If there was any question whether the holiday season had officially arrived, Penn State's wrestling practice this week delivered the answer.

Heavyweight Pat Cummins and the rest of the team strapped on their singlets and Santa hats in the wrestling room at Rec Hall Wednesday for a promotional photograph that will be sent to season ticket holders on a postcard.

The practice was the team's last before the BIC Open on Sunday. Penn State wrestling coach Troy Sunderland said he doesn't know exactly who will be competing in the open tournament, but it will provide a good opportunity for the team's red-shirts and younger wrestlers to gain experience. Sunderland said that he has been in contact with Brown, Maryland and Penn among other schools, but doesn't know exactly how many wrestlers the teams will send. Sunderland said that there is also a chance that high school wrestlers will enter the tournament.

One match-up that Sunderland has been looking forward to for three straight weeks is at 125-pounds between Adam Smith and Matt Smith. Adam finished second at the Mat Town USA tournament last weekend, while Matt finished third. The two wrestlers have not met in any of the team's tournaments this year and will not face each other this weekend either as Adam is battling a skin infection.

"Unfortunately, they have been unable to meet," Sunderland said. "They have been battling in the room but I would have liked to used the tournaments as wrestle-offs."

Sunderland said he has not yet decided who will be in the starting lineup next week in the team's first dual meet of the season against Navy.

For many Penn State wrestlers, this weekend will serve as a chance to get healthy. Sunderland said that listing the wrestlers who aren't injured would be easier than listing the wrestlers who are banged up. Many of the Lion wrestlers will look to rest up this weekend in hopes that the holiday season will bring good health before the Navy match.

-By Sheil Kapadia