Penn State Wrestling, Hockey Enjoy Big Days

Penn State enjoyed major success on the mat and on the ice. 

Saturday, March 18, 2017 will go down as a fantastic day for Penn State sports. That’s the day that saw one program continue its dominance, and another start what could be a long run of success. The Nittany Lions clinched the national title in wrestling and won the Big Ten title in hockey.

Wrestling success is nothing new at Penn State. The Nittany Lions have been the most dominant team in college wrestling over the last decade. That continued Saturday when the program picked up its sixth national title in the last seven years.

Head coach Cael Sanderson has certainly built a wrestling dynasty in Happy Valley.

The Nittany Lions had clinched the team title earlier in the day Saturday and finished with five individual national champions. All five finalists for the evening sessions won their matches and walked away with championships.

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While one Penn State program was dominating on the mat, another showed that, despite its infancy, it belongs with some of the top teams in the nation.

2016-17 has been the best season for the Penn State hockey team since becoming a D-1 program 2012. The Nittany Lions were ranked as the top team in the nation at one point this season before faltering a bit at the end.

Still not a lock for the NCAA Tournament, Penn State needed to have a good showing in the Big Ten Tournament.

On Friday night, the Nittany Lions won an epic double-overtime game against Minnesota, a team they had not beaten all year. That victory all be assured the Nittany Lions their first NCAA Tournament appearance in the program’s history and set them up to play in Saturday’s championship game.

Saturday Penn State matched up in the final with Wisconsin — the same school that the football team defeated in December in the Big Ten Championship.

After a 1-1 score in regulation, the Nitty Lions were again forced to play extra hockey. The title game went into double-overtime, but ended when Liam Folkes scored on a breakaway, giving the Nittany Lions their first ever Big Ten hockey title.

Penn State will learn its opponent in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

VBR congratulates both the Penn State wrestling and hockey teams!!