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Penn State Wrestling: 3 things we learned from B1G Championships

By Chris Snyder

BETHLEHEM, PA - DECEMBER 6: (L-R) Head coach Cael Sanderson and assistant head coach Cody Sanderson of the Penn State Nittany Lions sit mat side during a match against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks at Stabler Arena on the campus of Lehigh University on December 6, 2019 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)
BETHLEHEM, PA - DECEMBER 6: (L-R) Head coach Cael Sanderson and assistant head coach Cody Sanderson of the Penn State Nittany Lions sit mat side during a match against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks at Stabler Arena on the campus of Lehigh University on December 6, 2019 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) /
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Penn State Robert Howard at Bryce Jordan Center. (Mandatory Credit: Heather Weikel-USA TODAY Sports) /

No. 3

This Penn State team is still really good.

Yeah Penn State Wrestling finished 2nd in the B1G Championships, but did you take a look at how the one-time No. 2 team in the country (Michigan) fared? A full 32 points behind Penn State.

How about the solid team out west who lucks to husk corn (Nebraska)? Penn State bested them by almost 20 points (18.5).

In the best wrestling conference in the entire country, Penn State still sent 4 wrestlers to the finals. And none of those guys are seniors as Roman Bravo-Young and Nick Lee are the elder statesmen going into their Junior years.

It’s clear the shortened 2021 season hurt the progress of many programs across many sports at the collegiate level. I realize Penn State fans probably don’t want to hear this but the shortened season may have affected the Penn State Wrestling team even more than most.

It’s hard to make up for a lack of experience. Mainly because to gain experience, you have to do the thing you’re doing a bunch of times. And that just didn’t happen this season as most of the Penn State wrestlers only had 5 total matches going into the B1G tournament. Most years they would have 20-25 matches already under their belts.

Speaking of experience, has anyone else heard the rumors about No. 1 ranked Ryan Deakin of Northwestern transferring to Penn State? Me either, but I thought I’d throw it out there. If he has any Olympic aspirations, what better place to train in the US than at Penn State with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club?

It says here Deakin’s major is economics with a minor in business institutions. Smeal College of Business anyone? Also Deakin’s home state is Colorado. Nothing screams Colorado like State College, right?

Whoa, I blacked out for a minute. What happened? Oh yeah, Penn State is still really good. They’re certainly headed in the right direction however it’s just going to take some time for them to hang their next banner in the rafters of Rec Hall.

And when they do? It’s going to be one heck of a ride!

dark. Next. Penn State grades, MVP from B1G Championships

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