You can be a tough 125 pound kid from a small town in Illinois.
Or a tough 124 pound girl from New York City.
You can outwork your opponents.
Or you can out dazzle them.
You can be blind.
You can be missing a leg.
Or two.
You can come out of retirement after coaching your team to an NCAA title.
You can come from Mongolia to win 3 NCAA Division III championships for St Johns University in Minnesota.
Or come from Del City, Oklahoma to win 6 Olympic and World gold medals for your country.
You can walk off the mat and get elected to the Senate - or write best selling novels - or save millions from starvation - or fly in space - or lead Fortune 500 corporations. You can even be president of the United States.
You can be a tough 125 pound kid from a small town in Illinois.
Or a tough 124 pound girl from New York City.
You can outwork your opponents.
Or you can out dazzle them.
You can be blind.
You can be missing a leg.
Or two.
You can come out of retirement after coaching your team to an NCAA title.
You can come from Mongolia to win 3 NCAA Division III championships for St Johns University in Minnesota.
Or come from Del City, Oklahoma to win 6 Olympic and World gold medals for your country.
You can walk off the mat and get elected to the Senate - or write best selling novels - or save millions from starvation - or fly in space - or lead Fortune 500 corporations. You can even be president of the United States.
While coaching plays an integral role in a program that continually marches forward, those coaches can’t do it without a support system in place, such as administrative backing, maximum allowable recruiting numbers and financial support.
Iowa Wrestling Coach Tom Brands
Look at Tom Brands. A fiery wrestler and NCAA champ for Iowa, as well as an assistant coach there for 12 years, left for Virginia Tech in the 2004-05 season. The Hokies went 1-16 that year.
The next season they were 16-4 and won the ACC. But Brands had a chance to return as head coach at Iowa, the mecca of college wrestling, and did so after the conclusion of the 2005-06 season.
He also took three recruits back with him — Brent Metcalf, Dan LeClere and Jay Borschel. Ever heard of them? You should if you follow college wrestling.
Brands’ first year as head coach was a down year by Iowa standards, 14-5 and an NCAA finish of eighth as the aforementioned trio were forced to redshirt. That changed as the Hawkeyes went 21-1 in 2007-08 and 24-0 in 2008-09, winning the NCAA team title both seasons and currently on a winning streak of 38 straight dual meets.
Look to the east and you’ll see similar goings-on. Cornell has established itself as one of the top teams in the East with head coach Rob Koll, a 1984 PIAA champ from State College and 1988 NCAA champ from North Carolina.
He recruits Pennsylvania and New York and while he doesn’t always have the type of lineup to compete with the Iowas and Minnesotas, he has enough stars to ensure high finishes at the NCAA Championships.
Another program is emerging at Maryland. Led by Kerry McCoy, a two-time NCAA champ at Penn State, the Terps last week beat Cornell 18-17 by scoring nine points in the last two bouts for the win.
As a result, Maryland is ranked sixth and Cornell seventh this week by InterMat.
Insert Image of Cael
There’s another change taking place at Penn State. By no means are we comparing the Nittany Lions to any upstart program. State has been a solid program from the get-go, with periodically great teams in each decade.
All but the current decade in which the team hasn’t always lived up to the potential the recruits in the room automatically provided.
Iowa St Wrestling Cael Sanderson
When Olympic champion Cael Sanderson took over in April, he said his plan was to make Penn State into a perennial championship contender. What his followers have to realize is that a plan has to have a beginning, and the beginning of Sanderson’s plan is to redshirt a number of talented wrestlers this season.
Thus far — and it is early — that lineup has yielded four very good wrestlers, three wrestlers with nice potential but aren’t consistently going to win big matches, and three wrestlers who likely won’t be in next season’s lineup.
That said, it’s probably good enough to win 14 or 15 matches, perhaps crown one Big Ten champ and earn a good handful of All-America certificates.
