Penn State Wrestler Anthony Cassar Working Toward 6th Year of Eligibility

Penn State wrestling heavyweight Anthony Cassar waited five years for his opportunity and has promptly seized the moment as a redshirt senior, going 4-0 to start the season and climbing into the top five of the heavyweight rankings.

However, as great of a senior year success story as this season could be for Cassar, his biggest win might come in the form of earning another season in Happy Valley.

Cassar said at the team’s weekly media availability Tuesday that he and the Penn State wrestling coaching staff have been working on applying for a sixth year of eligibility. The medical redshirt year would make up for the 2016 season, which he sat out due to a shoulder injury.

“It’s definitely a possibility. Once we get the season going, we’ll make a decision after March,” he said.

Returning to Penn State for another year would give Cassar another chance at a national title but also help him prepare for the 2020 Olympics and a mixed martial arts career, two goals he said he has on his post-collegiate radar.

“Obviously, we’ve had a lot of successful guys [in the Olympics] coming off college seasons, so that’s what’s making my decision a little easier if I decide to take that year,” Cassar said. “This summer I plan to put on another 10, maybe 15 pounds, which I know might be hard to believe, but then, in 2020, I feel like I’ll be ready to go.”