Kraft: Penn State wrestling is the greatest dynasty in all sports

March has finally arrived. For most sports fans, this month means the return of the beloved madness of the NCAA basketball tournament. But in Happy Valley over the last two decades, March has been reserved for Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling.

Fresh off a fifth consecutive undefeated regular season, Sanderson and the Nittany Lions will look to continue their postseason dominance this month. Next week, Penn State will travel to Evanston to push for the program’s third straight Big Ten Championship. Two weeks later, the Nittany Lions will head down the road to Philadelphia for the NCAA Championships, where Sanderson can complete the third four-peat of his coaching tenure.

“He is one of one,” Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft said of Sanderson last week. “He’s a unicorn, we would say in our world. But Cael is – it’s Cael, it’s Casey [Cunningham], it’s Cody [Sanderson]. It’s that entire organization and how they run it.

“You know, everyone kind of hits us up when our athletes speak after they win and say, ‘This is just one of the things I do.’ That’s real. He recruits amazing young men who understand and are fully committed to being the best. And Cael does it in a way that is so special and unique.”

Looking for a way to stay up-to-date with all the most important news surrounding Penn State wrestling and Nittany Lion athletics? Follow us on social media and subscribe to our free newsletter for live news and insights sent directly to your feed!

After setting the NCAA points record last March, Penn State wrestling has the potential to shatter that mark just a year later. With four Nittany Lions ranked No. 1 and all its starters ranked in the top eight of their weight class, Penn State could become the second team ever to have 10 All-Americans when the season wraps up in Philadelphia later this month.

After fielding questions about his “unicorn” coach from across the sporting world, there’s little doubt in Kraft’s mind where Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling rank among the country’s elite athletic programs.

“But I think we all have to understand what we are watching. It is the greatest,” Kraft continued. “It’s not even a dynasty. It’s better than what anyone has done in college sports and maybe in all sports, because the Big Ten is loaded, and we’re going to continue to do that as long as we can… He’s just one of those people that thinks at a different level, in all the right ways.”

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned and operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on social media.