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Penn State wrestling transfer portal: Nittany Lions gearing up for a three-peat

Cael Sanderson has added several key transfer portal additions to help Penn State wrestling make a run at another three-peat next season.

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Penn State wrestling transfer portal additions
Mar 18, 2023; Tulsa, OK, USA; Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson hugs Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci after he defeated Nebraska wrestler Mikey Labriola in the 174 pound weight class finals match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-USA TODAY Sports

Spring is recruiting season for much of college athletics. James Franklin now has two recruiting classes in the top five nationally as the football program looks to follow up a Rose Bowl run in 2022. Mike Rhoades is hitting the transfer portal hard to rebuild a depleted Nittany Lion basketball roster. But a short drive on Curtain Road across campus, it’s Cael Sanderson who’s perhaps having the best April. With another new name added to the roster Monday, several Penn State wrestling transfer portal additions have put Sanderson’s squad on a path to make another run at history.

Penn State wrestling transfer portal additions bolster Lions’ three-peat odds

As a team, the 2022-23 season was yet another display of dominance for Penn State wrestling. The Lions finished the dual-meet season 16-0, the sixth undefeated year in Sanderson’s tenure. Penn State followed up a strong regular season with a dominant showing in the Big Ten Championships, winning the program’s seventh conference title and automatically qualifying nine wrestlers for the NCAA Tournament. In Tulsa, Penn State capped off a phenomenal season by winning the program’s 10th National Championship in 12 years.

After winning back-to-back championships, Penn State wrestling will look to three-peat for the third time in the last decade next season. But, there are questions the Lions will have to answer to make history. And Cael Sanderson has used the transfer portal to find several key additions to help the Lions do just that. Here’s an introduction to the latest transfer portal additions for Penn State wrestling:

Bernie Truax IV

While Penn State had eight All-Americans on last year’s squad, there are several key pieces that need to be filled. Max Dean’s graduation leaves an open spot at 197 pounds. Aaron Brooks could bump up from 184 to wrestle in this weight class, but it’s still to be determined if he or Carter Starocci (174 pounds) will take an Olympic redshirt season this year.

With this in mind, Sanderson added former Cal Poly wrestler and three-time All-American Bernie Traux IV to the roster via the portal last week. Over the last three seasons, Traux IV has placed fourth at nationals wrestling at 174 (2021), 184 (2022), and 197 pounds (2023). Traux IV gives Penn State versatility at several key weight classes pending the decisions of Brooks and Starocci. With two years left to wrestle at Penn State, Traux IV is fulfilling a lifelong ambition, saying “it has been a dream of mine to wrestle for this program,” following the commitment.

Mitchell Mesenbrink

The Nittany Lions then looked to add depth by landing Mitchell Mesenbrink from the portal over the weekend. A two-time Wisconsin state champion, Mesenbrink was the 12th overall recruit in the class of 2022. However, he only wrestled in two matches at 165 pounds for Cal Baptist this season. Mesenbrink chose Penn State after visiting Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio State.

It’s unclear where exactly Mesenbrink will slot into the roster for the 2024 season. The Lions have two solid starters in Alex Facundo at 165 and Levi Haines, who put together a remarkable true freshman season, at 157. However, Mesenbrink has stated that he is open to an Olympic redshirt and trusts Sanderson and the Penn State coaching staff to decide what’s best for him next year.

Aaron Nagao

On Monday, Sanderson used the transfer portal to fill one of Penn State’s most pressing needs for next season. The Lions lose multi-time national champion Roman Bravo-Young from the lineup at 133 pounds.  However, this spot will be immediately filled by All-American Aaron Nagao, who is transferring to Penn State from Minnesota.

Nagao, who went 23-6 last season, finished second at the Big Ten Championships to Bravo-Young at 133. The former Golden Gopher picked Penn State over fellow wrestling powerhouses Iowa and Iowa State. He will have sophomore eligibility for the Nittany Lions.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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Penn State baseball loses season finale against No. 20 Maryland

The Nittany Lions will look to pick up the pieces and rebuild for 2024.

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Jun 7, 2014; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Maryland Terrapins outfielder Anthony Papio (13) and shortstop Blake Schmit (1) celebrate a run against the Virginia Cavaliers at Davenport Field. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

In a series that was also the source of significant news for the program, Penn State baseball returned home for a season-ending three-game series against the nationally-ranked Maryland Terrapins. The weekend saw a few close efforts and an impressive upset win, but the Nittany Lions ultimately ended the season with another series defeat.

Offensive explosion in game one

On Thursday, game one saw pure offense from both teams. The Terrapins scored three runs in the second inning, but then the Lions responded with seven runs in their half of the inning. Such was the story of the game, with both squads exchanging runs back and forth. 

Maryland scored three runs in the fourth to cut the Penn State lead down to a single run. But Penn State again answered right back by scoring six runs across the fifth and sixth innings. This scoring outburst featured a triple from Grant Norris that scored Johnny Piacentino and Thomas Bramley. After six innings, the score was 13-6 Nittany Lions.

In the seventh, Maryland scored six runs to cut the Penn State lead to a single run. However, after adding two additional runs as a cushion, the Nittany Lions surrendered five runs in the ninth inning to lose 17-15. 

Penn State baseball pulls upset in game two

Mere hours after news broke of head coach Rob Copper’s resignation on Friday, Penn State put together an inspired performance that culminated in the upset of the 20th-ranked Terrapins. 

