Penn State wrestling promotes Jimmy Kennedy to assistant coach role
Penn State wrestling brought Jimmy Kennedy aboard as a volunteer assistant coach in 2021. Now, two years later, its dropped the first part of that title and installed him as a full-time assistant coach.
Kennedy has been integral to the Nittany Lions’ success since joining head coach Cael Sanderson’s staff despite the connotation that “volunteer” might provide. He was a three-time All-American at Illinois and finished his college wrestling career with a record of 119-24. The Ingleside, Ill., native was the U.S. Open champ in 2016 and won numerous freestyle tournaments during his competitive days.
“He’s never tight. He’s always goofy, cracking jokes, but it’s subtle,” multi-time Penn State NCAA champ Aaron Brooks said about Kennedy to FloWrestling.
“Very tactical when it comes to the wrestling side of things.”
It is not immediately clear who will fill Kennedy’s volunteer assistant coach role or if it will be filled.
Looking ahead to the 2023-2024 Penn State wrestling season
Penn State will not release its full wrestling schedule until the fall. But, we know who the Nittany Lions will meet in Big Ten competition. Penn State will face Iowa, Michigan, Maryland, and Michigan State on the road. It will host Rutgers, Nebraska, Indiana, and Ohio State. How many of those matches will be at the Bryce Jordan Center is unclear. But, it’s likely that the meeting with the Buckeyes will be, at the very least.
“[Wrestling at the BJC] gives new opportunities for fans to see the team, and we want to continue to build our fan base,” head coach Cael Sanderson has previously told reporters. “And it’s hard to do that if people can’t get in to watch your matches. We want to make sure we have a big match over there and let as many people fit in there to come watch a match, and hopefully, from there you can hook them and make them wrestling fans and Penn State wrestling fans.”
The team will not lock in its full starting lineup until later this year. However, here is BWI’s early projection:
125 pounds: Robbie Howard OR Gary Steen
133 pounds: Aaron Nagao
141 pounds: Beau Bartlett
149 pounds: Shayne Van Ness
157 pounds: Levi Haines OR MItchell Mesenbrink
165 pounds: Alex Facundo OR Mitchell Mesenbrink
174 pounds: Carter Starocci
184 pounds: Aaron Brooks OR Bernie Truax IV
197 pounds: Aaron Brooks OR Bernie Truax IV
285 pounds: Greg Kerkvliet
Penn State must decide if any of Mesenbrink, Starocci, or Brooks will take an Olympic redshirt season. Any or all of them doing so would cause a mixup in the projections, of course. But, they have plenty of time to make those decisions.
Nagao joins the Lions after earning All-American honors at Minnesota. Mesenbrink is a newcomer from Cal Baptist who just won the U20 Pan-AM Championship. And, Truax IV was a three-time All-American at Cal Poly.
