The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will open up the 2009-10 season with two duals in three days. No. 14 Penn State (0-0) visits No. 19 Lehigh (1-0) on Friday, Nov. 13, in a 7 p.m. battle in Stabler Arena. On Sunday, Nov. 15, Penn State hosts Bloomsburg (2-0) at 12 p.m. in Rec Hall.
Head coach Cael Sanderson will have five ranked grapplers in his starting line-up, including No. 8 Brad Pataky at 125, No. 6 (at 141) Frank Molinaro at 149, No. 5 Cyler Sanderson at 157, No. 9 Dan Vallimont at 165 and No. 20 Cameron Wade at HWT.
The Nittany Lions open up the season with a rugged dual at No. 19 Lehigh on Friday night. While the Mountain Hawks come in 1-0 after a 31-3 win over Rider last Sunday, Penn State will be making its 2009-10 debut. Key match-ups to watch would be No. 9 Vallimont of Penn State against No. 12 Mike Galante of Lehigh at 165 and No. 20 Wade against No. 6 Zach Rey at HWT. Penn State owns a 61-33-3 edge in the all-time series against Lehigh. The Mountainhawks won last year's meeting in Rec Hall, downing Penn State 17-16. Prior to that, Penn State had won four straight over LU, including a 33-0 win in Bethlehem in 2007-08.
Bloomsburg will visit Rec Hall on Sunday at noon for Sanderson's first home dual as head coach of the Nittany Lions. The Huskies, a rising power in the Eastern Wrestling League, bring a 2-0 mark into the dual after commanding wins over Boston by a 26-9 margin and Millersville by a 35-(-2) margin last Saturday at Millersville. Key match-ups against the Huskies include a battle at 157 featuring No. 5 Sanderson against No. 2 Matt Moley of Bloomsburg and a potential meeting at 165 between No. 9 Vallimont and No. 19 Rick Schmelyun. The Nittany Lions own a 13-5-1 edge of the Huskies, dating back to Penn State's days in the EWL. The two teams last met on Jan. 12, 2006, at the Virginia Duals with Penn State getting a 22-9 win.
Penn State will travel to the Sprawl and Brawl Duals in Binghamton, N.Y., for three duals on Sunday, Nov. 22. Penn State will face Rutgers at 9:45 a.m., No. 22 Harvard at 11:30 a.m. and 12 Edinboro at 3 p.m. on the campus of Binghamton, N.Y. Penn State Wrestling season tickets for the 2009-10 season are on sale now. The five-event package (which does not include the Nittany Lion Open) costs $30 for adults ($6 per event) and $25 for youth ($5 per event). Single event tickets will cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Group sales are available once again for groups of 15 people or more. Group prices are $5 in advance and $6 walk-up. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC (1390 AM) and on GoPSUsports. com as well. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.
