NittanyCentral delivers expert analysis from veteran reporters and timely updates on Penn State sports, with in-depth coverage of Nittany Lions Football, Wrestling, Basketball, and more.
NittanyCentral delivers expert analysis from veteran reporters and timely updates on Penn State sports, with in-depth coverage of Nittany Lions Football, Wrestling, Basketball, and more.
Bo Nickal is one of the greatest wrestlers in the illustrious history of the Penn State Wrestling program, and has gone on to become one of the most feared competitors in the UFC’s Octagon. Nickal is currently 4-0 as an ultimate fighter, ahead of his upcoming bout at UFC-290 against newcomer Val Woodburn, at the […]
The dominant force that is Penn State Wrestling is now heading into its 15th season with Cael Sanderson at the helm. It’s no secret to everyone and their brother that the Nittany Lions are showing no signs of slowing down. The projected starting lineup for the 2023-2024 campaign is stacked with talented grapplers, returning All-Americans, and […]
When Cael Sanderson added Bernie Truax to the Penn State Wrestling Team back in April, not much was really known about the California native. Well, aside from the fact he’s a really good wrestler. But hey, finishing in the top four in each of the last three NCAA Championships tend to be a fairly decent […]
I know this seems almost impossible, but Cael Sanderson‘s 2023 recruiting class for Penn State Wrestling flew a bit under the radar nationally. Not because it wasn’t good. Nope, far from it. The incoming recruiting class was very solid and it should go a long way in filling some holes down the road in the Nittany Lions‘ […]
Delve into the inspiring journey of Robbie Howard in Penn State Wrestling. From state titles in high school to facing challenges at the national level.
Each and every year Beau Bartlett has suited up for Penn State Wrestling, he has made massive improvements. And his hard work in the wrestling room has paid off with the results. This past year was the largest step forward Beau has made in Happy Valley as he slid down into the more comfortable wrestling […]
Cael Sanderson and the Penn State Wrestling Team have been an unstoppable force on the recruiting trail the past several cycles. And for good reason. The Nittany Lions have won 10 out of the last 12 NCAA Championships, which includes back-to-back NCAA team titles in 2022 and 2023. In just the last three NCAA tournaments, Penn […]
Penn State Football and head coach James Franklin wrapped up the 2022 season with their first 11-win season and first New Year’s Six bowl victory since the 2019 campaign. Their rank of seventh in the final AP Poll also represents their highest finish since 2016. So how can the Nittany Lions build on that confidence and […]
This past season, Shayne Van Ness’ progress and improvement happened in front of the very eyes of Penn State Wrestling nation. Following a true freshman campaign in which Van Ness only saw action in two total matches (2-0), he was inserted into the Nittany Lion Wrestling starting lineup at 149 for the duration of the […]
With their run-away win this past March in Tulsa, Penn State Wrestling took home its second straight NCAA title and their 10th in the past 12 NCAA Championships. To say Cael Sanderson has built a dynasty in Happy Valley is a gross understatement. But, the look of the 2023-2024 Nittany Lions team could be drastically different than […]
With the standards set by Cael Sanderson over the past decade plus, the Nittany Lions‘ 2022 recruiting class was rather ho-hum. Based on FloWrestling’s recruiting rankings from the past 12 years, Penn State Wrestling had an average class that came in at 7.6. However the 2022 group wasn’t even in the top 25. The biggest reason for […]
Coming off a 12-3 record his redshirt freshman year where Alex Facundo finished fifth at the 2021 Clarion Open and won a title at the Mat Town Open II, and Penn State Wrestling faithful were eager to see what Facundo could do in the starting lineup. The former No. 5 overall recruit in the 2021 recruiting […]
Carter Starocci has a chance to do what no other Nittany Lions grappler has ever done in their storied history as he and fellow teammate, Aaron Brooks, could become the first ever four time NCAA champions for Penn State Wrestling. It’s crazy to think all-time greats like Ed Ruth, Zain Retherford, Jason Nolf, and Bo […]
Big Ten Wrestling Power Rankings in early early summer? Surely you can’t be serious, Chris. Yes, yes I am. And don’t call me Shirley. During the 2022-2023 season, the Big Ten saw some big changes in the pecking order as perennial doormats climbed out of the basement and several one-time wrestling powerhouses fell on hard times. So with […]
With his dominating win against UNI’s Parker Keckeisen in the finals of the 2023 NCAA Championships, Aaron Brooks became just the sixth member of the Penn State Nittany Lions Wrestling team to ever win three NCAA titles. And no Penn State Wrestler has ever won four individual titles. Just take a look at this incredible list […]
With the Cael Sanderson-led Penn State Nittany Lions Wrestling program recently locking up its 10th national championships in the past 12 tournaments, now would be a good time to start putting this into perspective. And not just from a college wrestling historical perspective, but an entire collegiate sports perspective. The dynasty Sanderson and his world […]
Penn State Wrestling heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet is a bad, bad man on the mat. Just ask any of the 60 opponents that Kerkvliet has mowed down since he got to campus in Happy Valley early in the 2019-2020 season. Kerk is both a massive human being, and an absolute freak athlete with the way he’s able to […]
Recap of the 2023 US Open Championships: Penn State Wrestling shines with impressive results from current and future Nittany Lions.
Penn State Wrestling may be facing a major shakeup to its National Championship winning lineup. Following Carter Starocci’s pin against Nebraska’s Mickey Labriola in the 2023 NCAA finals, he was very direct about his wrestling future. Starocci said his next stop in wrestling was going to be an Olympic gold medal. And he didn’t stop there, […]
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock or recently been on a darkness retreat with Aaron Rodgers, then you’ve seen the wave of transfers Cael Sanderson and Penn State Wrestling have picked up. In late November, former Cornell commit Erik Gibson and his younger brother, Mason, announced they were flipping from the Big Red to […]
