Penn State Wrestling Coach Cael Sanderson Signs Extension

State College - cael sanderson photo by erin sullivan

Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson. Photo by Erin Sullivan | Onward State

By

Frankie Marzano

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July 6, 2022 – 10:15 pm

Local & Penn State Sports, Local News, Penn State Sports, Penn State Wrestling

Cael Sanderson is staying in Happy Valley.

The legendary head coach of Penn State wrestling has signed a contract extension with Penn State, as first reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and confirmed by a Penn State spokesperson on Wednesday night.

BREAKING: Retired PSU AD Sandy Barbour told @PGSportsNow in an interview that extending 9x NCAA champion wrestling coach Cael Sanderson isn’t at the top of the to-do list moving forward because it’s “already been taken care of.” No details, but Sanderson appears to be locked in
— Max Ralph (@maxralph_) July 6, 2022

The terms of the contract have not been released.

After leading Iowa State to three straight Big 12 titles, Sanderson began his career at Penn State in 2009 and quickly became regarded as one of the most dominant coaches in college sports soon thereafter, winning four national championships in his first five years at the helm.

Sanderson continued his legendary run with the Nittany Lions by claiming five more national titles in seven years, bringing his career total to nine with Penn State’s 2022 championship run. Overall, the Salt Lake City, Utah native has secured six Big Ten titles, 32 individual national championships, and nine team national championships with Penn State with 75 total All-Americans.

Prior to his head coaching career, Sanderson put together what is widely regarded as the greatest college wrestling career of all time. He went 159-0 record with four NCAA Division I titles from 1999-2002 at Iowa State, then went on to win an Olympic gold medal in 2004.