Next season the bar will be raised, expectations will be higher, intensity surrounding the program should regain a feverish pitch, one that probably hasn’t been seen since the 1992-93 and 1997-98 seasons.
The program hasn’t been devoid of talent since then by any means, with six winning seasons, three national champs and some good showings in the Big Ten championships.
Sanderson’s plan can be reduced to simple terminology. Currently, when you think college wrestling, you think Iowa. His goal: when you think college wrestling, you’ll think Penn State.
The plan is in place; the first steps are under way. Plans take time. If this plan succeeds, fans in this wrestling-crazy state will have a good time.
COLLEGE NOTES: Rankings remain the barometer of any sport. It’s no surprise Iowa is ranked No. 1. The Hawkeyes are followed in the InterMat rankings by Iowa State, Ohio State, Minnesota and Oklahoma State. Lehigh is 12th, Penn State 13th, Edinboro 19th and Pitt 25th. In Division II, Pitt-Johnstown is 10th, Mercyhurst 11th, Gannon 17th and Kutztown 20th. In Division III, Wisconsin-LaCrosse is first while Delaware Valley is seventh, Wilkes 18th and Lycoming 22nd.
Since April and the introduction of Cael Sanderson as Penn State’s head coach, Nittany Lion wrestling has been the hottest topics of conversation among the United States wrestling community.
The Sanderson story line has brought a heightened level of excitement to this season for fans, no matter their affiliation to Penn State.
The anticipation can clearly be felt, but the question is how can that anticipation be tangibly measured in State College and across the state of Pennsylvania.
The 29-year-old Sanderson doesn’t worry about the expectations that come with the enthusiasm of his arrival.
“I know there is a lot of excitement,” he said. “I have been fortunate to have been raised to have a mind set that I can focus on the process and what it takes to be successful and not worry about anything other than what I can control.
“Nobody is going to put more pressure on me to win, at least I am not going to feel it, than me.”
Sanderson has also spread that game plan to those closest to his dreams for Penn State. And in turn, they are happy to explain every element of these expectations.
Wrestling matters during football season
The first sign that this is a new era of Penn State Wrestling is that fans, students and professors are talking about wrestling in October.
Frank Molinaro, a New Jersey native and 141-pound All-American for the Nittany Lions a season ago, is enlightening his professors about the program.
“I go to half my classes and my teachers are asking me about Cael, how the new coach is, how the programs going. It seems like everyone is really looking forward to wrestling season this year,” Molinaro said.
Penn State Associate Head Wrestling Coach Cody Sanderson, who followed younger brother Cael to Happy Valley, has experienced a new phenomenon.
“It doesn’t matter where I go or who I talk to. People have heard about Cael coming in and they’re excited to see what he can do. That’s everybody from the lawn maintenance guys to the nurses at the hospital.
“Everywhere I’ve been people want to talk about wrestling, being at Penn State during football season that’s quite an accomplishment.”
Packing into Rec Hall
The Nittany Lions will have only five home duals this season and only one home dual prior to January. That should leave a vastly growing fan base chomping at the bit to see the product that the new coaching staff is putting on the mat.
Half a season of anticipation combined with season ticket numbers that have almost doubled will make Rec Hall a raucous and thrilling venue to compete in.
“We’re seeing the students energized,” said Penn State wrestling sports information director Pat Donghia. “We’re seeing a public that’s constantly saying how excited they are that Cael’s here.
“Everyone loved (former coach) Troy (Sunderland), but there’s an excitement now with Cael coming in, people are starting to attach themselves not just to this year, but what they see happening in years down the road.
“I think there is a tangible vibe you can put your thumb on. People are ready for this program to do something very special. You can look at how our season ticket sales are going and people want to get in on the ground floor of that.”
Last season, Penn State roughly had a 1,000 season ticket holders. Since April there have been 700 new season ticket applicants and that list continues to grow. Rec Hall will also feature 40 premium floor seats for every home dual. The premium mat-side seating was announced on September 3 and each seat sold for $100 to $125 for the season. Nearly all those seats were sold by October.
