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Penn State wrestling podcast: Previewing the Ohio State match, recapping the Lions' 7-0 start

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel02/01/24GregPickel
Penn State Cael Sanderson wrestling updates
Penn State wrestling news from Blue-White Illustrated.

Another episode of the Blue-White Illustrated Penn State wrestling podcast is now live. Reporter Greg Pickel and host Thomas Frank Carr discuss the latest on head coach Cael Sanderson’s team as it prepares to face No. 7 Ohio State on Friday night at Rec Hall. Big Ten Network will air the match. It starts at 6:30 p.m. ET.

This week’s show starts with a recap of last weekend’s 42-6 Nittany Lion win over Maryland. Penn State racked up four pins and secured bonus points in eight of 10 bouts in College Park. Pickel and Carr discuss what they learned from the match before moving into a conversation about another dual meet that featured backups in action. What does Sanderson think of his team’s multiple matches with missing starters? And what impact, if any, is it having on the wrestlers themselves? The duo dives into that before getting to the most popular topic in ‘Nittany Nation’ this week: What is Penn State going to do at 149 pounds? A decision to go with freshman Tyler Kasak or junior David Evans permanently has not yet been made. Kasak beat Evans 4-2 in the finals of the Lock Haven Mat Town Open II tournament last Sunday.

“Sunday, obviously, was an important part of the process,” Sanderson said. “But, now that they both were able to pick up some more matches, we have a little bit more flexibility in timing. It’s not something that we have to decide by Friday night. We could let it play out a week or two.”

Watch the show in the video player above. Want to listen? Podcast links: SPOTIFY, APPLE

More Penn State wrestling news

Penn State and Ohio State will be headlined by No. 2 Beau Bartlett opposite No. 3 Jesse Mendez at 141 pounds. It is the first college meeting between the two stars who were teammates at 2021 Junior World Championships.

“I know he’s really good,” Bartlett said this week, per FLO. “And it’s really cool to see guys that come up from the age-level World teams move on and continue to find success. But it doesn’t really change anything for the match. I’m gonna get in my routine, do everything the way I want to do it. Make sure I’m dialed in, and I’m going to go compete the way I want to compete.”

Read more Penn State wrestling coverage:

Penn State wrestling superlatives: Top moments and competitors in January, plus a prediction moving forward

Penn State wrestling: Cael Sanderson talks Lions’ plan at 149 pounds moving forward

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