The Nittany Lions took a quick 2-0 lead in the second inning after an RBI double from Thomas Bramley that plated CJ Pittaro and Jay Harry. Maryland finally responded in the fifth, taking a 3-2 lead. But that lead didn’t last long, as Penn State quickly reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning following a two-run single from Jay Harry. 

CJ Pittaro added an insurance run in the eighth inning, and the Lions won by a score of 5-3. The win marked Penn State’s second victory against a ranked opponent this year, with the first coming against Miami to open the season.

Lions’ season ends in disappointment

Despite a valiant effort, Penn State’s season finale ended in disappointment. 

The Lions took a 1-0 lead after an RBI triple from CJ Pittaro in the second. However, Maryland answered in the third and fourth innings to take a 2-1 advantage.

After a three-run fourth inning, Penn State retook the lead 4-2. However, the Lions were unable to score any more runs on the day. A home run and a pair of singles gave Maryland a 7-4 victory and, ultimately, the series win. Due to Saturday’s win, the Terrapins also won the Big Ten regular season title.

Looking forward to 2024

With this series, the Nittany Lions’ 2023 campaign came to a disappointing end. In what was head coach Rob Cooper’s last season, Penn State baseball finished at .500, the second time in two seasons it did so. The Lions were not stellar in conference play, finishing at 7-16 and missing the conference tournament as a result. 

With a few changes coming to the program by next season, it will be interesting to see how the Nittany Lions regroup and move ahead in the spring of 2024. 



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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National search begins after Penn State baseball coach Rob Cooper resigns

Penn State will be looking for a new baseball coach to start the 2024 season.

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Penn State baseball coach Rob Cooper
Credit: Basic Blues Nation, 2023.

After a disappointing season, Penn State baseball has to find a new path forward. And next year, the program will have to find that path with a new face at the helm. On Friday, Penn State baseball coach Rob Cooper announced that he will not return to the team next season.

Penn State baseball coach Rob Cooper resigns

Hours before Friday’s game against Maryland, Penn State released a statement from Cooper announcing his resignation from the program. Cooper’s resignation is effective following the Nittany Lions’ final game on Saturday.

“I am beyond grateful for my time as the head baseball coach at Penn State. This is a special place, because of the special people who make it up. My family and I love Penn State. While I am disappointed I wasn’t able to get the baseball program the success it deserves, I am excited about the vision Dr. [Pat] Kraft has for Penn State Athletics, the student-athletes, and the baseball program,” Cooper’s statement said in part.

Cooper led the Nittany Lions for a decade, winning 197 games. Despite a disappointing 25-24 record so far this year, Penn State has experienced success recently. In 2022, Cooper led the Lions to the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2012. Penn State upset No. 3 Iowa before being eliminated.

In addition, 12 players were drafted during Cooper’s tenure, while 13 total players signed professional contracts. The most successful has been Matt Wood, who was the highest-selected pick in program history. He was recently promoted to the High-A level in the Brewers organization.

A national search begins

In the statement released by Penn State, athletic director Pat Kraft thanked Cooper for his years of service to the university. “We appreciate Rob Cooper for all he has done for the Penn State community these last 10 seasons,” Kraft said. “I have a tremendous amount of respect for Rob for not only the commitment he made to our baseball program, but also the way he represented Penn State University with class. I want to thank Rob, and wish him, his wife, Maureen, and his family nothing but the best in the future.”

The university’s statement ended by saying that Penn State would immediately begin a national search to find Cooper’s replacement.

Seeming to rally behind their head coach, the Nittany Lions upset No. 20 Maryland Friday night, 5-3. Cooper’s final game as Penn State head coach will be on Saturday, with first pitch coming at noon at Medlar Field.



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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Penn State releases plans for Medlar Field renovations

The home of Penn State baseball will soon be getting some upgrades.

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Penn State baseball, Medlar Field
April 11, 2023. Medlar Field during Penn State's 11-6 victory over West Virginia. Credit: Basic Blues Nation, 2023.

Over the last few years, Penn State has shown its commitment to the university’s athletic programs through facility upgrades. The Penn State football program recently finished a significant upgrade to the weight room in the Lasch Building, and the Penn State Board of Trustees recently approved $70 million to begin renovations of Beaver Stadium. Across the street, the Penn State baseball program will also be getting an upgrade, as plans for Medlar Field renovations were also recently released.

Penn State plans Medlar Field renovations

It was recently revealed that Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, the home of Penn State baseball since 2006, is getting renovations after the end of the State College Spikes’ season this summer. The upgrades include completely changing the playing field and lighting systems. 

Essentially, through a two-part process, the entire playing field will get an upgrade. The field is currently made of natural grass. While the renovations will not change the surface type, Penn State does play to completely change the grass in Medlar Field. In addition, the university plans to upgrade the field’s lights to all LED, which will brighten the area during night events at the field, such as Dollar Dog Night games.  

Will these changes improve the gameday experience for baseball fans?

As someone who covered games from the press box this season, I gained perspective on the fan experience at Medlar Field. Overall, replanting a natural grass field is never harmful. It helps keep it fresh for the players and can prevent injuries that would otherwise be caused by aged grass.  

The lighting seems to be the most meaningful change, as it will significantly improve the lumination level for night events. I think the existing lighting is underwhelming at times, and it has not been bright enough for the night games. This renovation is a welcomed one for me, and will benefit players, fans, and the media alike.  

The Nittany Lion baseball team will close out its season at the 5,400-seat stadium this week when the Nittany Lions take on Maryland in the regular season finale



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics. For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email us at basicbluesnation@gmail.com or direct message us on our social media. It’s due to your support that we can become one of the market’s fastest-growing Penn State sports outlets!

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