Chapter 1 F A N O EW N E W R A A D DAWN OF A NEW ERA 2008 2019 PENN STATE WRESTLING A Special Publication from Your Penn State Wrestling Club PENN STATE: BIG TEN TEAM AND 2011 NCAA CHAMPIONS Long, Molinaro, Taylor, Ruth and Wright – Big Ten Individual Champs Wright – NCAA Individual Champ Ed Ruth Quentin Wright Andrew Long David Taylor Virginia Duals Champions SouthernBig TensScuffle Champions Co-Champions NCAA Champions Frank Molinaro F A N THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA O EW N E A preview of a 10-year supplement to the Penn State Wrestling Club 100-year anniversary book W R A A D year history of Penn State wrestling. 2008 2019 What you hold in your hands is meant to be the next chapter(s) in the more-than-100- PENN STATE WRESTLING century saw its share of highlights and triumphs. It was, however, a prelude to unprecedented success in the programThe first 100and yearsunheard were of growthchronicled in the in “Aclub. Century Of Penn State Wrestling.” That first What you are about to read are two rough drafts of example chapters of what we hope to include in the 10-year supplement that will follow the 2017-18 season — the first decade of the next century of Penn State wrestling. Eventually we plan to produce 10 yearly chapters from the 2008-09 season through the 2017-18 season. special interest chapters will include such topics as: In addition, we plan to write nine or 10 special interest chapters that will fall in between the yearly chapters. Those • • The growth of the PSWC, as chronicled by past president Harvey Manbeck and current president Allen Smith. Frank Molinaro’s Olympic journey • • Dan Monthley’s unheralded but crucial role in the literal health of the wrestlers Rich Lorenzo’s past and current contributions to and influence on the program • • Rules changes in the last decade The impact of Regional Olympic Training Centers • The shift of power in collegiate wrestling from the Midwest to the East • • Jeff Byers: The best collegiate wrestling broadcaster in the nation The creation and influence of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club Resident Athlete Program Dale Kern and Andy Elder. Connie Christiansen leads the group, providing cohesion, organization and guiding force. Right now, five people have committed to doing the bulk of the writing: Allen Smith, Harvey Manbeck, Judd Arnold, Still, there is much more work to be done by those six and as many more as would like to volunteer. We can handle the writing,• but if you like what you read and want to help, there are many jobs large and small. Here’s a sampling: • Editing photos for composition and proper resolution Looking through photos to find the best images for each chapter • Writing cutlines for photos • • Researching printed and online materials for quotes and/or facts to include in chapters Editing chapters as they are completed — for accuracy, flow and relevance • • Relating highlights, key moments, anecdotes for yearly and special-interest chapters Many ofOffer these suggestions tasks can befor performed chapter titles from the comfort of your own home, as individuals or in groups. This is meant to be a collaborative effort, one all members can be proud of. Please let us know what you think. Email questions, comments, concerns, suggestions to: Connie Christiansen at [email protected] 2 Chapter 1 CHAPTER : 2010-11 PENN STATE WRESTLING By Andy Elder SEASON RECORD: 2010-11 SEASON RESULTS: 17-1-1, 6-1-1 Nov. 12 BLOOMSBURG 41-3 W Jan. 21 PITTSBURGH 30-7 W Sprawl and Brawl Duals: Nov. 14 LEHIGH 21-17 W Jan. 23 at Indiana 36-8 W Jan. 30 IOWA 22-13 L Nov. 21 vs. Harvard 45-0 W Feb. 4 at Michigan State 30-9 W vs. West Virginia 40-3 W Feb. 6 at Michigan 28-13 W vs. Rutgers 22-10 W Feb. 11 ILLINOIS 23-13 W Dec. 5 Nittany Lion Open Feb. 13 at Minnesota 18-18 T Dec. 12 LOCK HAVEN 48-0 W Feb. 18 WISCONSIN 30-12 W Dec. 19 OHIO STATE 42-3 W Big Ten Finish: 1st Dec. 29-30 Southern Scuffle 151.5 pts. T-1st NCAAALL-AMERICANS: Finish: 1st 2011 Virginia Duals: st nd Jan. 7 vs. VMI 42-3 W David Taylor (2nd rd Quentin Wright (1 184) Frank Molinaro (2 149) vs. Edinboro 37-12 W rd 157) Andrew Long (3 133) Jan. 8 vs. Kent State 27-15 W Ed Ruth (3 184) vs. Michigan 24-12 W Year 2 of the Sanderson Era dawned with great promise. someThe previous talent that year followed had ended Cael with Sanderson a ninth-place to Happy finish Valley. at the A bevyNCAA of championships, talented wrestlers considered had sharpened