Quentin Wright a forgotten man? For Wright, who has spent his entire career in the Centre County wrestling spotlight, this past season represented a strange one. Instead of inciting cheers, Wright watched Penn State’s first season under Cael Sanderson from the stands. The redshirt season could have long-term rewards for the Bald Eagle Area graduate. But... “I would be in the stands twitching when guys were trying to defend double-legs from guys that I wrestled last year,” he said. “I thought about what I could have done. There’s always that what-if. But I can’t cry like a baby. It was a year to get better.” Sanderson, who made the decision to redshirt Wright last fall, also noticed an antsy wrestler. Wright went on multiple roadtrips with the Nittany Lions, including last month’s Big Ten Championships. Wright spent his time in Ann Arbor, Mich., working out with the team’s upper middleweights. Advertisement “I don’t think he enjoyed being on the sidelines,” Sanderson said. “He has enthusiasm and a genuine interest in the program. But it was in the best interest of the team to redshirt him. I know he’s going to be a lot of fun to watch.”

Wright moved up from 174, where he placed sixth at last year’s NCAA tournament, to 184 and posted a 14-1 record in open tournaments. He spent most of this past season enhancing his technique under Sanderson’s tutelage. Wright, a two-time PIAA Class AAA champion, and Sanderson have the makings of an ideal pairing. “I like the way Cael runs practices,” Wright said. “My technique has gotten a lot better. I understand how to take a guy down. I imagine myself as a train going through the guy.” Wright’s 2010-11 weight will be a major topic during the spring and summer. His lanky frame allows him to compete at 184 or 197. Wright walked around above 200 pounds last summer, a trial period that allowed him to experience life as a bigger athlete. Wright said he hasn’t engaged in serious conversations with Sanderson about his future weight. “We won’t talk about it until right before the first match,” he joked. “No, we will probably talk about it in the preseason.” If the choice was his, would Wright pick 184 or 197? “To me it doesn’t matter,” he said. “There are pros and cons to both. Guys might be bigger at 197 while I might see more guys my size at 184.” Ed Ruth, a mega-recruit from Blair Academy, also wrestled at 184 this season. Putting Wright and Ruth in different weight classes is one of Sanderson’s priorities. Wherever Wright lands, his expectations and enthusiasm will be high. “Everybody is just waiting for next year,” he said. “We are going to have all these top names here at Penn State fighting for a starting spot. Everybody is talking about next year and telling us, ‘You guys are going to be awesome.’ It’s exciting. It motivates everybody within the program.”

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