TODAY'S POSSIBLE LINE-UP As of November 9, 2009
#14 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown/High School 2009-10 Record
125 #8 Brad Pataky Jr. Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield 0-0
133 Tyler Saltsman So. Concord, N.H./Concord 0-0
OR Bryan Pearsall Fr. Lititz, Pa./Warwick 0-0
141 Colby Pisani So. Ridgway, Pa./Ridgway 0-0
OR Adam Lynch Sr. Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg 0-0
149 #6 (@ 141) Frank Molinaro So. Barnegat, N.J./Southern Regional 0-0
157 #5 Cyler Sanderson Sr. Heber City, Utah/Wasatch 0-0
165 #9 Dan Vallimont Sr. Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Jefferson Twp. 0-0
174 David Erwin Sr. Urbana, Ohio/St. Paris Graham 0-0
OR Justin Ortega Fr. Oxford, Pa./Oxford 0-0
184 J.R. Brown So. Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte 0-0
197 Clay Steadman So. McKean, Pa./General McLane 0-0
285 #20 Cameron Wade So. Twinsburg, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel 0-0
#19 LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (1-0)
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown/High School 2009-10 Record
125 John McDonald So. Rehoboth, Del./Sussex Central 1-0
133 #12 Matt Fisk Sr. Wyalusing, Pa./Wyalusing 1-0
141 #18 Seth Ciasulli Sr. Easton, Pa./Easton 1-0
149 Brian Tanen So. Souderton, Pa./Souderton 0-1
157 Sean Bilodeau So. Harvard, Mass./Brooks School 1-0
165 #12 Mike Galante Sr. Ocean City, N.J./Blair Academy 1-0
174 Robert Hamlin Fr. Jonesville, Vt./Mount Mansfield Union 1-0
184 #12 David Craig Sr. Brandon, Fla./Brandon 1-0
197 Joe Kennedy So. Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley 1-0
285 #6 Zach Rey So. Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong 1-0
BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES (2-0)
Wt. Name Yr. Hometown/High School 2009-10 Record
125 Jason Guffey Sr. Muncy, Pa./Warrior Run 2-0
133 Dan Gaylord Fr. Vestal, N.Y./Vestal 1-1
OR Jeremiah Biddle So. Slate Hill, N.Y./Minisik Valley 0-0
141 Frank Hickman Fr. Castle Hayne, N.C./E.L. Laney 2-0
149 Josh Roosa Fr. Mountaintop, Pa./Crestwood 2-0
157 #2 Matt Moley Sr. Phoenixville, Pa./Spring-Ford 2-0
165 Mike Dessino Fr. Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex 2-0
OR #19 Rick Schmelyun Sr. New Oxford, Pa./Bermudian Springs 0-0
174 Nate Graham Jr. Selkirk, N.Y./Ravena 2-0
184 Derek Coffey Jr. Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg 0-1
OR Brian Shaw Sr. Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg 0-0
197 Jake Dabashinksy So. Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Blue Mountain 1-1
285 Zach Walsh So. Denville, N.J./Morris Knolls 2-0
All rankings Intermat
HEAD COACH Cael Sanderson
Cael Sanderson comes to Penn State after three extremely successful years as the head coach at his alma mater. Sanderson's teams did not finish any lower than fifth at the NCAA Championships and never had a wrestler not qualify for nationals, getting 30 of 30 grapplers through to the championship tournament. In 2007, Sanderson's rookie campaign, he led ISU to a 13-3 dual meet record and the first of three straight Big 12 Championships. An NCAA Runner-Up finish in Detroit capped off a wildly successful year as the Cyclones crowned one national champion and Sanderson was honored as Big 12 Coach of the Year, National Rookie Coach of the Year and National Coach of the Year. The next year, Sanderson led ISU to a 16-4 dual meet mark, another Big 12 title and a fifth place finish at nationals. Iowa State's seven All-Americans in 2008 were the most at the school since 1993. This past season, Sanderson's team went 15-3 in duals, won its third straight Big 12 title and took third place at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis (just 12 points out of first place). The Cyclones also crowned another national champion. In three years, Sanderson's teams went 44-10, won three conference crowns, qualified all 30 wrestlers for nationals, and earned 15 All-America awards and two individual national titles. Sanderson now sports a 44-10 dual meet mark in this, his fourth year as a collegiate head coach.
SEASON TICKETS DOUBLE IN YEAR ONE UNDER Cael Sanderson
Fans of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team are in the process of making home duals a hot ticket for the 2009-10 campaign. The season ticket fan base has nearly doubled in the build up to head coach Cael Sanderson's home debut this Sunday in Rec Hall. Over 2,000 season tickets have been sold as Penn State prepares for the season-opening weekend. Last season, Penn State sold a respectable 1,058 season tickets. This year, 2,047 season packages have already been sold for Penn State's five-dual home slate, including 40 new `premium seats' which will also make their debut this weekend.
