Penn State wrestling show: Lions aim to add an NIL director; U20 Nationals, U23 World Team Trials preview
The final Penn State wrestling show and podcast from Blue-White Illustrated of May is now live. Host Thomas Frank Carr and reporter Greg Pickel have plenty to discuss, including a new position the Nittany Lions aim to fill plus a preview of a major event on the annual freestyle calendar.
The duo starts this week’s episode with talk about a job posting tied to head coach Cael Sanderson’s program. It is looking for a NIL director. The new position on the leader of the Lions’ staff will be tasked with various things. It includes helping with recruiting, providing “administrative support for NIL fundraising and educational efforts,” building relationships with potential donors, tracking “all incoming NIL gifts, pledges, and donations from supporters of Penn State wrestling,” and ensuring compliance rules are followed. Other responsibilities are sure to be a part of the job.
You can watch this week’s show in video player above and also on YouTube. Or, you can listen at your favorite destinations for audio like SPOTIFY and APPLE.
Why does Penn State wrestling need an NIL director? What does it mean about the evolving college athletics landscape? And how can it push Sanderson’s already highly-successful program to higher heights? Carr and Pickel discuss.
From there, the show moves on to the U20 Natioanls and U23 World Team Trials. Competitors from across the country will be in Geneva, Ohio Friday-Sunday to try and make the U.S. U20 and U23 teams that will compete at the world championships. Four Penn State Class of 2024 recruits already sit in the U20 best-of-three finals: Luke Lilledahl (57 kilograms), PJ Duke (70 kilograms), Zack Ryder (79 kilograms), and Connor Mirasola (92 kilograms). Each needs to win two of three matches to make the U20 team.
More: Penn State wrestling outlook: Will the Lions have a new starter at 125?
Other Penn State ties in the U20 tournament (note that entries can change up until the action starts Saturday):
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57 kilograms: Cael Nasdeo, Luke Lilledahl, Nate Desmond
61 kilograms: Kysion Garcia
70 kilograms: Tyler Kasak, PJ Duke
74 kilograms: Joe Sealey
79 kilograms: Will Henckel, Zack Ryder
86 kilograms: Josh Barr
92 kilograms: Connor Mirasola
97 kilograms: Cole Mirasola
The Penn State group in the U23 bracket includes reigning NCAA champion Greg Kerkvliet, who will compete at 125 kilograms, and NCAA qualifier Aaron Nagao, who is in the 61-kilogram weight class. Other NLWC entries include:
65 kilograms: Matt Rodriguez
70 kilograms: Connor Pierce
79 kilograms: Erik Gibson
92 kilograms: Lucas Cochran
Check back to Blue-White Illustrated for results from the U20 and U23 World Team Trials. And, watch this week’s show and podcast at the link above.
