Ask any wrestling connoisseur in the US, and they will attest that the Penn State Nittany Lions are the best program in the country right now. The reason? Cael Sanderson, of course! Since the prolific coach took over the role of head coach at the NLWC in 2009, the blue and white brigade has won the national team title a remarkable 12 times, more than any other program during the period. No, Sanderson didn’t just “get lucky” every time. Instead, it was his own secret formula for winning that the coach developed over the years.

As an Iowa State Cyclone, Sanderson posted an incredible 159-0 record over four NCAA years, winning the national title in his individual weight bracket all four times. The Salt Lake City, Utah, native then went on to dominate the 2004 Olympic Games and win a gold medal in the 84kg weight bracket. And now, he’s using his experiences to make the NLWC the top destination for the country’s rising wrestling stars. So, what exactly is the mantra that Cael Sanderson lives by?

The Penn State coach recently sat down with LaVar Arrington to talk about what dictates the coach’s beliefs and his pursuit of wrestling greatness, which he also strives to instill among his students. In an X upload by ROAR+ from August 21, Sanderson spilled the beans on how he always tries to subdue his opponents in a way that they never want to meet him or his boys again. “My mindset was just whenever I wrestled somebody, make sure they weren’t gonna want to wrestle me again,” Sanderson told the former NFL linebacker.

“Then I just was able to kind of develop a system like that where it was, it’s just a hustle, you know. Hustle make up for mistakes, and I’m trying to beat my opponents worse every time, not trying to slip by with a win,” Cael said further, “I didn’t want to give him any hope in any way, you know. You want him to walk off the mat, and then next time you play him, you want to beat him worse,” on how his iron mentality helped him rake up such an astounding record, both as a wrestler and a coach.

And it does look like Sanderson’s coaching acumen has been paying off more than impressively. Penn State has won 12 of the last 14 NCAA D1 Championships, and is currently in third place in terms of the total number of national titles won, behind only OSU and Iowa. It was a dominant display of skill on the mat by the NLWC at this year’s NCAAs as well. Not only did Sanderson’s boys clinch the team title, but Penn State also sent 10 athletes to the podium at the national tournament, becoming only the second team in history to attain this stellar feat.

While many Penn State athletes helped cement Sanderson’s legacy by winning individual titles at the NCAA, it would be folly not to mention Carter Starocci specifically. The NLWC senior defeated the reigning national champ, Parker Keckeisen, of Northern Iowa, 4-1, to become the first-ever collegiate wrestling star to bag five individual awards at the competition.

And it’s not like the stars who have perfected their skills under the watchful eyes of the prolific coach get their fires doused after their NCAA days are over.

Cael Sanderson’s teachings carry the stars well beyond the NCAAs

Instead, Sanderson’s teachings take his athletes as far as they can carry themselves. For example, Aaron Brooks, a four-time NCAA champ, went on to clinch bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympics. On the other hand, Bo Nickal, another of Sanderson’s poster boys, has successfully established himself as a formidable force in the UFC. And all of these stars still continue to stand behind the NLWC in every way possible.

When allegations of Penn State using its deep pockets to attract talent surfaced, Nickal didn’t waste much time highlighting how the slander wasn’t justified. But while these stars are obviously crucial to building the legacy of the Penn State program, we do need to have a special mention of David Taylor. After the “Magic Man” left his alma mater, he went on to clinch gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and triumph that undoubtedly further underscores how Sanderson has been influential in his athletes’ careers.

After Taylor’s 2024 Olympic dream was crushed, he announced that he would take the job of head coach for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The move caused a stir, and many Penn State stars, including Starocci, took multiple digs at their former star for heading to Stillwater for a program that’s often considered to be Penn State’s arch-rival. But Taylor, using his learnings from Cael Sanderson, stayed planted on his feet and led the Cowboys to a third-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championship.

When these two cross paths next, who do you think will stand atop? The master or the Padawan? Tell us your thoughts below!