The United States is certainly enjoying its wrestling teams’ performances in the Paris Olympics. After all, the US is the only nation to have wrestlers qualify in all freestyle weight classes (men’s and women’s). However, the interesting part is the role of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club in creating this dream start. Out of six male wrestlers four are associated with NLWC – Zain Retherford, Aaron Brooks, Kyle Dake, and Kyle Snyder. So is it surprising that they’ve found a generous patron for their success?

Penn State’s position as an Olympic Regional Training Center had led to the NLWC becoming a hub for wrestling talent. Aaron Brooks’ success story is evidence of that. That was also one of the reasons why Dake and Snyder first joined this club. However, as NLWC proudly states, they receive funding from friends, family, fans, and donors. Now, they’ve announced via their Instagram account that the club has just found an extremely generous donor.

“An anonymous donor has agreed to match all donations to the NLWC between now and the last day of the Paris 2024 Olympics,” the statement read. So just how big is the club? The NLWC’s membership ranges from $25 up to $5000 (and sometimes more). Fans can also opt for a monthly subscription if they like. Now it is unknown how much donation NLWC receives on the whole, but it is easy to say that matching any donation given could prove to be a massive boon for the wrestlers.

While it is a great situation to be in, it isn’t surprising. The NLWC has been growing rapidly popular among wrestlers in the recent past. Part of the reason is their connection with Penn State and the other is their environment. “Vibes are great. Training has been solid, and preparation has been fun,” Zain Retherford said before his Paris trip. However, it is coach Cael Sanderson who has proven to be the chief attraction point for every athlete.

Aaron Brooks, Kyle Snyder, and NLWC’s growing attractiveness

“Coach Cael is obviously someone who has won at the highest level of our sport. His energy is infectious and being able to pick his brain on what it takes to compete in this tournament has been extremely insightful,” said Zain Retherford. Sanderson is an Olympic gold medalist and as a result, has an in-depth knowledge of being a successful Olympian. That has been the main selling point for Penn State’s Wrestling Club.

“I was told that Coach Cael could really help me with my mentality, but I really wanted help with my technique,” Kyle Snyder said. “But actually, he really helped me with my mentality.” That is one of the reasons why athletes like Aaron Brooks are choosing to remain at Penn State even after their graduation. And to add to this, NLWC also has 2012 Olympic Gold medalist Jake Varner as its head coach. This opportunity to get trained by two successful Olympians has attracted even non-Penn State athletes to the club.

Kyle Dake and Kyle Snyder are one of those wrestlers who weren’t part of Penn State but arrived after seeing its coaching staff. As a result, the NLWC has now found itself in a great spot. 4 of their wrestlers in competing for medals and now they have even more money to do so comfortably. Can they do the unthinkable and give America multiple golds?