Penn State transfer Carson Kuhn hoping to wrestle ‘as soon as possible’

Carson Kuhn, Penn State wrestling’s new 125-pound transfer, still isn’t 100 percent sure when he’ll be able to compete — but, behind a wide smile Tuesday, he said he was just happy to finally be in Happy Valley.

Kuhn and Nittany Lions coach Cael Sanderson both said the 25-year-old transfer from Boise State could suit up in a singlet as early as this week. But Kuhn still needed to pass a hydration test and be at weight before he could compete for a starting spot.

“It’s been a long process to get here,” Kuhn said Tuesday afternoon, in his first comments to reporters. “It’s kind of tough to transfer as a senior, but we made it. And it feels good.”

Rumors began to circulate in December that Kuhn was working on transferring to Penn State — after Boise State eliminated its wrestling program in April. But, behind the scenes, Kuhn and Sanderson had been working to get him on the team since the summer.

They initially hoped he’d join in the fall. But mounds of paperwork and credits that wouldn’t transfer prevented Kuhn from becoming a Nittany Lion until last Tuesday.

“It literally came together two days before he showed up,” Sanderson added.

Kuhn is expected to challenge — and most likely surpass — Devin Schnupp as the starter at 125 pounds. Schnupp is just 1-11 this season.

Kuhn was a three-time state champ for Alta High School in Utah, finishing his career with a 174-12 record. He was well-regarded as a bright wrestling prospect, but his career never quite took off in college due to injuries.

After taking a year off to train at the United States Olympic Training Center and serving a church mission in Chile, he signed with Boise State in 2009 to wrestle at 125 and 133 pounds. He was 2-0 in 2016-2017 before a season-ending injury and was 5-3 the season before, when he came in late due to another injury.

“I’m healthy and ready to go,” Kuhn said Tuesday.

A number of schools reached out to Kuhn after Boise State eliminated its wresting program, but talks went nowhere. But, once “Cael Sanderson” scrolled across the bottom of his cellphone, Kuhn said his mind was made up.

After talking with the Boise State coach, the Nittany Lions’ head coach contacted Kuhn late in the summer.

“It took a lot for himself to get here,” Sanderson said, “so it’s a good sign that he wants it.”

Added Kuhn: “I’ve always loved wrestling. So, the second he called me, I tried my best to make it happen.”

Kuhn knows what to expect from Penn State. One of his best friends was fellow Utahan Kade Moss, who wrestled with the Nittany Lions from the 2013-2015 seasons. Kuhn also wrestled with letterman Matt Brown for seven years and crossed paths with PSU legend David Taylor.

He’s beaten top-ranked opponents before. And, even if he hasn’t taken part in an NCAA wrestling match recently, he said he’s eager to hit the mat “as soon as possible.” And he wants to show Nittany Nation what he’s capable of.

“I know I’m at that level,” Kuhn said.

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Penn State transfer Carson Kuhn hoping to wrestle ‘as soon as possible’."