Penn State coach Cael Sanderson talks Iowa match, chance to win 200th dual as a Lion, and more

The No. 1 Penn State wrestling team will look to play something of a numbers game when it invades Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a meeting with No. 3 Iowa (10-1) on Friday night. Longtime Nittany Lions coach Cael Sanderson can win his 200th match in blue and white. Penn State (8-0) can beat the Hawkeyes for the third time in as many years. And, the team will seek its 53rd consecutive dual meet victory.

“It just means I’ve been here a long time, but we’ve had a lot of great memories,” Sanderson said Tuesday when asked about his first 199 wins at PSU. “My fondest memories are just the people. The coaches, alumni, kids on team, and just those relationships. Those are, by far, what I am most grateful for.”

The Nittany Lions are coming off of a blowout win over Ohio State. Meanwhile, the Hawkeyes were upset last Friday by Michigan.

“My job is to take care of the kids in our program and help them be the best we can be, and engaging and participating in all the other stuff; it just depends on how you look at it,” Sanderson said when asked if he watched the Wolverines’ stunning win.

“We just try to do what we do and get better at it. That’s more of a big-picture philosophy and how I was taught.”

Sanderson talks Penn State-Iowa

While there are numerous headliner bouts on deck for Penn State-Iowa, there are also some questions about who the Hawkeyes will wrestle at certain spots of the lineup. Top questions include whether or not upperweight freshman Gabe Arnold will be in the lineup and if Brody Teske will compete at 133 pounds. Neither took the mat against Michigan.

“We’re obviously, we just assume and it’s been pretty accurate that teams are going to wrestle their best team against us,” Sanderson said. “If it’s somebody who is redshirting, we’re probably going to see them in the dual. That’s just kind of the way it is. That’s kind of what we expect and prepare for.”

What will he tell the members of his Penn State team who have not yet been to Carver-Hawkeye Arena?

“I think wrestling at Iowa is a lot of fun,” Sanderson said. “Their fans know the support. Their event staff is second to known. We watch and say what can we learn from this? And then they have one of the best athletic programs in all of sports in their wrestling team. So, it’s a great place to compete. Everywhere we wrestle, we generally see a big crowd. Here, it’s standing room only. So we wrestle in big environments all the time. So from that standpoint, it’s not as big of a deal.

“You kind of get what you focus on. If you’re focused on your match, then that’s probably the best idea. And, just keep things simple.”

Some of the top expected bouts include a top 10 showdown at 125 pounds between Drake Ayala of Iowa and Penn State’s Braeden Davis, a Nos. 1 vs. 2 showdown in Nittany Lion Beau Bartlett vs. Hawkeye Real Woods, a top 15 meeting between No. 10 Nittany Lion Tyler Kasak and No. 12 Hawkeye Caleb Rathjen at 149, a top five bout between No. 1 Penn State sophomore Levi Haines and No. 5 Jared Franek at 157, and No. 6 Mikey Caliendo of Iowa versus No. 7 Mitchell Mesenbrink at 165, among others.

He said it

Sanderson, on prepping for his team’s last road dual meet of the Big Ten season:

“I enjoy being on the road. I think it’s fun to wrestle in other people’s arenas. And I think our kids enjoy that. I think it’s good for them to be on the road and spend time together. There’s obviously home field advantage, but it goes both ways. If you’re here, we’re hoping our kids are in class on Friday. If we’re away, they’re a little bit more, laying around the hotel room, so it’s all in your perspective. I enjoy being on the road with these guys. I think they enjoy it too.”