For Penn State Wrestling, a Home Sendoff to the Postseason
The top-ranked Penn State wrestling team has shifted to postseason mode, prepping its defense of its 2022 NCAA team title. But first, the Lions will pause for Senior Day and the chance to punctuate another undefeated season.
Penn State (15-0) hosts Clarion on Sunday at Rec Hall in its final dual meet of the season. After that, the Lions will move completely to the postseason, which opens March 4-5 with the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Michigan.
Penn State will recognize a relatively small senior class that includes three starters, one of whom (Aaron Brooks) could return for his bonus COVID season. Defending national champs Brooks (184), Roman Bravo-Young (133) and Max Dean (197) might wrestle vs. Clarion, depending on their whims and those of Sanderson.
Even if they don't, the ovation for the trio (and anyone else who decides to participate in Senior Day) should be loud at Rec Hall.
"It's kind of up to the starters, I would say," Sanderson told reporters in State College about the lineup decisions. "You want to throw the seniors out there if you have a chance, but unfortunately that's just not really how it works. We're getting ready for the national tournament, and that’s our focus and our purpose. If it works that it’s a senior, great. If not, that’s just kind of how it goes. We love our seniors, but at this point it's about preparing for the national tournament."
A week after clinching its ninth Big Ten regular-season title, Penn State is poised build on Sanderson's dual-meet legacy. The Lions can complete their seventh undefeated regular season in 14 years under Sanderson, who enters the match with a 190-16-2 record at Penn State.
The undefeated season would be Sanderson's third straight and seventh over the past eight seasons. In those eight years, Sanderson's winning percentage is .981 (108-2).
How dominant has Penn State been in dual matches this season? No team has won more than four bouts against the Lions, and five opponents managed just one decision. Six wrestlers have scored at least 50 dual-meet points, and Penn State has generated nearly 350 more dual takedowns than its opponents (430-86).
But Sanderson and his staff are postseason coaches who thrive in tournament settings. The Lions are favored to defend their NCAA title and possibly challenge Iowa's 1997 tournament scoring record (170 points).
Penn State returns four NCAA champs and has eight wrestlers ranked among the top-10 at their weight classes, according to InterMat Wrestling. The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships are scheduled for March 16-18 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Sunday's Penn State-Clarion match begins at 1 p.m. ET. B1G+ will stream the dual.
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.