Penn State wrestling lands Class of 2025 star Nate Desmond
Penn State wrestling has landed another star in the Class of 2025. Wyoming Seminary junior Nate Desmond picked the Nittany Lions on Wednesday night. The 120-pound standout is a two-time PIAA state champ who compiled an 80-3 record before going the prep school route for his last two high school years.
“To say I’m beyond blessed is an understatement,” Desmond wrote on Instagram. “Since I was a little kid, I set goals. Some were unable to envision and understand, but I believe with dedication and enjoyment for the journey, anything is possible.
“Thank you to all the coaches who recruited me and gave me a chance to wrestle at the next level. With that being said, I will be continuing my career at Penn State University.”
So far this year, Desmond won all his matches at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Duals. He also finished third at Ironman, which is an invite-only tournament for elite high school wrestlers, second at Super 32, another prestigious tournament for his age group, and fourth at Fargo, the annual summer freestyle spectacular. He is joined as both a Wyoming Seminary wrestler and Nittany Lion commit by Class of 2024 teammates Luke Lilledahl and Joe Sealey.
How new Penn State commit Nate Desmond stacks up nationally
Desmond is well-regarded by the wrestling rankings community. Wille Saylor of Matscouts calls him the No. 17 recruit on his Class of 2025 big board. He also has him as the third-ranked 120-pound wrestler in the country. Flo wrestling agrees with having him at No. 3 in his weight class. It calls him the No. 18 recruit in the Class of 2025.
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Penn State now has four Class of 2025 commitments. Desmond is joined by New York 152-pounder PJ Duke, who Flo calls the No. 2 junior in the country, Pa., standout Dalton Perry (No. 33), and State College native Asher Cunningham.
Penn State wrestling wrapping up holiday break
Penn State wrestling allows its wrestlers to go home for the holidays if they want to. Most do. They will return to campus soon if they haven’t already to get ready for the 2024 portion of the schedule. It features multiple Big Ten matches and of course the BJC dual. There was some talk that the Lions might wrestle at the home of Penn State men’s and women’s basketball twice this year. But, there is only one such instance. The new year starts with a trip to Oregon State on Jan. 5.
“It’s tricky,” Sanderson said. “A lot of our kids are going to the open. So, we have to make adjustments for those guys. But, wherever we’re at, we’re going to get some work done. Our kids go home for as long of a holiday as we can give them. That’s not always the best training plan. But, we feel like it’s the best long-term plan for them and their mental well-being and just being excited to compete. It’s all about being ready to go in March.”
