Cael Sanderson celebrates his Penn State anniversary today: Newsstand
Penn State news, notes, and updates for April 17 include Cael Sanderson’s anniversary with the Nittany Lions, headlines of the day, and more. It’s time to dive into Thursday’s top tweets and headlines about college athletics.
Penn State tweets of the day
Today is Cael Sanderson’s 16th anniversary at Penn State. The legendary leader of the Lions wrestling program was officially named the program’s 12th head coach on April 17, 2009. He was 29 at the time.
“I don’t really have a lot to say right now … I’m ready to get my feet on the ground and start moving,” Sanderson said at the time, according to The Associated Press. “My plans are big, and my vision is big. It’s just a matter of getting it done.
“The reasons I’m here are simple. I’ve said several times it’s not anything about financials. It’s about the unique situation that Penn State University has. It’s really that simple.”
More: How did three Nittany Lions perform at the U23 Pan-Am games?
Five-time NCAA champ Carter Starocci joked in March that Sanderson would not be satisfied until he had 10 national champions in a single year. He has yet to accomplish that. But, in terms of his plan and vision, most of it is. His 2024-2025 team became the second college wrestling team ever to have 10 All-Americans. Since 2009-2010, Sanderson has guided Penn State, per a news release, to: “eight Southern Scuffle titles, ten B1G dual meet titles, nine Big Ten Championships, 12 NCAA Championships. They have collected 101 All-Americans, 40 National Champions, including an NCAA record-tying five in both 2017 and 2022, four Gorriaran winners, seven NCAA Tournament Outstanding Wrestlers, one CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year, one NCAA Elite 89 winner, one NCAA Top 10 Award winner and six Hodge Trophy winners.”
Top 10
- 1New
Greg Sankey
SEC calls for Portal change
- 2Trending
Lane Kiffin
'CFP should be 16 best'
- 3Hot
Bruce Pearl
Running for Senate?
- 4
Steve Sarkisian
'Irresponsible reporting'
- 5
Florida AD
No more CFP Selection Committee
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When season 17 starts later this year, Penn State will be six wins away from setting a new consecutive dual meet victory streak with 77. Oklahoma State currently holds the record with 76. It’s not yet clear when the Lions 2025-2026 season will kick off.
Headlines of the day
Penn State transfer portal headquarters: Window opens on spring exits (Updated 4/16): Bauer, BWI
Trimmings: What we’re hearing on Penn State’s roster as the Transfer Portal opens: Fitz, BWI
PSU roster reset: Portal tests depth of linebacker room: Carr, BWI
Four-star OL Carter Scruggs takes his final spring visits to Penn State and Oklahoma: Wiltfong, On3
Where does the Penn State roster count stand after day one of the spring transfer portal window?: Pickel, BWI
OL Kannon Smith: ‘Penn State is definitely a place where I can see myself playing’: Snyder, BWI
Everything Penn State coach James Franklin said after the Lions’ 10th spring practice: Pickel, BWI
Quote of the day
“My latest visit to Penn State was amazing. What continues to excite me about this opportunity is to go get developed by Coach Traut(wein), get drafted and win a National Championship. I was also very impressed with their business school and with how Coach Traut coaches his guys.
“They are definitely a top five school for me right now.”
Leesburg, Va. Loudoun County On300 offensive lineman Carter Scruggs to On3 on PSU.