by many their a masterful skills duringjob of coaching. a redshirt That year. 2009-10 team was a patchwork of holdovers from the previous regime stitched together with Conventional wisdom said that Sanderson’s Nittany Lions were one year away from challenging for a national title. while gathering important experience. Instead, most thought, 2010-11 would be a year for the team to further assimilate to the staff’s coaching methods The national polls hinted at that sentiment. Penn State was ranked No. 6 in the preseason NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll. Cornell was the preseason No. 1, followed by Boise State at No. 2, Oklahoma State No. 3, Minnesota No.Individually, 4 and Wisconsin six Nittany No. Lions 5. were ranked: • • Junior two-time All-American Frank Molinaro was ranked No. 3 at 149 • Redshirt sophomore All-American Quentin Wright was ranked No. 3 at 184 • Junior Cameron Wade was ranked No. 9 at heavyweight. • Redshirt freshman David Taylor was ranked No. 6 at 157 • Redshirt freshman Ed Ruth was ranked No. 13 at 174 True freshman Andrew Alton was ranked No. 13 at 141 lineup, the Nittany Lions thrived. That success showcased a depth of talent that saw freshman Frank Martellotti sub Despite early-season injuries to starters Brad Pataky (125) and Wright and a proliferation of freshmen in the in for Pataky and acquit himself well. Several other backups filled in admirably, too. Chapter 1 3 James English (Lehigh) Bryan Pearsall (Lehigh) to highly ranked competitors that left some questioning whether the Nittany Lions were good enough to win a championshipOvercoming adversity come March. wasn’t the only theme of this season. Long stretches of success were punctuated by losses Penn State would celebrate Christmas at 7-0 and the No. 4 ranked team in the country. It was off to its best start since the 1988-89 squad roared to an 8-0 start. Next up was a trip to Greensboro, N.C., on Dec. 29-30 for the Southern Scuffle. As 2010 drew to a close, the Nittany Lions served notice to the nation that this young, talented group was ready to assert itself among the nation’s elite. Penn State crowned three champions to tie top-ranked Cornell at 151.5 points and tie for the Southern Scuffle championship. Taylor, Ruth and Wade won championships, Wade’s 4-2 win in the final match of the tournament sealing the Nittany Lions’ first-place finish, foreshadowing events to come. Ruth put on a tour de force, beating No. 1 Mack Lewnes of Cornell, 11-5, in the semifinals and then taking down No. 2 Chris Henrich of Virginia, 7-2, in the final. Molinaro finished as a runner-up, his only loss 1-0 to top-ranked NCAA champion Kyle Dake of Cornell. All of that transpired with All-American Wright still sidelined with an injury. The Nittany Lions roared into 2011 undefeated at 7-0 and on Jan. 3 they were installed as the No. 2 team in the country, tied with Oklahoma State and one spot behind Cornell. StatePenn wrestling.State started the 2011 portion of the schedule by going 4-0 and winning the Virginia Duals. Two more dual meet wins followed, allowing the Lions to improve to 13-0, the best start in the more than 100-year history of Penn Cameron Wade (Sprawl and Brawl Duals) Jake Kemerer (Sprawl and Brawl Duals) 4 Chapter 1 ranking. That ranking would be tested a week later as No. The pollsters rewarded the Nittany Lions with a No. 1 8 Iowa rode a long unbeaten streak into Rec Hall for the first of two crossroads Penn State would face. With a crowd of 6,686 on hand, the largest since fire codes capped attendance in the mid-1990s, Iowa ran its unbeaten string to 73 matches. The Hawkeyes won six of Iowa10 bouts, into includingthe No. 2 ranking,three of fiveas Cornell matching slipped pairs back of ranked into wrestlers, to notch a 22-13 upset win. The loss catapulted theImmersed top spot as and they Penn were State in the slid heart to No. of 3.the Big Ten portion Nick Ruggear (Lock Haven) of their schedule, the Nittany Lions couldn’t afford to sulk. Instead, they got up off the canvas and started raining haymakers again. Penn State reeled off three straight lopsided Big Ten wins to set up a top-five showdown on Feb. 13 in Minneapolis, Minn., against the Golden Gophers. afterThe teams that. split the matches, 5-5, and the dual ended in an 18-18 tie. The pollsters set Penn State’s ranking at No. 4 The Nittany Lions closed out the season with another easy Big Ten win to set its conference dual record at 6-1-1.