About the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club

About the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club

The Nittany Lion Wrestling Club (NLWC) is a tax-exempt, charitable, educational organization [IRS code Sec 501 (c) (3)] with the purpose of promoting the education and training of wrestlers, the education of those who aspire to coach wrestling, and the education of the general public in the sport of wrestling.  The NLWC Board of Directors includes President Terry Chandler, Vice President James English, Dave Becker, Bill Buckley, Sam Condo, Bob Noll, and Darrel Zaccagni.  The NLWC Staff includes Dave Hart (Executive Director, Treasurer, Secretary, and Membership Chair) and Jake Varner (Director).  

The NLWC is supported by the many, many generous individuals and businesses who donate to the Club through the annual membership/sponsorship campaign, the annual golf tournaments, and other fund-raising efforts. 

U.S. Olympic Regional Training Center (RTC)

USA Wrestling, the national governing organization for the sport of amateur wrestling, has designated Penn State University as an Olympic Regional Training Center (RTC).  The NLWC serves as the administrator for the Center with the Coaches being Cael Sanderson, Cody Sanderson, Casey Cunningham, Jake Varner, Mark McKnight, and Jimmy Kennedy.  Practices are conducted year round in the Penn State Wrestling Room in the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex.  In these practices, the top U.S. freestyle wrestlers, qualified college wrestlers, and qualified high school wrestlers work together to make each other better and to build both the present and future U.S. wrestling champions!  Wrestlers from other Olympic RTC's around the U.S., from other countries, and from Penn State and other college programs train at the NLWC Olympic RTC on a regular basis.  In addition to the daily Olympic RTC practices, the NLWC Olympic RTC occasionally host USA Wrestling National Team training camps.  The NLWC supports wrestling at all levels but focuses on the Olympic Development of the athletes who train at the Club's Olympic Regional Training Center. 

Note:  For wrestlers to train at the Regional Training Center practices, they must meet the criteria established by USA Wrestling.  

Resident Athlete Program

The Regional Training Center Coaching staff, comprised of Cael Sanderson, Cody Sanderson, Casey Cunningham, Jake Varner, Mark McKnight, and Jimmy Kennedy, has recruited elite wrestlers to live in Central Pennsylvania and train at the NLWC’s Olympic Regional Training Center.  This program is known as the NLWC Resident Athlete Program, and it is designed to provide the coaching, training environment, and financial support necessary for these individuals to compete for and win Olympic and World Championships. 

Resident Athlete David Taylor

2018 & 2022 World Champion, 2018 Top Freestyle Wrestler in the World, & 2021 Olympic Gold Medalist

Scholastic Programs

In addition to this support of Olympic caliber wrestlers, the NLWC serves scholastic level and beginning wrestlers.  Although many of the top scholastic wrestlers qualify for and can participate in the Regional Training Center practices, the Club also offers a variety of different scholastic programs for elementary, junior, and senior high wrestlers. 

Golf and Wrestling Tournaments

The NLWC conducts golf tournaments that serve as fundraisers for the Club’s Resident Athlete Program and which are also fun, social events where fans of wrestling and the NLWC can get together.    

The NLWC also runs an annual scholastic wrestling tournament in Penn State’s Rec Hall.  This tournament is one of the largest one day tournaments in the country and is a very competitive age group tournament.