Penn State wrestling added another stop to its championship tour Tuesday, visiting the White House after locking up its most recent national title in Cleveland this past March.
Coach Cael Sanderson and his team met with President Donald J. Trump, along with Pennsylvania Senators John Fetterman and Dave McCormick. Also there was Bo Nickal, the Penn State wrestling legend who has moved on to the UFC and recently fought - and won - on the White House lawn.
The trip was a recognition of what Penn State has built under Sanderson, a run that has turned into one of the sport’s defining dynasties. The Nittany Lions have won 13 of the past 15 national titles, and the White House has become a familiar backdrop for some of their biggest moments.
Trump was also present in March 2023, when Penn State won its 10th national title under Sanderson at the national championships in Tulsa. Two years later, he was back at the championships in Philadelphia when Penn State claimed No. 12 under Cael. And in the stretch before the 2024 election, Trump visited State College and invited Penn State wrestlers onto the stage at the Bryce Jordan Center.
At the 2025 championships, Mitchell Mesenbrink said Trump’s presence around the sport was a positive, no matter where someone falls politically.
“We want to get people to watch, right?” Mesenbrink said.
“We want people to watch wrestling. We want people to funnel, not just money, but people’s time, and attention is money.
So, I think that’s cool. And I think if it was conservative or liberal, it would be really, really cool.
“Democrat or Republican, whoever it is, it’s the president of the United States. The leader of the free world at our wrestling event is really cool when you think about it that way.”
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