Recruiting
The impact of the Sanderson hiring in State College is clear based on ticket sales and the buzz floating around the campus. The bigger impact can be measured through the recruiting success Penn State has had in the last seven months.
Sanderson’s recruiting impact actually started many months before his move to Pennsylvania. The nation’s top recruit, David Taylor from Ohio, and three-time Arizona state champion Luke Macchiaroli were Iowa State recruits who followed Sanderson to Penn State. Also, 2008 All-American Cyler Sanderson made the decision to transfer from ISU so that he could compete one more season for his brothers.
However, it did not take long for Sanderson to find success recruiting in Pennsylvania. Four days after he was hired, Andrew and Dylan Alton, highly-ranked recruits in the country, gave verbal commitments to the Nittany Lions. That was followed up by verbals from two more Pennsylvania stand-outs, Sam Sherlock and Dirk Cowburn.
“On a state level, people have always talked about what Penn State could be if we could harness the program and get everybody excited about coming into the state or staying in the state,” said Matt Dernlan, Penn State’s Director of Wrestling Operations.
“It’s never going to be easy because we’ve got the best kids in the country so everybody is going to be fighting for them. Hopefully, as soon as these kids start wrestling in the baby programs they start dreaming about wearing the blue and white, wrestling for Cael and Penn State.”
Quentin Wright, a 2009 All-American at 174 pounds for Penn State gave his take on why the Nittany Lion Wrestling program is garnering such big commitments.
“Penn State’s becoming the premier program in the country, that’s what we’re developing into right now,” said Wright, a sophomore who will redshirt this season. “All these kids in the states around here understand wrestling and they know you need to go where your best competition is. When the best competition in the world is in your room that makes a big difference in recruiting.
“Cael coming to Penn State has given Pennsylvania a whole other spark. A reason to put your guts and soul into the sport and try to wrestle for Penn State.”
Penn State’s first dual is coming up against Lehigh. The man who defeated Lehigh’s Jon Trenge to win that fourth NCAA title will bring his Nittany Lions to Stabler Arena on Friday, Nov. 13.
Sanderson left his alma mater Iowa State to coach Penn State in the biggest wrestling states of the nation – second to Utah, according to Sanderson. The only undefeated four-time champion in NCAA history, and who went on to win an Olympic gold medal in 2004, took over the reins of the Nittany Lions just two months ago.
”With Cael being such a great competitor, it’s going to be a great draw,” Lehigh second-year head coach Pat Santoro said. ”He’s a big name, one of the biggest college wrestling has ever had and there’s always excitement around his name.”
This match is bound to be exciting; it’s the 98th meeting between two old rivalries. Lehigh will look to build on last year’s 17-16 win at Rec Hall, which stopped a four dual Nittany Lion winning streak in the series. Penn State finished ranking 15th last season while the Mountain Hawks finished 20th with 25 points. Who do you say will win the match-up?
Think it’s the off season and wrestling has died off for the summer? Think again! You have camps, coaches are moving around, freestyle is underway and much more! Here are just some articles that we have pulled up in the past week that we have been reading up on. Much thanks to the tweeps we are following for these articles, especially @wrestling, @d3wrestle and @jasonmbryant. Here are the articles that we found (or that they wrote and published…)
Below is the transcript of the press conference when Kevin Jackson was introduced to ISU as their new head wrestling coach, replacing Cael Sanderson. The Press conference took place Friday May 1. Text is taken from Cyclones.com
Kevin Jackson “I am truly humbled to be in this position today to lead Iowa State’s wrestling team. I said to (ISU athletics director) Jamie (Pollard) we’re just going to continue the tradition that such coaches as Jim Gibbons, Bobby (Douglas) and Harold Nichols have started.”
