The floor, of the Pepsi Arena in Albany, was the scene of the crime. The victim was years of tradition and excellence. The Penn State wrestling team had just been humbled over three days at the 2002 NCAA Championships and the grisly facts looked like this: A paltry total of 13 points, a 35th place finish and just one All-American in Doc Vecchio, who finished eighth at 165 pounds.

All of this coming off a similar performance in 2001, and a once proud program was downgraded to critical condition. The luster had come off of Penn State wrestling.

If someone had tried telling head coach Troy Sunderland on the last day of that tournament that all it would take was one year for everything to turn around, he probably would have started laughing.

Things looked that bleak.

Never underestimate the power of perseverance and hard work though, two things that Sunderland and his wrestlers have in abundance and two things that turned an entire program around.

Almost exactly one year after the disaster in Albany, Penn State wrapped up the 2003 NCAA tournament with 62 points and a sixth-place finish, their best results since 1999. This went along with a third place finish in the ultra-tough Big Ten and the announcement of Sunderland as the conference's coach of the year.

It was redemption delivered in emphatic fashion.

Now it begins all over again. A new wrestling season is here, and for the first time in five years, there is a buzz around the Penn State team. For the first time in five years there are expectations.

"I'm really looking forward to getting this season started,' Sunderland said. "We can improve from last year. It's a matter of believing we can. I'm anxious for this team to show its ability."

Carrying most of the weight of those expectations will be two senior All-Americans, Josh Moore and Pat Cummins. Both had breakthrough seasons last year, Moore winning 40 matches and finishing third in the country at 133 pounds and Cummins finishing fourth at heavyweight.

For both, the pressure to succeed will be intense. Both are heavy favorites to make it to the national championship match at their respective weights and Cummins is rated by some as the top heavyweight in the country.

"I'm not excited about being ranked number one," Cummins said. "The only thing that matters is what happens at the end of the year."

Two individuals will not be enough to capture the national title the Lions crave though. Winning a championship requires depth through the lineup, and, thanks to some solid recruiting, Penn State may be the strongest it has been in that area for some time.

Two weights are prime examples. First, at 125 pounds, the Lions have a returning national qualifier in Adam Smith, yet he might not even start. Redshirt freshman Matt Smith from New Hampshire has yet to wrestle an official match at Penn State, but has enough talent to prompt Moore to predict, "Matt Smith should be an all-American if he gets everything straight."

Second, at 133, two wrestlers, Moore and senior Marat Tomaev, will go head to head for the starting spot. Between them, they have wrestled in five NCAA tournaments and have been two of Sunderland's finest wrestlers. The loser of the yet-to-be-held wrestle off will most likely grab the starting spot at 141, vacated after Moore's brother and fellow All-American, Scott, transferred to Virginia last semester.

Even with that depth, Penn State will be relying heavily on wrestlers high on potential but low on experience.

Among these may potentially be the most exciting wrestler on the team, 149-pound redshirt freshman Matt Storniolo of State College. Storniolo has already earned a starting spot and, despite never wrestling officially at Penn State, is ranked in some preseason polls.

"Matt has improved quite a bit," Sunderland said. "He's kind of unorthodox, but he's a competitor. Even though he's a freshman he's wrestled some big matches in his career."

A number of other wrestlers will make their highly anticipated Penn State debuts this year. Jeremy Hart from State College at 165, James Yonushonis of Philipsburg at 174, the oft-injured Eric Bradley at 184 and either Joel Edwards or Phillip Davis at 197.

For each of them, the question isn't talent, it's translating that talent into winning results. The same can be said for the Lions in general. Their ability is undeniable but will the drive, determination and will to win be there to take them to the Holy Grail of a national title?

"If the young guys step up and meet their potential, we'll have a shot. We should make a run," Moore said.