Penn State Wrestling Sweeps Big Ten Individual Awards
After clinching its second straight Big Ten team title and five individual titles, Penn State wrestling swept individual conference awards.
Four-time Big Ten Champion Aaron Brooks was named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, Mitchell Mesenbrink was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and Cael Sanderson was honored as the Big Ten Coach of the Year.
Brooks secured his fourth conference title and became the third Nittany Lion to reach that feat and fourth in conference history.
The 197-pound wrestler emerged victorious over No. 3-seeded Zach Glazier of Iowa with a 19-3 triumph to remain unbeaten.
Mesenbrink, a redshirt freshman, transferred from Cal Baptist after going 2-0 as a Lancer.
The Hartland, Wisconsin, native clinched the individual title at 165 pounds following a six-point comeback and four-second near fall. Mesenbrink pulled off a 13-11 upset decision to win his first Big Ten title and conference distinction.
WHAT A COMEBACK.
— Onward Sports (@OnwardStSports) March 10, 2024pic.twitter.com/rWpS2HgptL
Sanderson, the Big Ten Coach of the Year, has led the Nittany Lions to eight conference championships in his 14 years at the helm of the blue and white.
A program-record five wrestlers sealed Big Ten titles along with four additional All-Americans to boast Sanderson’s All-American-coaching total to 107.
The Nittany Lions will continue their unbeaten season at the NCAA Championships in Kansas City, Missouri. The first session of action will begin at noon on Thursday, March 21.
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