Penn State landed another big wrestling recruit for 2010-11, and this one needs no acclimation to college wrestling. Senior Adam Lynch has informed coach Cael Sanderson he will return next season to use his fifth year of eligibility. The move is a mild surprise because Lynch hinted at various points this past season he might end his career with one year of eligibility remaining. Lynch was even honored with fellow starters David Erwin, Cyler Sanderson and Dan Vallimont during the Nittany Lions’ Senior Night ceremonies. But Lynch said Tuesday he began leaning toward returning after a conversation with his parents, Mike and Melissa, before the Big Ten Championships. “I sat down and talked with my parents to kind of see what they thought,” Lynch said Tuesday. “I wasn’t thinking about it too much during the year. I feel like if I didn’t come out again, especially with this staff and the way I improved this year, I would have regretted it.”

Lynch’s decision thrilled Cael Sanderson and his staff. Lynch earned respect throughout the program for his relentless style and rapid improvement after taking over the starting 141-pound spot in January. “Lynch is coming back and we’re excited about that,” Cael Sanderson said Tuesday. “We were going to twist his arm to come back. But we let him slow down and make the decision on his own. He’s real mature and said, ‘I can work the rest of my life. I have one more year of wrestling left and I want to see what I can do.’” After a slow start, Lynch went 13-13 this past season. He finished sixth at the Big Ten Championships, missing a NCAA tournament spot by a victory. Lynch defeated three ranked opponents, including NCAA finalist Montell Marion of Iowa, during the regular season. “I think I can get a lot better over the next year,” he said. “Cael helped me a lot mentally over the past year, and I think that’s the most important thing.”

Lynch expects to return at 141, a weight that should be more crowded when Penn State’s recruiting class arrives this summer. The class includes Central Mountain stars Andrew and Dylan Alton and two-time New Jersey state champion Hank Stinson. With two-time All-American Frank Molinaro entrenched at 149, it’s possible Lynch will be competing with a true freshman for a starting job. Lynch’s only competition at 141 this past season was Colby Pisani, who left the program in January. “My goal is to be at 141, but I don’t know what they are planning to do with the recruits,” said Lynch, a kinesiology major planning a medical career. “I know there are no guarantees just because I’m coming back. There’s a chance I could not be starting.” Lynch, who never qualified for the PIAA Class AA Championships, started his career at Navy Prep before transferring to Penn State in 2007. He wrestled primarily in open tournaments before this season and owns a 43-35 career record. Lynch’s uncle, Scott, won an NCAA title for the Nittany Lions in 1984. “He made a lot of progress and we expect him to make more,” Sanderson said. “He’s the kind of kid you want around. I don’t know how many duals he saved for us or gave us a chance to win and he was the last one out of the room everyday. It’s a good surprise for us.”

Thanks to Guy Cipriano and the "Centre Daily Times" (State College, Pa.) for the article