Cael Sanderson has experienced a lot in collegiate wrestling, but tonight will be a first for him.
The Penn State wrestling team begins a new chapter in Sanderson's first year as coach as it competes in its first Big Ten dual meet of the season.
The No. 13 Nittany Lions (8-3-1) host No. 19 Illinois (5-3) at 7 tonight in Rec Hall -- the Lions' first home dual meet in two months.
It will be the Lions' first test in a conference that has eight teams in the NWCA/USA Today Division I Team Coaches Poll. Senior 184-pounder David Erwin knows each match will be difficult with the large amount of talent in the conference.
"The Big Ten is just a tough all-around conference," Erwin said. "So Big Ten duals are always tight matches. It's a brawl."
Sanderson believes the home fans will see overall progress from the last time they saw the Lions compete. He hopes to see a team that's better prepared and takes a little more attitude onto the mat.
The Lions' coach won't be the only one looking for his first conference win in tonight's dual. Illinois' Jim Heffernan is in his first season as head coach after being an assistant for the Fighting Illini the previous 17 years.
Heffernan has been a witness to the Illini's dominance of Penn State in the past. Illinois has won the last nine dual meets between the two schools, but Heffernan isn't sure there's any secret to his team's success.
"Most years, we're really a pretty solid dual-meet team," Heffernan said. "We've always had really good balance. How that translates into our success with Penn State, I don't know."
Illinois is coming off a 33-9 loss to Sanderson's former team, No. 2 Iowa State. The Illini have been struggling with injuries this season, but Heffernan isn't using them as an excuse. He said injuries are part of the sport, and they're in the same boat as everyone else.
The dual features an abundance of talent with 11 total ranked wrestlers, six being Lions.
Heffernan believes a key matchup will be the bout at 184 featuring No. 2 John Dergo of Illinois and Erwin.
The Lion senior, ranked No. 12 at 184, knows he must stick to his game plan to remain successful.
"It's going to be a tough match," Erwin said. "I just gotta go out there and wrestle my match. Wrestle to win."
Though he'll be at home, Erwin won't rely on the crowd to help him.
He said dual meets don't always go as planned, and the energy in the building can shift depending on which team has momentum.
No matter what happens during the dual, Heffernan expects the Penn State crowd to be active and provide a great environment for wrestling. He welcomes a big crowd and doesn't expect it to intimidate his team.
"[The Penn State crowd] is very knowledgeable and they appreciate wrestling," Heffernan said.
"We want a lot of people in the gym watching and being involved and being excited in watching two Big Ten teams compete."