“This is a great opportunity for me. I thank the (ISU President Gregory Geoffroy), Jamie (Pollard), (ISU senior associate athletics director) David Harris, (ISU senior associate athletics director Steve (Malchow). I met with those guys Tuesday night and we clicked right away. I thought that for the first few minutes of the interview it went really well. It was more like a conversation than it was an interview. They understood that I wanted to be at Iowa State.”
“I’ve had some great years here in Ames, as student-athlete, as a world class wrestler. I couldn’t have won Olympic gold medals or world championships if it wasn’t for Iowa State, the athletics department and the Cyclone Wrestling Club.”
“I am excited to lead a group of young men that are sitting (in the auditorium). The team has come out to support me. I just got a chance to meet with them this morning. A couple of those guys are going to be competing at the end of this month at the World Team Trials. So, they are already on the path that I think is necessary for us to get the best recruits and for us to continue to have a tradition that holds true. We want NCAA champions, world class wrestlers and Olympic champions in our program.”
“I have family in the room today. I have several teammates that have been with me the last 20 years. I am really happy to know they are here. I am really excited to see the turnout and the applause is great.
“With that being said, it’s going to be a great run. You guys know why I am here. I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t think we could get it done. Our goal is to be the best. Our goals are to win every match, win every tournament, to win every dual, to beat our cross-state rivals. I can’t wait until we perform at Hilton Coliseum in that Iowa-Iowa State dual. That is going to be a great experience for everyone. You are going to see a change in our tactics, in our scoring, in our aggressiveness and the things that we are going to do to win matches.
“I still have obligations with Sunkist Kids. Some athletes are still competing at the World Team Trials and having camp at the end of the month in Lincoln, Neb. to prepare some guys for their final preparations in the World Championships and the World Team Trials.”
On the adjustments to being a first-time collegiate head coach
“There are several things I have to adjust to. I know I have a learning curve. The recruiting process is probably the most important part of it. Right now we are pretty solid in our lineup but I think immediately a there is a gap for the next season that I have to close in the recruiting process. I think we have a package that won’t be denied.
“I am excited because it is Iowa State. As you know, I had the possibility to coach at Arizona State as well but I was talking to Jamie and he knew the process I was in as well I was in the same mode with Arizona State as I was with Iowa State. I was communicating with their athletic director and associate athletic director. I told Jamie that Arizona State is going to call me back tonight and fly me in Friday and I don’t want to go and be put in that position. Jamie said they wanted me as our coach and I could have jumped through the roof. It was a crazy time. You have to realize that I won a gold medal but when he said that it was equally as exciting if not more than winning the gold because you are talking about coming back to Iowa State and competing in the greatest rivalry in wrestling if not sports.
“I was more than excited to accept the job even though my wife told me ‘don’t accept anything without looking at the contract and talking to me first.’ I went home and she said ‘what happened?’ I said that I took (the ISU job).”
“I am excited to be running the wrestling program. With this group of young men we are going to have a lot of fun and do a lot of winning. I think it is going to be exciting for these young men because there is nothing like winning the NCAA title for Iowa State with former ISU head coach (Jim) Gibbons in the room right now with his brother (Jeff). I understand how important it is for us to have success and I am impressed with Jamie’s understanding of the Cyclone Nation, that we needed a Cyclone in this program and there is a difference between being a Cyclone and a Hawkeye. While working at USA Wrestling, I followed Iowa State, I watched the Iowa State-Iowa dual. I go to the NCAA tournament and I am excited to be there.”
“My deal is that my door is open. I want to get everyone involved. I want to get people involved that are going to support the program from a physical standpoint, a psychological standpoint, a financial standpoint. We are going to have to change some things.”
