Ready to go: Cael Sanderson talks postseason mindset for Penn State wrestling

It’s March, the time of year when Penn State wrestling shines the brightest. The Nittany Lions are looking for a strong showing at the Big Ten Championships and NCAA Tournament to notch a third consecutive National Championship and the 11th of the Cael Sanderson era. Although Penn State is heavily favored going into the postseason, the key to the Sanderson dynasty has been maintaining a competitive fire. This week, the Nittany Lions head coach discussed his team’s mindset shifting out of the regular season and into tournament mode with the Big Ten Championships on the horizon.

Sanderson: Penn State wrestling “ready to go” ahead of postseason

It was another perfect dual season for Penn State wrestling, most recently coming off a crushing 55-0 win over Edinboro last weekend. The Nittany Lions were rarely challenged on the scoreboard this year, dominating opponents 428-69 and winning matches by an average of 30 points over the season.

But now, we’ve reached the moment that’s been on everyone’s mind since the Nittany Lions first took the mat last fall. Penn State wrestling is eyeing its second straight conference title at the Big Ten Championships next week, as well as the program’s third three-peat at Nationals under Cael Sanderson.

The expectations are high for Penn State. But these Nittany Lion wrestlers perform best when the lights are on them. On the Penn State Coaches Show this week, Cael Sanderson talked about the mindset of his squad heading into the postseason.

“We just want to make sure that our kids know that we’re ready to go and that we’re confident and that most of the work’s been done,” Sanderson said. “So now, it’s about just getting ready to compete.

“I think this group is very competitive. We’ve talked about that over the years. The bigger the match, the more excited they are. So, it’s more about just leading in that final link, where they can trust in what they’ve been doing and themselves and just know that they’re ready to go, which they are.”

Nittany Lions pushing through adversity to reach the biggest stages

Even if Penn State wrestling didn’t appear to be tested throughout the dual season, that doesn’t mean there weren’t challenges along the way. One of the biggest obstacles the Nittany Lions faced was injury and illness within their wrestling room, testing the program’s depth.

“I feel like every year you have something [that challenges you],” Sanderson said. “And every week when you’re preparing for a dual, the season goes fast because you’re just trying to get ready for that match. And you have kids that maybe aren’t competing for whatever reason. Maybe they’re sick, or they’re not feeling great, or they’re injured or something. But I feel like that’s the way it is every year.”

Regardless of what happens throughout the winter, for Penn State, it’s time to turn it on come March. For Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions, that fearless perception is just as important outside their locker room as it is within their walls.

“It still comes down to, if you want to do well at the Big Ten or the National Tournament, you still have to compete well in the big rounds and win the big matches,” Sanderson expressed. “It always comes down to that. So, it’s just making sure our guys know that’s when we’re at our best. And even if we aren’t, if they think we are, then it works out sometimes.”

Penn State wrestling will take the mat in the Big Ten Championships starting next Saturday in College Park, Maryland. The tournament will air on the Big Ten Network.

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