We all know of the championships and champions with a 6th NCAA within reach in just 8 years. A winning streak of 31 duals in a row. Numerous Southern Scuffle victories.
But the program is still ascending. Iowa and Okie State were the gold standard. PSU is becoming the platinum standard, a level never seen before.
Let's look back.
Recruiting before Cael arrived
2005 - 2008
HS Top Ranked Wrestlers
Top 25, Top 10, Top 5, #1's
Oklahoma St 9, 5, 2, 0
Minnesota 8, 3, 2, 1
Iowa State 6, 4, 2, 0
Ohio State 6, 2, 2, 0
Cornell 5, 3, 2, 0
Iowa 5, 2, 0, 0
Penn State 5, 2, 0, 0
Interesting to see how Iowa State out recruited Iowa during Cael's tenure. Oklahoma State and Minnesota did well.
Recruiting since Cael's arrival.
2009 - 2012 (graduated classes)
HS Top Ranked Wrestlers
Top 25, Top 10, Top 5, #1's
Oklahoma St 8, 3, 1, 0
Penn State 8, 7, 5, 2
Iowa 7, 2, 1, 0
Ohio State 5, 4, 1, 1
Nebraska 5, 0, 0, 0
Minnesota 4, 0, 0, 0
Cornell 3, 3, 3, 0
Illinois 3, 1, 0, 0
Lehigh 3, 2, 0, 0
Michigan 3, 1, 0, 0
2012-16 (current squads)
HS Top Ranked Wrestlers
Top 25, Top 10, Top 5, #1
Oklahoma St 10, 4, 2, 0
Penn State 9, 9, 7, 1
Ohio State 9, 8, 4, 2
Iowa 9, 2, 2, 0
Illinois 7, 3, 1, 0
Minnesota 7, 0, 0, 0
Michigan 6, 4, 4, 0
Lehigh 6, 1, 0, 0
Virginia 6, 0, 0, 0
Northwestern 5, 2, 2, 1
Cornell 5, 2, 0, 0
Nebraska 5, 2, 0, 0
Az State 4, 3, 2, 1
Va Tech 4, 2, 0, 0
Since 2009, Penn State and Ohio State have clearly separated themselves with the most elite recruits. Oklahoma State and Iowa have numbers but not the elite talent that the other two have. Illinois and Michigan are coming as is Az State. Northwestern wasted the last five years. The rest are mid pack. Minnesota and Cornell have fallen back and Iowa State has disappeared.
But why has Penn State dominated Okie St, O$U, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Lehigh, Nebraska, and Northwestern this year?
Coaching, conditioning, and scoring.
It's elite to match the talent level. The Bama of college wrestling! They've set a whole new standard in college wrestling.
It's simply spelled Cael.....
Sanderson is focused on elite national talent that has international aspirations. Pa. is backup. That's the "plan" they all speak of. And to think he missed on Gwiz, Snyder, the Jordan's, Martin, Redd, Valencia, Massa, etc... he sells the "plan", not just the ship! Duals, B1G, NCAA's are part of the process.
The NLWC is what's it's all about. The room is insane and getting better with more elite young wrestlers due to arrive in the next two years. Manville, Berge, the Lee brothers, Bravo-Young, and Wittlake. Look at the January USA rankings. Twelve of the 80 wrestlers attached to PSU/ NLWC not including the Army program and international visitors. The NLWC has been the "club" of the year in 3 of the last four years. It's numbers are growing.
Can't wait for Cael to start recruiting internationally....
It's the epicenter of USA Wrestling!
But the program is still ascending. Iowa and Okie State were the gold standard. PSU is becoming the platinum standard, a level never seen before.
Let's look back.
Recruiting before Cael arrived
2005 - 2008
HS Top Ranked Wrestlers
Top 25, Top 10, Top 5, #1's
Oklahoma St 9, 5, 2, 0
Minnesota 8, 3, 2, 1
Iowa State 6, 4, 2, 0
Ohio State 6, 2, 2, 0
Cornell 5, 3, 2, 0
Iowa 5, 2, 0, 0
Penn State 5, 2, 0, 0
Interesting to see how Iowa State out recruited Iowa during Cael's tenure. Oklahoma State and Minnesota did well.
Recruiting since Cael's arrival.
2009 - 2012 (graduated classes)
HS Top Ranked Wrestlers
Top 25, Top 10, Top 5, #1's
Oklahoma St 8, 3, 1, 0
Penn State 8, 7, 5, 2
Iowa 7, 2, 1, 0
Ohio State 5, 4, 1, 1
Nebraska 5, 0, 0, 0
Minnesota 4, 0, 0, 0
Cornell 3, 3, 3, 0
Illinois 3, 1, 0, 0
Lehigh 3, 2, 0, 0
Michigan 3, 1, 0, 0
2012-16 (current squads)
HS Top Ranked Wrestlers
Top 25, Top 10, Top 5, #1
Oklahoma St 10, 4, 2, 0
Penn State 9, 9, 7, 1
Ohio State 9, 8, 4, 2
Iowa 9, 2, 2, 0
Illinois 7, 3, 1, 0
Minnesota 7, 0, 0, 0
Michigan 6, 4, 4, 0
Lehigh 6, 1, 0, 0
Virginia 6, 0, 0, 0
Northwestern 5, 2, 2, 1
Cornell 5, 2, 0, 0
Nebraska 5, 2, 0, 0
Az State 4, 3, 2, 1
Va Tech 4, 2, 0, 0
Since 2009, Penn State and Ohio State have clearly separated themselves with the most elite recruits. Oklahoma State and Iowa have numbers but not the elite talent that the other two have. Illinois and Michigan are coming as is Az State. Northwestern wasted the last five years. The rest are mid pack. Minnesota and Cornell have fallen back and Iowa State has disappeared.
But why has Penn State dominated Okie St, O$U, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Lehigh, Nebraska, and Northwestern this year?
Coaching, conditioning, and scoring.
It's elite to match the talent level. The Bama of college wrestling! They've set a whole new standard in college wrestling.
It's simply spelled Cael.....
Sanderson is focused on elite national talent that has international aspirations. Pa. is backup. That's the "plan" they all speak of. And to think he missed on Gwiz, Snyder, the Jordan's, Martin, Redd, Valencia, Massa, etc... he sells the "plan", not just the ship! Duals, B1G, NCAA's are part of the process.
The NLWC is what's it's all about. The room is insane and getting better with more elite young wrestlers due to arrive in the next two years. Manville, Berge, the Lee brothers, Bravo-Young, and Wittlake. Look at the January USA rankings. Twelve of the 80 wrestlers attached to PSU/ NLWC not including the Army program and international visitors. The NLWC has been the "club" of the year in 3 of the last four years. It's numbers are growing.
Can't wait for Cael to start recruiting internationally....
It's the epicenter of USA Wrestling!
