Penn State wrestling commit Joe Sealey opens up about Lions pledge

Penn State made a massive splash in the Class of 2024 back in October when it landed the nation’s No. 14 pound-for-pound recruit in the country, according to FloWrestling. Now, Joe Sealey has opened up about his decision to pick the Lions.

The standout, who wrestles at Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pa., picked the Lions over North Carolina, which is where he is originally from, N.C. State, and Iowa, among others. He is the third-ranked 160-pound wrestler in the country, according to Flo. He’s also No. 14 pound-for-pound regardless of weight class or school year. And, he’s one of three top Class of 2024 recruits to pick Penn State in the next cycle after Johnstown, Pa., Bishop McCort standout Mason Gibson, who is the nation’s ninth-ranked wrestler at 126 pounds, did so in November while New York’s Zack Ryder, who is No. 9 in Flo’s overall pound-for-pound rankings, picked the program in September.

“I always knew Penn State was going to be a top school,” Sealey told BWI. “I watched them for a long time, and it always kind of appealed to me, mainly the style, and the way they wrestle, and the way they go about things and having fun. And so, when [Penn State coach Cael Sanderson offered] me, I already knew it was going to be a top school. All the other schools, I liked them. But, Penn State is going to get me where I need for my goals.”

Sealey mostly does his talking on the mat, according to Wyoming Seminary head coach Cornell Robinson. He emphasized the impact Joe Sealey’s father, who also is named Joe, had on his son’s wrestling career. And, he was quick to point out that the youngest Sealey has one of the highest grade point averages on the team at the prestigious prep school.

More Penn State wrestling coverage: Meet Sealey’s future Lions teammate, 2024 standout Mason Gibson

“Joe is pretty quiet,” Robinson said with a laugh. “But, to get to know Joe is to love him. Definitely, once you get in his circle, I think he appreciates you, which is always cool. And, you know, it takes a while to kind of get in there, but he’s definitely a great kid to have on the team.”

Sealey has accomplished much so far in his wrestling career. He has won a Prep national title, the prestigious Powerade and Beast of the East tournaments, and gold at the U17 freestyle world championships. So far this year, he’s taken the top spot at the prestigious Powerade Tournament and also The Brissel Tournament. The future Nittany Lion projects to compete in the upperweights at Penn State, and he already has his eye on getting there despite having this year and next before he does so. He recently finished third at the nationally respected Ironman tournament and believes the things he has learned from his father and also his coaches at Wyoming Seminary will help him quickly acclimate to college life once he gets there.

“I feel like wrestling-wise, I’m always trying to learn and always watching wrestling,” Sealey said. “So that helps a lot. I think being at this boarding school and being by myself and having to be more independent, I think that will help me later on in life in college and stuff.

“I think working hard has helped me a lot on and off the mat. Just making sure my sleep is good, and my schoolwork and stuff, making sure I got good discipline when it comes to that, so my grades are good, and I’m able to compete at my best.”