Dec. 8, 2009

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Six members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team continue to hold rankings in the latest individual rankings released by Intermat and viewable at www.intermatwrestle.com. Head coach Cael Sanderson's squad is ranked No. 14 as a team in the latest NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll, also released today.

Senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah) moved up a spot to No. 3 at 157. Sanderson is 8-1 overall and won the Nittany Lion Open crown last Sunday. Sophomore Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) stays at No. 6 at 149 and is Penn State's only remaining unbeaten wrestler. Molinaro also won the NLO crown on Sunday. Molinaro is 10-0. Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) dropped a spot to No. 7 at 125 after losing to No. 6 Jarrod Garnett of Virginia Tech in the finals of the Nittany Lion Open. Pataky is 9-1.

Senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) is 8-2 on the year and ranked No. 9 at 165 while sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) is 8-3 at HWT and ranked No. 13. Senior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) has made his national rankings debut at 184 and sits at No. 14 after blazing his way to the Nittany Lion Open crown on Sunday. Erwin is now 10-2 on the year.

The Nittany Lions are one of seven Big Ten teams ranked in the top 25, led by No. 1 Iowa. Ohio State is at No. 3, Minnesota is No. 6, Indiana is No. 13, Penn State is No. 14, Wisconsin is No. 18 and Illinois is No. 20. Purdue is receiving votes as well.

Penn State is now 4-1 on the year and winners of four straight. The Nittany Lions head to Morgantown, W.V., to face the West Virginia Mountaineers on Friday night in an 8 p.m. dual. Penn State then treks to Pittsburgh for a 7 p.m. match-up on Saturday night. Penn State's next home dual is set for Jan. 22 when it hosts Illinois at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. Single event tickets will cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Group sales are available once again for groups of 15 people or more. Group prices are $4 in advance and $5 walk-up. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC (1390 AM) or 3WZ (95.3 FM) and on www.GoPSUsports.com as well. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.