Penn State wrestling: Cael Sanderson talks upcoming Black Knight Invitational, NWCA All-Star match, more

Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson held his weekly media availability on Tuesday. The Nittany Lions are 1-0 after crushing Lock Haven last Friday night at Rec Hall. This weekend, the team returns to action at the Black Knight Open. There, 15 Lions will compete against wrestlers from host Army and also grapplers from Hofstra, Campbell, Columbia, Bloomsburg, Indiana, Brown, Central Michigan, and Buffalo.

Sanderson’s team will not have three of its starters at the tournament, however. Carter Starocci, Aaron Brooks, and Greg Kerkvliet are all headed to next Tuesday’s NWCA All-Star match in Austin, Tex. Thus, that group will not be competing with the rest of the team in New York on Sunday.

Starocci will wrestle Virginia Tech’s Mehki Lewis in a repeat of the 174-pound 2021 NCAA final. At 184, Brooks will battle  Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa. And, at heavyweight, Kerkvliet will have another matchup with Iowa’s Anthony Cassioppi, who has beat the Lions in every previous meeting. Those matches do not count toward any of the wrestlers’ records. But, they will play a role in NCAA Tournament seeding come March.

“I think if you’re a competitor, every match is the same, whether it counts or not,” Sanderson said. “I mean, it always counts, right? As we’ve seen in the past, the coaches use these matches for seeding of the national tournament. They did that to Mark Hall a couple of years back.

“The people going are competitors. Everyone’s a competitor. I think it’s about growth, and, you know, win or lose, we’re going to get better and figure things out and make progress in all areas. It should be great. We’re excited to go. High level matches. So, it’s exciting.”

Here’s a look at what else Sanderson had to say Tuesday.

Penn State still formulating its weekend plan

Penn State can take 15 wrestlers to the Black Knight Open. As of Tuesday, though, Sanderson was unsure of exactly who the program will be taking. The seven remaining starters should all be there. But, the eight reserves who go won’t be known publically until the weekend.

“I think we get 15,” Sanderson said. “So, we’ll definitely fill those 15 spots. And that’s something we’re trying to figure out, who to take at this time.”

The chosen wrestlers will likely be ones who competed at the Bearcat Open last weekend. That 12-man contingent was headlined by Connor Pierce, who finished second at 141 pounds. All told, seven Penn State wrestlers placed at the event, including freshman Levi Haines, who was fifth at 157 pounds.

“I think the guys wrestled well,” Sanderson said. “More than anything, it’s just about them getting experience right now. And with the rules, it gives us a chance to kind of go with them and kind of [coach] them. A lot of times in these opens, they’re off on their own, and redshirts are traveling, trying to find ways to get there on their own. So I think it’s a good thing.

“The guys wrestled well, and there’s always room for improvement. So when you go compete, I think that’s the best training, is actually competing, right? That’s where we really learn a lot about ourselves as a team and each individual.”

Final thoughts on Lock Haven

Sanderson said he was not surprised by any parts of his team’s 44-3 win over Lock Haven last week. But, he did shout out the newcomers — Gary Steen at 125 pounds, Shayne Van Ness at 149, and Alex Facundo at 165 — when discussing the victory.

“I think we have a pretty good idea of what to expect when we go out there,” Sanderson said. “So, we’re not usually surprised. Always excited to see your newcomers go out there and wrestle. Van Ness, Facundo, I think Gary, he’s also a freshman, and he had their toughest guy out there.

“In the season, last week is history.”

He said it

Sanderson had this to say when asked why he likes tournaments like the Black Knight Open:

“Well, I like competition. I think it’s a great way to compete. And like I kind of was saying, I view competition as the best preparation. I mean, that’s the best if you have the right attitude and mindset. So I at these open tournaments, and even the dual meets, as just preparation for bigger things. They just want to get into that mindset and routine of just, be your best all the time, whether there are 10,000 people watching or three, just be your best, and if you do that, you’re going to be your best in big moments also.”