VOLLRATH AND MACCHIAROLI PLACE AT CLARION
Four Nittany Lion wrestlers competed at the Knight Point Clarion Open on Saturday, each wrestling unattached at the event. True freshmen James Vollrath (Richboro, Pa.) and Luke Macchiaroli (Tempe, Ariz.) each placed while classmates Tom Reynolds (Skillman, N.J.) and Andrew Church (Erie, Pa.) each competed as well. Vollrath entered the tournament seeded No. 2 at 157 and went 3-1, advancing to the finals, to take second place. Vollrath got wins over Corey Lear of Bucknell, Greg Hillbert of Lehigh and Patrick Marchetti of Army before falling to American's Steve Fittery in the finals (Fittery was the No. 1 seed). Macchiaroli entered the tournament seed No. 5 at 197 and went 3-2, advancing to the semifinals before losing and wrestling back to fifth place. Macchiaroli got wins over Lehigh's Robert Prigmore, Bloomsburg's Mike Grillakis and Franklin and Marshall's Colin Ely. Church was solid at 174, posting a 2-2 mark, including a pin over Bloomsburg's David Saksek. He also beat Buffalo's Pat Brady. Reynolds went 1-2 at 133 with a win over American's Corey Borshoff.
MEDIA DAY A BIG SUCCESS FOR LIONS; OVER 30 PRESS DESCEND UPON THE LWC FOR EVENT
Over 30 members of the press, including photographers and television crews, descended upon the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex for Penn State's Wrestling Media Day, held on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The well-attended event featured Sanderson's press conference, individual wrestler availability as well as an open practice session. Full transcripts of the event, photo galleries and video highlights can be found at http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/psu-m-wrestl-body.html .
TRUE FRESHMEN AND WRIGHT PROBABLE RED-SHIRTS; JENKINS COULD RED-SHIRT AS WELL
Coach Sanderson confirmed at media day that it is the intention of the Nittany Lion coaching staff to red-shirt all true freshmen this year as well as sophomore All-American Quentin Wright. In addition, 2008 National Runner-Up Bubba Jenkins (who is ineligible first semester) is likely to red-shirt as well.
BIG TEN NETWORK TO TELEVISE NINE DUALS THIS YEAR, SOME LIVE, PENN STATE ON ONCE
The Big Ten Network will air nine dual meets on its national cable network this year, five of which will air live and four that will be broadcast on a tape-delay basis. The Penn State Nittany Lions will be featured once again this year, with the Nittany Lions' dual at Ohio State on Sunday, Jan. 24, airing on a same-day delay basis at 7 p.m. that day. In addition to the nine dual meets, the Big Ten Network will air the finals of Midlands on Sunday, Jan. 3, and the finals of the Big Ten Championships on Sunday, March 7. BigTenNetwork.com will offer video streaming of 15 other duals as well. Penn State will be featured on six of those web-only streams.
PENN STATE #14 IN INTERMAT POLL; FIVE LIONS RANKED
Five members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will head into the 2009-10 season with individual national rankings as Intermat has released its pre-season poll. Head coach Cael Sanderson's squad is ranked 14th in the pre-season coaches rankings. Senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah) leads the charge for Penn State with a No. 5 ranking at 157. Sanderson, a transfer from Iowa State, was a 2008 All-American and is a three-time NCAA qualifier. Sophomore Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) is ranked No. 6 at 141 after his eighth place finish at 141 last season earned him his first All-America honor. Sophomore Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) is ranked No. 8 at 125. The Clearfield native was a national qualifier in 2009, finishing just one win shy of All-America laurels in the `round of 12'. Senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), a 2008 All-American as a third place finisher at 157, moved to 165 last year and also advanced to the `round of 12'. Vallimont is ranked No. 9 at 165 to start the year. Sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) enters his second season at heavyweight ranked No. 20 in the pre-season poll. The Nittany Lions are ranked No. 14 to start the campaign. Seven Big Ten schools are listed in the rankings, including No. 1 Iowa, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 15 Indiana and No. 21 Michigan State. In addition, Penn State will wrestle three other top 25 teams during its non-conference slate (No. 12 Edinboro, No. 19 Lehigh and No. 22 Harvard) in addition to whomever the team meets at the Virginia Duals.
