Penn State Wrestling’s top 25 dual meets in the Cael Sanderson era
By Chris Snyder
![STATE COLLEGE, PA - JANUARY 31: A view of the sell out crowd during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines on January 31, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 35-7. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) STATE COLLEGE, PA - JANUARY 31: A view of the sell out crowd during a match between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines on January 31, 2016 at Recreation Hall on the campus of Penn State University in State College, Pennsylvania. Penn State won 35-7. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/7eb4931d9c1966d86da0c3a1190567eebc0d44c98039052997a38c07c47263ae.jpg)
No. 14
November 22, 2015
Palo Alto, Cal
No. 1 Penn State 31, No. 18 Stanford 12
Early in the 2015-2016 wrestling season the Penn State Nittany Lions decided to change things up a bit and take a west coast trip to California.
First up were the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners in, you guessed it, Bakersfield, California. The Nittany Lions made quick work of them in a non-thrilling 39-3 victory.
But the next matchup is the one Penn State was focused for. A first ever trip to Palo Alto to take on Pac-12 powerhouse No. 18 Stanford.
Was the dual meet an edge of your seat roller coaster ride? Not really. But it was a chance for Penn State to once again shine under the pressure and to show fans on the west coast what dominant wrestling really looks like.
The dual started out at 165 and Stanford got off to a hot start as No. 6 Jim Wilson (STAN) won a decision over Shakur Rasheed (PSU) to jump out to a 3-0 lead.
Is it sweaty palm time?
Nope.
By the time No. 8 Bo Nickal (PSU), No. 14 Matt McCutcheon (PSU), and No. 1 Morgan McIntosh (PSU) finished their matches Penn State Wrestling held a 13-3 lead thanks in part to two decisions and a fall.
The Nittany Lions then spotted Stanford six points with a forfeit at 285 to make the score 13-9.
Penn State Wrestling then went on to win four of the next five matches as No. 4 Nico Megaludis (PSU), No. 8 Jordan Conaway (PSU), No. 2 Zain Retherford (PSU), and No. 4 Jason Nolf (PSU) added two decisions and two falls.
The Nittany Lions cruised to a relatively easy 31-12 dual meet victory but the 2,500+ fans in attendance got to see a Cael Sanderson led team firing on all cylinders.
The following year Stanford returned the favor as they traveled to Happy Valley. Oh, and yeah, the results were pretty much the same as Penn State thumped them to the tune of a 36-6 beatdown.
Thanks for playing Stanford!