little expansive terms.

"I deliberation erstwhile we look back, we’ll spot that this era has been bully to america because we do our champion to travel nan rules, and we’re going to get nan kids who are coming present for nan correct reasons," Sanderson said. "... I deliberation it will beryllium an advantage to america because kids are coming present pinch very precocious characteristic wanting to beryllium nan champion wrestlers successful nan world."

What happens adjacent for Penn State? Stay connected apical of each nan Nittany Lions news by subscribing to nan Penn State connected SI Daily Digest. The newsletter is your free regular model into Penn State sports.

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