Penn State wrestling notebook: Sanderson looks to future, hopes to add to trophy case
Penn State wrestling has run like a well-oiled machine under Cael Sanderson.
With athletes like national champions Roman Bravo-Young (133), Carter Starocci (174), Aaron Brooks (184) and Max Dean (197) returning to the team and a number of others taking a step up, Sanderson still won’t rest on his laurels. He’s won nine national championships while leading the charge for the Nittany Lions program.
Why not add more to the trophy case?
“I think you’re always looking ahead and in the past, you want to do your best in the time and then, get ready for the next thing,” Sanderson said. “We’re working year-round and we have kids competing and men and women in freestyle. Overall, it’s been a successful year, but of course we’re looking ahead to what’s coming up. That’s always the most important thing — it’s the future.”
Central Michigan transfer Drew Hildebrandt (125) joined the program and had immediate success with Penn State, going 10-5 as the No. 9 wrestler of his class. The super senior won 66.67% of his matches and was an All-American. With his departure, Penn State has a hole at one of its stronger weight classes.
Robert Howard, a sophomore from Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, will not be one of those wrestlers. Sanderson announced Monday that he would miss the entirety of the 2022-23 season. However, redshirt freshman Gary Steen will have his chance to shine.
“I’ve improved pretty much everywhere,” Steen said. “I’ve learned pretty much from top-to-bottom and from there, I’ve worked with the best every day. … It’s just coming in here every day and having the purpose of getting better at any position and every position.”
Beau Bartlett looks to excel at 141
A new season brings a multitude of changes to the roster. Nick Lee (141) no longer wrestles for the Nittany Lions at the collegiate level and Sanderson is looking for someone to step up in his place. Beau Bartlett immediately comes to mind, becoming an NCAA qualifier for the first time in his career at the 149-pound class.
Bartlett went 15-10 in 2021-22 and expects that the cuts that he’s made during the offseason will bring added fluidity to his movements.
“I think mentally I’m really confident in my ability,” Bartlett said. “Physically, I’m 8 pounds lighter. So, I’m not force feeding myself, eating healthy food and really, eating any food on top of that. I wasn’t able to run, I wasn’t able to jump rope. If you do that, you start to lose weight and get smaller. I wasn’t able to do that. Those are things that I’ve done for 21 years — running, jumping rope, doing everything that I love to do, wrestling hard and at a natural weight, I feel great.”
Freshman Levi Haines has turned heads
Levi Haines (157) entered Penn State this season as a true freshman from Biglerville and compiled a 100-5 mark in three seasons at the high school level. In his senior season, he instead competed in collegiate matches and won two opens — the Edinboro Open and Franklin & Marshall Open.
It’ll come as no surprise that Sanderson thinks highly of the freshman, who has already been a topic of conversation around the program among its athletes and coaching staff.
“Levi Haines is great, he’s consistent, he’s hard-working, coachable — all of those things that you look for in a student-athlete,” Sanderson said. “He’s a great student. I just don’t worry too much about him, which gives us more freedom to worry about other things. (He’s) an outstanding kid and (he) should have a tremendous career.
Shayne Van Ness will replace Bartlett at 149 and Alex Facundo is at 165
As for redshirt freshman Shayne Van Ness (149), he’s expected to take over Bartlett’s role at his old weight class. Van Ness dealt with a number of undisclosed injuries last season and was excited to take over the starter’s role with a clean bill of health.
“I used that year of being injured to take advantage of finding out who I was outside of wrestling,” he said. “Now, I have a greater understanding of who I am, I’m more confident in my wrestling and I think that’s going to really show. Especially this weekend and in the season.”
Outside of wrestling, Van Ness would describe himself as a “loving and caring individual, a team player” and “huge fan of music.” He’s picked up drawing, reading and has gotten in touch with his faith during the offseason.
Van Ness isn’t the only redshirt freshman who will have an opportunity to solidify his grasp on a starting position. Alex Facundo (165) is set to take over, following senior Brady Berge’s departure. Berge went 11-4, winning 73.33% of his matches during his senior year and finishing with a 46-14 record at Penn State.
Facundo attempted to change a number of his habits when he first got to the program. Since becoming more comfortable at Penn State, he’s begun to understand that he needs to continue to do what made him a highly touted recruit and a four-time Michigan state champion.
He responded by winning the Pan American Games U20 championship in the summer and is yearning for more success on the mat in-season.
“I just noticed it wasn’t helping me at all,” Facundo said of changing his habits. “Talking to most of the guys, like Aaron (Brooks) and Carter (Starocci) on the team, they just kept on saying, ‘Keep doing what got you here.’ So, I kind of just got back to my past — got back to my roots and I feel like that’s what helped me grow. That’s the approach that I took at the beginning for my summer wrestling at the U.S. Open.”
Will Betancourt isn’t on the roster
Ohio State transfer Will Betancourt (133) was expected to spell Bravo-Young during the season. According to Sanderson, that will not be the case.
“You always want more depth and you’ll always take as many good kids as you can find, but Will is not on our roster,” Sanderson said. “He’s not here. But, the kids are working hard and they’re ready to go. Most of the time, they’re getting a chance to compete.”
Betancourt, a Lancaster native, went 8-3 for the Buckeyes last season.
This story was originally published November 7, 2022 at 6:10 PM.
