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Sources: Penn State Wrestling picks up massive transfer

By Chris Snyder

Mar 19, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Central Michigan Chippewas wrestler Drew Hildebrandt celebrates after defeating Northern Iowa Panthers wrestler Brody Teske in the 125 weight class during the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 19, 2021; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Central Michigan Chippewas wrestler Drew Hildebrandt celebrates after defeating Northern Iowa Panthers wrestler Brody Teske in the 125 weight class during the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Penn State Wrestling Team gets a much-needed boost to fill the 125 spot this season as CMU’s Drew Hildebrandt transfers to the Nittany Lions

One of the starting spots on this year’s Nittany Lions Wrestling team, which was completely up for grabs was the 125 slot. No more.

And in steps in senior grappler Drew Hildebrandt from Central Michigan, who joins Penn State Wrestling via the transfer portal, sources tell FanSided.

Rising freshman Robbie Howard ended last season on a high note by qualifying for the NCAA Tournament and pulling out several tough wins in the process.

The future was looking good for Howard and for the first time since 2017, Penn State might actually have someone who could compete with the nation’s best at 125.

Unfortunately for Howard, he suffered an injury to the same shoulder he injured in high school. Which meant he would most likely not be able to wrestle for the Nittany Lions in the upcoming 2021-2022 season.

But all was not lost for Penn State and Cael Sanderson, as he pulled in top 35 recruit Gary Steen in the 2021 recruiting class. Steen, the former Pitt commit, was projected to wrestle at 125 or 133 in college. And hey, Cael trusted Robbie Howard last season as a freshman, so maybe the Penn State faithful would see another fresh face at 125 this season.

It certainly seems like Hildebrandt will fill the void at 125.

Hildebrandt wrestled his entire career at CMU where he compiled a 105-41 overall record while going an impressive 44-5 in his last two seasons. Something of note is the fact Drew had never qualified for the NCAA Tournament prior to last season. He put up a 31-3 record in 2020 which normally would have easily been good enough to qualify.

However, the NCAA’s were canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

So, how would Hildebrandt do as an encore to his 2020 season? How about qualifying for the NCAA Tournament for the first time, finishing 4th overall, and being crowned an All-American?

I’ll have what he’s having, please.

The Nittany Lions’ 2021-2022 lineup is now slightly more solidified and everyone can rest a little easier as Cael Sanderson gets to work his magic on another talented wrestler.

Does this put Penn State over the hump to try and topple Iowa?

Maybe ask me later…

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