Cael Sanderson addresses 2 added transfers, 1 departure for Penn State wrestling
Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson had a lot of transfers to address Tuesday — including two incoming wrestlers and one outgoing redshirt freshman, all of whom officially joined or left the program over the last week.
Former Arizona State wrestler Adam Busiello, whom Sanderson projects to compete in the 149-pound weight class, was confirmed last week as the newest addition to the Nittany Lions and will be eligible to compete immediately. Former Ohio State freshman Greg Kerkvliet — who committed to Minnesota before flipping to Oklahoma State and then the Buckeyes — officially joined the roster with the start of the new semester, about a month after news first broke of the heavyweight’s move.
And redshirt freshman Brody Teske, who split time as Penn State’s 125-pound starter, left Happy Valley for Northern Iowa — a decision that Sanderson said didn’t exactly catch him off-guard.
“I wasn’t really surprised; I don’t think anyone on our team was really surprised,” Sanderson told reporters Tuesday in the hallway of the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex. “That’s nothing against Brody; I think in the right situation he can be very good.”
Neither Sanderson nor Brandon Meredith, Teske’s roommate and 125-pound teammate, offered a specific reason for his departure. But Meredith continued to push Teske for time on the mat.
Meredith boasts an 11-6 record this season; Teske was 5-2.
“He’s a great kid; I wish the best for him,” Meredith added.
For the two incoming transfers, they’re both facing entirely different situations. Busiello, who was once a Penn State commit, can wrestle immediately after wanting to move closer to his home state of New York. But, due to Big Ten rules, Kerkvliet must first sit out for a season before competing for the Nittany Lions. As it stands, that means Kerkvliet will not be eligible until January 2021 — although Sanderson said he’s hoping to get that pushed up to November 2020.
“That’s something that has to be approved with a committee through a process,” Sanderson said.
Kerkvliet, however, can compete unattached in open tournaments, and did so Saturday, going 4-0 with three pins to win the heavyweight crown at the “Shorty” Hitchcock Memorial Tournament in Millersville.
Busiello is the more intriguing prospect this season, simply because he has the potential to make an immediate impact. And Penn State could use a Band-Aid at 157 pounds while Brady Berge continues to recover from a head injury suffered in October during the U-23 World Championships.
Unfortunately for PSU and Busiello, the transfer’s walking-around weight is currently 157 pounds — so, according to Sanderson, “I don’t think he’s a ‘57 yet. Maybe one day.” The 149-pound weight class features Jarod Verkleeren (11-2) and Luke Gardner (6-1), neither of whom are currently ranked.
Sanderson didn’t say when, or if, Busiello might work his way into the lineup. For now, he’s just trying to manage expectations.
“We just want him to come to practice every day and get better,” Sanderson said. “And when he’s the best guy, wrestling is pretty clear: When you’re the top guy at a weight, that’s when it’s your spot. So he’s working toward that now, but obviously (has) a lot of talent.”
Sanderson offered a slight shrug when asked about the transfer portal in general — seeing as the portal’s been especially busy for the blue-and-white singlets — and said he really didn’t have a strong opinion one way or the other.
Still, every day, Sanderson has a member of his staff check the portal. And, like it or not, he said transfers have played an important role across all college athletics — and pointed to LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, who transferred from Ohio State, as the latest example.
Penn State and Sanderson are simply trying to play the game the way it’s set up.
“It is what it is,” Sanderson said. “It’s part of college athletics, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere.”
This story was originally published January 14, 2020 at 5:49 PM.
