From the desk of Brian Carson: PSU wrestling fans get ready for a very lucrative future

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: May 19, 2021

By BRIAN CARSON

UNIVERSITY PARK – Cael Sanderson wasted no time thisoffseason putting Penn State wrestling in prime position to regain the national championship from Iowa in 2022.

First, the Nittany Lions scored the top recruiting class in the nation recognized by the major wrestling media.

Sanderson bagged two of the top five recruits in the country, and four of their five commits are in the top 100.

Leading the way is #2 Alex Facundo (174) and #5 Shayne Van Ness (141). The rankings are from MatScouts. Other recruiting rankings have Van Ness #1.

Facundo won three Michigan state titles, a Cadet national freestyle championship, and two Cadet World bronze medals.

Van Ness captured two national prep titles, was a national prep runner-up, and a Who’s No. 1 champion.

Facundo is a takedown machine, and Van Ness is the hardest working wrestler in the class of 2021. Both will most likely redshirt this season and then make a significant splash for the Nittany Lions the next four years.

Two-time PIAA champion Gary Steen (Reynolds) de-committed from Pittsburgh and could start right away at 125 if incumbent Robert Howard redshirts. #55 Steen added two third-place finishes to his high school resume that includes a 168-9 career mark.

Luke Cochran of Utah is the final top 100 wrestler to commit. The three-time Utah state champ won the 195-pound class at this year’s NHSCA High School Nationals. Cochran originally gave a verbal to Air Force.

New Jersey state champion Jack Kelly (197) rounds out the Nittany Lions recruiting class.

Second, Sanderson snagged the top transfer in the nation whenMax Dean of Cornell announced Happy Valley would be his home for the final two years of his wrestling career. Max, younger brother of NCAA champion Gabe Dean, was an NCAA runner-up in 2019 and comes into next season with a 91-18 career record. Dean won a Senior National title in 2020.

After a medical and Olympic redshirt, Dean should jump into the starting lineup at 197, even though a All-Ameican Michael Beard started there this season.

Third, besides a top recruiting class and Dean, Sanderson returns nine of 10 starters, including four returning NCAA champions (Roman Bravo-Young, Nick Lee, Carter Starocci, and Aaron Brooks). Throw in All-American Greg Kerkvliet, and Penn State has every bit the firepower to take down the Hawkeyes.

Add in Matt Lee coming off his redshirt, and you have a powerful potential lineup looking something like this:

125: Robert Howard (NCAA qualifier) or Gary Steen

133: Roman Bravo-Young (NCAA Champ)

141: Nick Lee (NCAA Champ)

149: Terrell Barraclough

157: Beau Bartlett or Matt Lee

165: Joe Lee (NCAA qualifier)

174: Carter Starocci (NCAA Champ)

184: Aaron Brooks (NCAA Champ)

197: Max Dean (NCAA runner-up-2019) or Michael Beard (All-American)

285: Greg Kerkvliet (All-American)

Bartlett sucked too much weight last year and will be up at 157. He has all the credentials to be a standout collegiate wrestler,and some momentum after coming off a Junior National championship in April. Brady Berge is the lone starter not returning after medically retiring because of concussion problems. Part-time starter Jarod Verkleeren (149) transferred to Virginia.