Cael Sanderson provides update on Penn State wrestling ahead of NCAA Championships

Penn State wrestling is already one-for-one on championships this month after capturing the Big Ten title in Evanston last weekend. In seven days, Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions will look to continue their decade-plus of postseason success at the NCAA Championships in nearby Philadelphia.

Although the lights are brightest this time of year, there’s no extra pressure inside the Penn State wrestling room. The Nittany Lions already have all the motivation they need ahead of next week’s title push.

“I think these kids are just continually just getting motivated by everything,” Sanderson said on the Penn State Coaches Show Thursday evening. “I mean, they’re on social media, their parents, their high school coaches, their friends – everybody’s trying to motivate them where we don’t really take that approach. I mean, they wouldn’t be in this position right now if they need to be motivated.

“So it’s more about just kind of keeping them calm [for us]. You know [reassuring], ‘We’re ready. Just believe, you know, let’s smile and just go be ourselves.’ But yeah, I think if we’re trying to pile on the motivation, it might be a little bit too much.”

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Penn State wrestling is vying for the third four-peat of Cael Sanderson’s tenure when the action kicks off next week in Philadelphia. Four Nittany Lions claimed top spots when the NCAA announced its seeding for the tournament on Wednesday night. All but 133-pounder Braeden Davis are seeded in the top four of their weight class.

InterMat currently projects the Nittany Lions to score 158 team points and finish 76 points ahead of second-place Iowa. Last March, Penn State won by 100 points after scoring 172.5 team points, both of which are NCAA records.

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