“Bill Tate, Mike Van Arsdale, Jim Gibbons, they were the reasons I came to Iowa State. I was speaking to my athletes this morning about what my history was and I wrestled at Louisiana State. My senior year of high school, I wrestled Mike at the junior national tournament. Mike is Mike; he is a little flamboyant and energetic young guy. We were wrestling at the junior nationals and I had just won Greco-Roman and I was on my 18th, 19th match in freestyle. I am wrestling Mike in the junior national tournament. I am ready to give it up, I am exhausted. We get through the first period and I am exhausted. The period gets over and I walk over to my corner exhausted, having mental letdowns. Mike looks at the crowd and says ‘I am going to get him.’ I thought ‘I am going to kill this guy.’ So I was able to beat him and I know he remembers it. From that experience, I went to Louisiana State the following year as a freshman and went to UNI to wrestle in our regional. I was watching the Iowa State High School Tournament and saw Mike wrestling Bill Tate and Bill beat him. That was the first time I found out that Mike and Bill were going to Iowa State. That summer, LSU dropped the program and I got to know Jeff Gibbons and we worked all summer together and we built a strong relationship which was why I decided to come to Iowa State. When I was at Louisiana State, I beat quite a few Iowa guys but I saw that Iowa won every national title, they had eight and when I got here they won number nine. I thought the group at Iowa State, if I transferred there could win. I have a life-long friendship with them. They are like brothers to me and I look forward to having them at all the dual meets. They have come a long way to support me today; it is great to see them.”
“Like I said when I talked to Jamie the first time, they had really done their homework and were really in-tune with what they thought the team needed. They understood after talking with Cael and his assistants what they thought they were missing. The group I am about to put my hands on is a luxury. They are very good, they have won a number of trophies at the NCAA tournament, and they have a number of All-Americans on the team. With that being said, we want to be great and that is our goal, to go from good to great. They are such exceptional wrestlers now but only one has met his goals and won a national championship. They all want to be national champions so that is a step we have to take. Cael left a gold mine and it is my responsibility to take the next step with these guys. That is the goal and that is what we started to pursue yesterday.
“I don’t want any of (the current team members) to leave. I am going to try and keep every single one of our athletes here because I believe that they can meet all their goals at Iowa State. Iowa State is a better institution than anywhere they would go. And I understand that kids come to a program for a coach but the kids that stay are here are for Iowa State and they want to get it done here. They have competed against Iowa the past three or four years and have not had the success they were looking for and they know what they are capable of and being able to do here. We have a core group of guys here who are invested in Cael but invested in the university and a degree and finishing what they have started. It is up to me to make sure that investment they made pays off. I am not going to say who wants to leave because I want everyone to stay and that is something we will work on.
“I want the kids that want to be here, that want to be at Iowa State, a kid that wants train with my guys out here, a guy that wants to be part of a national championship program and a kid that wants to wrestle for Iowa State and his coach. I understand a kid’s mentality, when I was going through recruiting; I was looking for a coach and university. Because Cael is Cael and has his legendary status to the young kids, that kids think that they are going to wrestle for Cael. I want the kids to be happy. I know the four kids that are incoming and I want them to be happy.”
“I do have ideas for the coaching staff; I am not going to share them. They told me to take my time with the hires because they are going to be important hires for me. The people I put in place have to aid me in my learning curve have to be loyal to myself and the program. There is a short list and a long list. I have worked with a lot of coaches and athletes at the NCAA level and I can’t tell you how many people want to be part of the Iowa State program. I am going to take my time picking the people who are going to aid me.
“My goal is to see Iowa State win but I am also going to aid the country with our collegiate athletes to advance them to win at the world-class level. We are going to get some quality guys back in our room and some former Cyclones who are going to sit in Hilton with 15,000 others. I am going to push hard to see if that happens and then I am going to work on finalizing our staff. My priorities are to meet with the team, which I have already done and then I have some individual meetings this weekend to talk with these guys to see where their heads are at and what they need to win. That is very important to me.”
“I am older and a little heavier than (former Iowa State head coach) Cael (Sanderson). I have been in the game for a while and have some expertise. I think Cael is a great coach and will become a greater coach and have success at Penn State. I don’t want to say anything that is going jeopardize that from a personal standpoint. We are all different and I am happy for him and his family, I think he will do a great job at Penn State and as long as he is happy I am happy.”
