Penn State wrestling commit AJ Fricchione breaks down decision to pick the Lions

Penn State wrestling added another star to its Class of 2023 last week. The Lions landed New Jersey upper weight AJ Fricchione on Friday. He is a two-time medalist in the Garden State and competes at the prestigious Bergen Catholic.

Indiana, Navy, Oregon State, and Virginia were all in the running. But, after visiting Penn State last year and hearing the message head coach Cael Sanderson and his staff had to offer ever since, the Lions became a runaway winner in the end.

“Penn State has been my dream school growing up as a kid, my father and I would always watch all the great wrestlers who came through Penn State,” Fricchione told BWI.

“I always thought to myself I hope that can be me one day. When I visited Penn State something really stood out to me, and it was that every single person in that wrestling room had a smile on there face. Everyone who is there loves to wrestle, those are the guys I want to surround myself around.”

The visit was a key part of this recruitment. Penn State’s history of success played a significant role as well. And, Fricchione bonded with not only legendary head coach Cael Sanderson but also assistants Cody Sanderson and Casey Cunningham. A former Lion made an impact, too.

“Coach Cael and Coach Casey stayed in touch with me through the entire recruiting process,” Fricchione said. “The hospitality that they continuously showed me was amazing, I also got into touch with former Penn State wrestler and NCAA champion Anthony Cassar. He told me that it’s just a coaching staff that you know will take care of you.

“Everyone was very supportive in my decision and that makes me feel really good. Penn State fits me like a glove and I am so thankful to have such great coaches who believe in me as much as Coach Cael and Coach Casey. I feel that with the knowledge my coaches have my wrestling will be taken to a totally different level.”

Where will Fricchione slot in at Penn State?

Fricchione is FloWrestling’s 17th-ranked wrestler nationally at 182 pounds. However, he will wrestle above that at the next level. He competed at 215 a year ago and should slot in at either 197 or heavyweight in college.

“This upcoming year I am going to be a senior, and I am the top dog at 215” he said. “This is going to be a special season. I will be going until the wheels fall off.”

That should be music to Penn State fans’ ears. It is the exact mindset Sanderson and co. will expect him to have in State College.

“At the end it came down to what school would give me the best opportunity to be great,” Fricchione said. “Penn State was that fit. Coach Cael and Coach Casey are the best coaches in the world. The most humble and genuine coaches I have ever met. That’s very important to me. When you step foot onto State College you know that’s the place you want to be, there’s no other place that could possibly match.

“Penn State is definitely more than a home to me. I genuinely did realize Penn State was going to be a great fit for me when I got to meet everyone on the team, they welcomed me and took me like I was already there. There are no negative people at all everyone is helping each other get better and that is something that I truly love.”

The Penn State wrestling Class of 2023 also includes 170-pounder Josh Barr, 120-pounder Breaden Davis (No. 16), 138-pounder Tyler Kasak, 113-pounder Cael Nasdeo, and 113-pounder Branden Wentzel.