In a few days, the official 2024 NCAA College Wrestling season would kick off. There are a lot of young athletes to look forward to for the fans, but for the people of Pennsylvania, there’s a popular name that has taken up a big role. After years of dedication and loyalty to Penn State, Nick Lee was appointed as the assistant coach.

For the recently crowned Pan American champion and US champion, this will be a fresh experience, as he would have many young wrestlers under his wing. After being appointed as the assistant coach at Penn State, he has given his candid thoughts on his upcoming responsibilities.

Nick Lee ready for a new challenge

Lee’s wrestling season has been filled with ups and downs. From being injured after he qualified for the Pan American Championships to winning the event with utter dominance. The gold medal shined brighter, like his ambitions, and even if he couldn’t qualify for Team USA at the Paris Olympics, he grabbed a new opportunity to become a coach for Penn State.

This decision was taken by head coach Cael Sanderson, and there would be many questions that he would be answering in the upcoming press conferences as he chose Lee over the long list of people available for the assistant coach position. However, there’s a main reason for Sanderson choosing Lee over other options. He wants the up-and-coming wrestlers of Penn State who they can connect with better and can learn a lot due to his extensive experience, that too, being loyal to the university from his early days.

After taking up his new role, the 26-year-old went candid when he spoke with Courier & Press, saying, “Having learned from those guys, I can take from those lessons and the lessons I’ve learned from my own experiences. Hopefully (I can) offer a different point-of-view from the same value set that those guys have and bolster our goals and team to continue to win national championships.”

Even though the NCAA season has yet to kick off, the newly assigned assistant coach of the Penn State is already motivated about his new role. He has a ton of experience in the sport, and he is determined to develop a positive environment around those who he will take under his wing, as it would provide them with the adequate materials to grow and flourish in wrestling. Since Lee has been a part of the university for a long time, he is ready to give his best to earn a few coaching accolades.

Loyalty is crucial in scenes like the NCAA, as there are plenty of fans’ expectations on these wrestlers’ shoulders. However, not every wrestler is like Lee and sticks to a single team for the rest of their lives. Many from Penn State have made their move before to rival teams, eventually becoming direct rivals to their previous teams.

Moving away from Penn State

Early this year, right after the Paris Olympics, David Taylor made it clear that he was leaving Penn State and joining Oklahoma State as their head coach. This was a big hit for the aspiring stars of Penn State, as many looked after the Olympic champion. As this wasn’t enough, in a press conference, Taylor added that Jimmy Kennedy will be joining Oklahoma State as an associate head coach, alongside Thomas Gilman as assistant coach.

All of them were crucial members of Penn State and had contributed a lot through their performances throughout many seasons. Taylor further stated, “Jimmy is a coach that everyone wants on their team.” The Olympic champion knew about the additions that he was making to his program, and he was confident that his new coaching staff would give a proper challenge to the rivals in the upcoming NCAA college wrestling season. 

Even though Penn State has its own people on the rival teams, Sanderson is determined to have his team of wrestlers, including the newly hired assistant coach Lee. They will be working towards the future of the team, as there are tons of expectations lying on their shoulders.