Reports are out now that David Taylor has been granted a release from Iowa State. That may not seem like that big of a deal to some. Until you realize that not only was he the top recruit for ISU, but he was a four-time Ohio state champion in high school and winner of the Dave Schultz award. That’s the equivalent of the Hodge Trophy in college wrestling, or the Heisman Trophy in college football; only the best of the very best get it. Taylor was released on Tuesday and “The recruiting process begins again,” Taylor said.
The effects of the news that rocked the college wrestling world a few weeks ago are already beginning to be felt. It’ll be interesting to see how it will be felt in the next couple of months and especially when the season actually starts.
Before he signed with Iowa, he was considering Ohio State and Oklahoma State. He now says all schools are open, but chances are, his target is Penn State. Why else would he leave the #2 program in the nation other than for the #1 coach in the nation? In his own words: “I am going to take some time to evaluate all of my options. I’m pretty sure I will visit Penn State and Ohio State.”
With the recruiting base that is available to Cael, it will be interesting to see what happens in the future, especially with next season’s recruits and team. ”Pennsylvania is one of the best, if not the best, states for wrestling in the country,” Pat Santoro, Lehigh head coach said. ”So it’s fitting to bring a big name into Penn State. A Cael Sanderson is a big name in wrestling, and a lot of kids will look at Penn State. But ultimately, not everybody can go to Penn State.” Cael himself said in his introductory Press Conference “Pennsylvania has the best high school wrestling in the country,” Sanderson said at his introductory press conference. ”Second to Utah, I guess. [Sanderson wrestled in Northern Utah] This is wrestling country. The potential here is very interesting to me.”
The move is being felt in other areas as well. For Penn state, it’s being felt in a positive light, for sure. Sanderson is on the job at Penn State, using the multi-million dollar facilities, a recruiting base that’s second to none and his good name to turn the program into the wrestling’s elite. With that 1-2-3 takedown combo, it should be one of the easier things that Cael has done in his wrestling career. If you don’t think so, you probably don’t know much about what he’s done for wrestling and ISU as a coach, athlete and a person. Do a Google search on him and you’ll see that forming a nationally ranked team should be easier than being the only person to go undefeated four years in NCAA history, winning the national title each year.
So like Coach Santoro said, “…a lot of kids will look at Penn State. But ultimately, not everybody can go to Penn State.’ But we know everyone will want to now who’s going to make the cut on this team and who’ll be left behind…
"You know why I came here. I wouldn't have come here if I didn't think we could get it done. Our goal is to be the best. To win every match, every tournament, every dual, to beat our cross-state rivals. That is the goal." Photo courtesy of CycloneMania.com
Waterloo native Mike Van Arsdale remembers the first time he met Kevin Jackson.
Jackson, who was greeted with a loud, long, standing ovation when he was introduced as Iowa State’s new head wrestling coach Friday in a press conference inside the Jacobson Building, also recalls that chance meeting fondly.
“As a senior in high school, I wrestled Mike Van Arsdale at the Junior National tournament,” said Jackson, a native of East Lansing, Mich. “Do you guys know the Mike Van Arsdale I know?
“Mike is Mike. He is a little flamboyant, a little energetic. We were wrestling, and I had just won a national title in Greco-Roman. So I was probably in my 18th, 19th match.
“I’m ready to give it up. I’m exhausted, and we get to end of the first period and Mike is beating me. The period gets over, I’m exhausted and having a little mental breakdown.
“Mike walks up to the corner, looks up to the crowd, and it is an Iowa crowd, we’re in Iowa City. He looks at everyone and says, ‘I’m going to get him.’ And I said, ‘I’m going to kill this guy.’
“Fortunately, I was able to beat him, and I know he remembers it.”
Van Arsdale, a three-time ISU all-American and 1988 national champion, doesn’t dispute Jackson’s account.
