PSU Wrestling Spotlight on former Penn State Wrestler: Sanshiro Abe

Sanshiro Abe was a National Champion and four-time All-American for Penn State as he finished first, second, third and fourth in the country during the years that he competed for the Nittany Lions. He also competed in the 1996 Olympic games as a member of the Japanese National team. He was a three time Big Ten Champion, a three-time Japanese National team member, an Asian Games Gold Medalist and was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the 1996 National Team Duals.

Sanshiro hadn't wrestled collegiate style before coming to the U.S. yet he finished fourth in the nation in the first year he competed in collegiate style wrestling. That was pretty amazing. He was a great driller, had great balance and was extremely quick. He also had a good sense of humor off the mat but was all business on the mat.-former PSU head coach John Fritz

Sanshiro, how did you get started in wrestling?

When I was in second grade my friends were wrestling and they asked me to come to watch them compete so I went to a tournament with them. Their coach asked me to compete when I got there, so I did. From that moment I realized I liked the sport and that’s how I started wrestling

Tell us about your wrestling career in Japan before you came to the United States.

I started wrestling in second grade, and up until seventh grade, I was undefeated. I took some losses through my junior high and high school career but my senior year I won 2 out of 3 national championships. My highlight was when I won Cadet Freestyle World Championships.

Talk about the process that brought you to Penn State.

I was supposed to go to a college in Japan with a scholarship but things fell through. At that time my brother Taro was going to Rochester Institute of Technology in NY and my other brother Jiro lived in Los Angeles so I decided to start looking at colleges in the United States. My dad and I found an organization that helped Japanese students go to foreign countries for college. They sent resume letters to numerous colleges in the United States. One of the colleges that responded was Penn State. Fortunately, the coach Hachiro Oishi, one of the assistant coaches at Penn State and Yuji Takada, 1x Olympic champion and 3x world champion, both being from Japan recognized who I was. With Penn State being one of the few schools that responded and contacted me, Taro went to visit the coaching staff. After Taro’s visit I felt comfortable going there and decided to attend Penn State.

What are your best memories from the years you spent as a Penn State wrestler?

Obviously, winning NCAA championships my senior year was one of the best memories at Penn State. But more importantly, as a Penn State wrestler I made lifetime friendships and gained great support from the coaching staff, booster club and my teammates.

Who is the toughest guy you ever wrestled in college?

There were so many tough wrestlers I have faced during my college career, but I would have to say the toughest were my teammates including Cary Kolat, Russ and John Hughes etc., who helped me to achieve my goals.

Talk about your experience wrestling in the 1996 Olympics.

It was a great experience. I was treated very well as an athlete at the event especially the fans from Penn State cheering for me during all of my matches including the one against Kendall Cross who is from United States. Penn State fans showed tremendous support!

Update us on your life since Penn State.

I worked as the first assistant coach for Pitt from 1999 to 2004. Since 2004 I have been running my own wrestling club, Pitt Bull Wrestling, and I am also the head coach at Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School (since 2008).

How has the Penn State wrestling experience impacted your life/career?

Being part of the Penn State wrestling team helped build my character and instilled a work ethic and relentless attitude. My teammates and coaching staff, especially Coach Oishi, helped me become the person I am today.

Do you still follow college wrestling?

Yes, I follow college wrestling through the internet and other media sources.

What advice do you have for collegiate wrestlers today?

You only have 4 or 5 years in your college career to achieve your goals in academics and athletics. You don’t want to have any regrets.

What does Penn State wrestling mean to you?

Penn State wrestling means family to me. I have made lifelong friendships and found life time mentors that helped me build my character. Penn State will always be a second home to me.