University Park, Pa. — The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team had a solid final day at the 2010 Big Ten Wrestling Championships and held onto fifth place for its best finish since 2007. Senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah) finished off a perfect run at 157 with a win in the title bout to claim the 2010 Big Ten Championship and become Penn State's 20th Big Ten titlist.
Sanderson used three takedowns to dominate Purdue's Colton Salazar, the top seed at 157. The title is Penn State's first Big Ten Champion since Phil Davis claimed the crown in 2008. Sanderson becomes Penn State's 20th Big Ten Champion (among 14 different wrestlers). His 3-0 mark at the tournament sends him to nationals with a 28-4 record.
Four other Nittany Lions punched their tickets to the NCAA Championships, giving Penn State a total of six automatic qualifiers while one more will await the announcement of the at-large bids on Wednesday. Senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) won his first bout of the day at 165 to clinch a bid to NCAAs and move into the consolation finals where he beat Iowa's Ryan Morningstar. Vallimont was working to pull the Hawkeye back in bounds as he was trying to finish off a winning takedown, leading 4-2, when Morningstar was injured and could not continue, giving Vallimont the win by injury default. Vallimont went 3-1 over the weekend and heads to Omaha with a 26-7 mark. Classmate David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) earned his first trip to NCAAs with an early win at 184. Erwin then dropped a hard-fought 4-1 decision to Ohio State's Mike Pucillo in the consolation finals. Erwin's 3-2 tournament and fourth place finish have him making his first trip to the NCAA Championships with a 29-8 record.
Sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) was upset in his first action of the day and moved into the fifth place bout against Michigan's Ben Apland with the winner getting the Big Ten's fifth spot at heavyweight. Wade answered the call in the fifth place bout, however, pinning Michigan's Ben Apland in the first period to take fifth and earn a trip to Omaha. His 2-2 tournament sends him to nationals with a 20-9 record. Senior Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.) was beaten in his first consolation action of the day and then suffered a technical fall at the hands of Wisconsin's Cole Schmitt in the fifth place bout. With the Big Ten only getting four automatic bids, Lynch's only hope at NCAAs would be a wild card. Lynch leaves the Big Ten tourney having gone 2-3 and with a 13-13 overall record.
Two other Nittany Lions had already earned trips to nationals, but had solid days as well. Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) majored Ohio State's Nikko Triggas in his first bout at 125 before losing a tough 13-11 (sv) bout to Zach Sanders of Minnesota in the third place bout. Pataky went 2-2 at the tournament and heads to Omaha with a 26-8 record. Sophomore Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) won his first consolation bout and then took on third-seeded Kyle Ruschell of Wisconsin. Molinaro was in control of the bout and was in the process of finishing off a high double when the Badger forced a scramble the resulted in a defensive type pin for Ruschell at the 3:27 mark. Molinaro went 2-2 to take fourth and heads to NCAAs with a 29-5 record.
In all, Penn State had seven wrestlers place. Sanderson was first at 157, Vallimont was third at 165, Pataky was fourth at 125, Molinaro was fourth at 149, Erwin was fourth at 184, Wade was fifth at HWT and Lynch was sixth at 141. Penn State took fifth place with 91.0 points, the team's highest finish since taking fourth in 2007. The Nittany Lions placed seventh in each of the last two tournaments. Iowa won the team race with 156.5 points while Minnesota was second with 118.5.
Last night, three Nittany Lions had their season come to an end. Freshman Bryan Pearsall (Lititz, Pa.) lost his first consolation bout and went 0-2 at the tournament, ending his season with a 3-23 mark. Classmate Justin Ortega (Oxford, Pa.) also dropped his consolation bout and went 0-2 at the tournament. Ortega ends his season with a 6-20 record. Sophomore Clay Steadman (McKean, Pa.) was beaten in the consolations and, after a 0-2 tournament, ends his year with an 8-12 record.
Next up for the Penn State Nittany Lions is the 2010 NCAA Championships on March 18-20 in Omaha, Neb. You can follow Penn State's run at Nationals on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC (1390 AM) and on www.GoPSUsports.com. The ESPN family of television networks will also offer extensive coverage of the final four sessions of the NCAA Championships.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS:
1: Iowa - 156.5
2: Minnesota - 118.5
3: Wisconsin - 109.0
4: Ohio State - 102.5
5: PENN STATE - 91.0
6: Purdue - 76.0
7: Michigan State - 68.5
8: Indiana - 64.0
8: Illinois - 64.0
10: Michigan - 57.5
11: Northwestern - 20.0