LIONS EARN PRE-SEASON RANKINGS FROM W.I.N. MAGAZINE
Five members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team are ranked among the top 20 at their respective weights in Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine's pre-season individual rankings. Head coach Cael Sanderson's team is well represented on the list with all five wrestlers sitting in the top ten at their weights. With returning All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) set to red-shirt this year and not ranked at 174, fellow 2009 All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) checks in with a No. 7 ranking at 141. Molinaro placed eighth at nationals last year and went 23-19 on the year. Three 2008 All-Americans are also ranked, led by transfer Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), who is ranked No. 6 at 157. Sanderson, who finished seventh at 157 two years ago with a 33-6 record, went 20-9 last year and was 2-2 at nationals. Senior Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.) spent much of the 2009 season ranked among the top two in the nation at 149, but injuries down the stretch prevented the 2008 national runner-up from repeating as an All-American. Jenkins went 24-3 last year, is ranked No. 6 nationally at 149, and is scheduled to return to action in late December of this year. Senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) was a third place finisher at 157 two years ago, earning his first All-America tag. Last year, Vallimont moved up to 165 during the Big Ten season and ended the campaign with a tough loss in the `round of 12' at nationals, just one win shy of All-America status. Vallimont ended the 2008-09 season with a 24-12 record and enters this season ranked No. 9 at 165 by W.I.N. Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) also advanced to the `round of 12' in 2009 during his first trip to nationals. The talented 125-pounder went 31-11 last year and heads into the new season ranked No. 9 at 125.
LIONS EARN PRE-SEASON RANKINGS FROM AWN MAGAZINE
Five members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team are ranked among the top 20 at their respective weights in Amateur Wrestling News' pre-season individual rankings. Head coach Cael Sanderson's team is well represented on this list, which is released every year by one of the nation's oldest wrestling publications. With returning All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) set to red-shirt this year and not ranked at 174, fellow 2009 All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) checks in with a No. 8 ranking at 141. Molinaro placed eighth at nationals last year and went 23-19 on the year. Two 2008 All-Americans are also ranked, led by transfer Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), who is ranked No. 5 at 157. Sanderson, who finished seventh at 157 two years ago with a 33-6 record, went 20-9 last year and was 2-2 at nationals. Senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) was a third place finisher at 157 two years ago, earning his first All-America tag. Last year, Vallimont moved up to 165 during the Big Ten season and ended the campaign with a tough loss in the `round of 12' at nationals, just one win shy of All-America status. Vallimont ended the 2008-09 season with a 24-12 record and enters this season ranked No. 12 at 165. Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) also advanced to the `round of 12' in 2009 during his first trip to nationals. The talented 125-pounder went 31-11 last year and heads into the new season ranked No. 8 at 125. Senior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) was injured in last year's opening event after beginning the year 3-0. A two-year starter for Penn State, Erwin has a 49-18 career record and is ranked No. 17 in AWN's pre-season rankings.
THE Cael Sanderson RADIO SHOW
The Cael Sanderson Radio Show will take place on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m., airing locally on 3WZ (95.3 FM) and statewide on the Pennsylvania Sports Network. The show will then air every Wednesday night throughout the season with the exception of an occasional off-evening. The 30-minute show will be hosted by Jeff Byers, the voice of Penn State wrestling, and Sanderson. Upcoming events will be highlighted and fans will have the opportunity to call in and ask questions of Sanderson and Byers. The show will originate from the conference room in the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex. Local affiliate 3WZ is the Centre Region's source for the Pennsylvania Sports Network. The PA Sports Network is a 16-station radio network spanning the entirety of the Commonwealth, from Erie to Lancaster. The Network's programming is also carried live on Comcast Channel 4 in State College. The full affiliate list that will air the Cael Sanderson Show can be found at GoPSUsports.com.
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