Penn State wrestling needs a new assistant coach; who might some candidates be?: Hot board

Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson has had minimal staff turnover during his first decade at State College. Head assistant coach Casey Cunningham and associate head coach Cody Sanderson have been with him since day one. Director of operations Adam Lynch is a program fixture. The last hire Cael Sanderson had to make came back in 2021, when he tabbed former Illinois All-American Jimmy Kennedy as the program’s new volunteer assistant coach after Jake Varner moved on to lead the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. Kennedy moved into a full-time role in 2023-2024 when the NCAA added an extra position to each wrestling coaching staff. Now, however, Kennedy is moving on, as he’s joining his brother-in-law, new Oklahoma State head coach David Taylor, in Stillwater.

Thus, Sanderson has a spot to fill. It goes without saying that the list of candidates will be both long and accomplished. Who wouldn’t want to join the Penn State staff, after all? The leader of the Lions often talks about his long-range planning for the program. While it’s unclear if it included having to deal with this specific scenario, he undoubtedly has a list of people he’d hire. Who might be on it for Kennedy’s role? We break it down below.

Penn State wrestling assistant coach hot board

To be on the Penn State wrestling staff, you must be a lot of things. One of them is able to actively practice with the wrestlers in the room. Kennedy was able to work with a range of weights, but focused on the middle group that, roughly, can be sketched out from 133-157. The chosen candidate doesn’t have to be of that stature, necessarily. But, don’t be surprised if he is. Our candidates list is influenced heavily by that likelihood, at the very least. Here are some names to know in no particular order:

Brady Berge, South Dakota State volunteer coach: Berge was an NCAA qualifier for Penn State at 149 pounds. Injuries plagued his career, but after recovering from one of them, he then became a NCAA qualifier at 157. He is plenty familiar with the Lions, of course.

Vincenzo Joseph, Stanford assistant coach: A two-time NCAA champion at 165 pounds and three-time finalist, the Penn State alum does not necessarily fit the weight criteria listed above. But, he’s already established as a college coach (he joined the Tree in 2021) and has Pa., roots as a Pittsburgh native.

Coleman Scott, Oklahoma State associate head coach: This, admittedly, is probably a bit far-fetched. But, hear us out. The former North Carolina head coach joined the Cowboys staff before the 2023-2024 season. Many assumed it was because he was the head coach in waiting to replace the legendary John Smith. That opportunity ultimately went to Taylor, of course. He was a four-time All-American at Oklahoma State, twice at 125 pounds and twice at 133 pounds, and won a NCAA title at the latter weight during his senior season. He also won the 60-kilogram (132 pounds) bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic games. And, he’s from Waynesburg, Pa. Could an open spot at Penn State equal a return to his home state?

More: David Taylor talks Penn State past, Oklahoma State plan, and more: Takeaways from his intro news conference

Mark Hall, University of Pennsylvania assistant coach: A four-time All-American and 2016-2017 174-pound champ at Penn State, Hall has been at UPenn since 2021. Like Joseph, he doesn’t quite fit the weight scenario listed above. But, if it’s previous college coaching Sanderson values most, then Hall has to be on the list of possibilities.

A current NLWC member: This is intentionally vague due to the fact that a wrestler would need to retire from competing to be a possibility for Sanderson’s staff. But, two names come to mind. Nick Lee lost to fellow Penn State alum Zain Retherford in the U.S. Team Trials 65-kilogram finals. It means his shot at making the Olympics this year is over. Does it mean his competitive career is over, too? That’s the only way the five-time All-American and two-time 141-pound NCAA champ could even be a possibility here. And, he’s made no indication that he’s ready to leave his shoes in the center of a mat and retire. But, if that’s what he’s thinking behind the scenes, moving into coaching is an intriguing thought. No prior experience, however, might be a road block in this hypothetical possibility. Another name in that regard is Franklin Gomez. The 37-year-old has never coached but is a longtime NLWC member and knows the Penn State way well. An NCAA 133-pound at Michigan State and 2011 World silver medalist, he has a tremendous resume to teach from if he wanted to do so.

The post Penn State wrestling needs a new assistant coach; who might some candidates be?: Hot board appeared first on On3.