“What happened is my brother and friend, Leon, were up in the balcony of the Fieldhouse in Iowa City and we were watching the Greco portion of the tournament (which Jackson won),” Van Arsdale said. “And I said, ‘When it comes to freestyle, I’m going to beat everybody out there.’
“They said, ‘You’re not going to beat Kevin Jackson.’
“And I said, ‘Yes I am. I’m going to destroy him.’ So we face off and I’m winning like 6-1 and I start talking. The next thing you know, I was thrown to my back three times and he beats me, 13-10. I was heartbroken.”
Guys like Van Arsdale and fellow Waterloo natives Bill Tate and Stewart Carter, who were teammates of Jackson’s when the Cyclones won their last national title in 1987, are primary reasons Jackson was so attracted to Iowa State’s head coaching position.
Another Waterloo native, Jim Gibbons, who coached the 1987 ISU national title squad and recruited Jackson to Ames, feels Jackson is the perfect fit for the job.
“I made him a captain after one year, so that tells you what I think of him and his leadership ability,” Gibbons said. “He was a perfect fit and the last piece of the puzzle for our championship effort.
“I think he will take a lot of those lessons from that team and try to apply them to this program.”
He remains lifelong friends with Carter, Tate and Van Arsdale. In fact, at Tate’s wedding, he served as best man.
“Bill Tate, Mike Van Arsdale, Jeff Gibbons, Stewart Carter … they were the reasons I came to Iowa State,” Jackson said.
Jackson invited Tate and Van Arsdale, along with many of his other former teammates, to Friday’s press conference.
“When Kevin got here from LSU, what I remember most is he began to establish himself as a leader right away,” said Tate, who was a redshirt sophomore in 1985 when Jackson arrived at ISU. “We became roommates, friends and training partners. I was one of his training partners when he was training for the Olympics.
“We’re just glad to have him back. I’ve been texting him back and forth every day. It was a close call. The Arizona State job was out there, and I think it was between him and Zeke Jones for both jobs. Thankfully, Iowa State made the right choice.
“Kevin understands what it is going to take to win, and he will work toward the goal of winning a national championship with a determined effort.”
After three all-American years at Louisiana State, Jackson redshirted his first year at Iowa State before helping the Cyclones snap Iowa’s string of nine consecutive national titles in 1987 by finishing second at 167, a spot that had been filled by Van Arsdale the previous two seasons.
“The plan was always to have him redshirt, and then I redshirt the following year,” Van Arsdale recalled. “It was a great situation for me because he was the guy I trained against. I remember the intensity he brought to the room and the way he pushed me. He was a big reason why I won a national title in 1988, the year after he graduated.”
Jackson will be bouncing back and forth over the next few weeks between his new job in Ames and his old one in Arizona with the Sunkist Youth program, as well as some responsibilities with USA Wrestling for the World Team trials in Council Bluffs in June. Then, he’ll be settling in permanently, he hopes, for a long and successful run with the Cyclones.
“I am truly humbled to be in this position today to lead Iowa State’s wrestling program,” Jackson said. “I’m really happy to be here.
Jackson and Pollard had a chance to talk with Wrestling 411 on Monday morning to talk about expectations at Iowa State, the hiring process and getting accustomed to coaching college kids again. Take a listen to the video below to get the details!
“The resources there are unbelievable,” Sanderson said of the State College, Pa., campus. “There was a lot of weighing things. It was back and forth in my mind. I didn’t really have a wrong answer. I could stay here, where I love Iowa State and that is never going to change. This is the place that I wanted to win at. This is home. You can’t go wrong. It’s just the potential and the possibilities of Penn State. It’s the highest-regarded institution in sports, in the East and maybe in the country… My intention was never to use Iowa State as a steppingstone. Leaving, I know that’s a tough thing. But I know it’s tougher on me than any one of our fans. Nobody cares more about Iowa State wrestling than I do.”
So if that’s the case, who is going to replace Sanderson at Iowa?
