Joe Sealey

[Hilton Head Joe]

Solid win versus David Carr 5-3. Can we stop all the non sense talk that he can't beat Kasak? Carr has wins over Mesenbrink. I also remember Sealey beat Mesenbrink in High School at Super 32. Sealey lost a razor close decision 2-1 to old man Green who is a physical specimen. I can see that match being flipped. And he beat Anime who just a second ago had the biggest win of the open. Cael has got to start Sealey next year.   

[SocraTease]

I think Sealy won five matches on the backside to finish third after only losing 3-2 to Green on the front side.  Impressive run

Edited April 25 by SocraTease

[pokemonster]

Is he better than Kasak?

[lu_alum]

34 minutes ago, SocraTease said:

I think Sealy won five matches on the backside to finish third after only losing 3-2 to Green on the front side.  Impressive run

Consolation wins on the backside don't mean much at the open. Even less so at WTT.

[BruceyB]

2 hours ago, Hilton Head Joe said:

Solid win versus David Carr 5-3. Can we stop all the non sense talk that he can't beat Kasak? Carr has wins over Mesenbrink. I also remember Sealey beat Mesenbrink in High School at Super 32. Sealey lost a razor close decision 2-1 to old man Green who is a physical specimen. I can see that match being flipped. And he beat Anime who just a second ago had the biggest win of the open. Cael has got to start Sealey next year.   

Who's getting sat for Sealey?

[pokemonster]

2 hours ago, Hilton Head Joe said:

Solid win versus David Carr 5-3. Can we stop all the non sense talk that he can't beat Kasak? Carr has wins over Mesenbrink. I also remember Sealey beat Mesenbrink in High School at Super 32. Sealey lost a razor close decision 2-1 to old man Green who is a physical specimen. I can see that match being flipped. And he beat Anime who just a second ago had the biggest win of the open. Cael has got to start Sealey next year.   

Sealey should put in an anonymous tip and get Kasak tested. Guaranteed failure, so could open up a spot for him.

[Gene Mills Fan]

Kasak looked like he should not wrestle again unless he wears that helmet pad headgear.

[moodybooty]

Kasak wasn’t (and won’t be?) a starter. This is a different style. What are we talking about?

 

[pokemonster]

16 minutes ago, moodybooty said:

Kasak wasn’t (and won’t be?) a starter. This is a different style. What are we talking about?

 

Most people were projecting PJ Duke to redshirt, Kasak to start this year. 

[Jimmy Cinnabon]

Kasak may not wrestle in college much longer.  Those concussion issues look nasty.  Very sad.

[Gene Mills Fan]

11 minutes ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Kasak may not wrestle in college much longer.  Those concussion issues look nasty.  Very sad.

Kasak won't be able to make it through 50% of his matches if his head gets bumped. Jimmy I think Barr's knee is gone. What else can go wrong?

[ionel]

Wait ... Jimmy's back?  

[Hilton Head Joe]

16 hours ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Kasak may not wrestle in college much longer.  Those concussion issues look nasty.  Very sad.

I hope it is not that bad! But the 3 NCAA champ deep weight classes at PSU has got to stop. It will be very interesting to see who comes after Sealey now. I just cant fathom this kid being 3rd string. Unless Cael is taking care of him $ and he is ok with never starting. 

[Room Guy]

I gotta think that there is lots of money at PSU. If fully funded they can offer 30 full scholarships. I think lots of people forget there is a lot to be said to get a degree from a good school, 100% paid for and leave with no debt and possible some change in the pocket..

 

That being said could probably get good money now to leave, but gotta look at the overall picture.

[juniorvarsity]

Do his results at the open reaffirm his decision to stay at Penn State? Or does he actually want to know how well he can do in college wrestling and actually compete?

Kasak might have to deal with concussion issues for a bit. Maybe we see them both at Trials. Who knows. If Kasak needs to sit out, Sealey is their guy unless PJ Duke stays at 157. 

The depth at Penn State really does bother me. I need to get over it. I just can't comprehend why AA level guys want sit the bench for years. And who knows what phenom is going to show up at school there down the road. The training there must feel great. 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

14 hours ago, juniorvarsity said:

 

The depth at Penn State really does bother me. I need to get over it. I just can't comprehend why AA level guys want sit the bench for years. And who knows what phenom is going to show up at school there down the road. The training there must feel great. 

1. Training and coaching 

2. Likely a free education from a good school

3.  Huge recruits likely get decent NIL packages

4.  Prob around $50,000 rev share for PSU wrestlers, on top of any NIL

 

[alex1fly]

16 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

1. Training and coaching 

2. Likely a free education from a good school

3.  Huge recruits likely get decent NIL packages

4.  Prob around $50,000 rev share for PSU wrestlers, on top of any NIL

 

It has to be more than that right? These guys are killers and have been dedicating their lives to competition for years. Are they really content to let their competitive careers flounder in return for a degree and 50k/year? Is that plus the kool-aid of "you might crack the starting lineup but even if you don't start you can still compete in opens and possibly surprise people" enough to keep them around? Just musing, really.

[2001Hokie]

30 minutes ago, alex1fly said:

It has to be more than that right? These guys are killers and have been dedicating their lives to competition for years. Are they really content to let their competitive careers flounder in return for a degree and 50k/year? Is that plus the kool-aid of "you might crack the starting lineup but even if you don't start you can still compete in opens and possibly surprise people" enough to keep them around? Just musing, really.

I don't completely disagree.  I keep thinking of the only real counterpoint being the in-room competition.  If someone like Joe Sealey's goal is beyond just college.  If he's in the room rolling with PJ Duke and Mitch, that is likely going to continue to improve his FS game, and may bring his international goals to fruition.  If he went to another room that doesn't have the same level of partners, maybe he starts and excels, but isn't progressing to where he wants to be outside of the folkstyle game.  I don't think it's always that in general, but for someone like that, that's where my head leans.  

[juniorvarsity]

18 hours ago, 2001Hokie said:

I don't completely disagree.  I keep thinking of the only real counterpoint being the in-room competition.  If someone like Joe Sealey's goal is beyond just college.  If he's in the room rolling with PJ Duke and Mitch, that is likely going to continue to improve his FS game, and may bring his international goals to fruition.  If he went to another room that doesn't have the same level of partners, maybe he starts and excels, but isn't progressing to where he wants to be outside of the folkstyle game.  I don't think it's always that in general, but for someone like that, that's where my head leans.  

I have a fringe belief. I think that having great partners is a bit overblown as a reason for wrestlers being great in college. Penn State has a great room. No doubt. But I don't think their guys need all these great partners to be great. Same goes for other schools. I think more of it has to do with the coaches, the wrestler, and the system/culture. And Penn State has it all and that might be the bigger reasons versus being in a great room. I'm not saying it doesn't help. I'm saying it's overblown. 

There's countless examples of highly accomplished college wrestlers who don't have amazing training partners like what's happening at Penn State - Mendez, Alirez, Gable, Carr, O'Connor, Gross, Zahid, Jden, Delgado, Maple, OToole, Caldwell, Howe. Too many to name. I'm sure I will be corrected me on some of these names, but you get the point. 

[alex1fly]

3 hours ago, juniorvarsity said:

I have a fringe belief. I think that having great partners is a bit overblown as a reason for wrestlers being great in college. Penn State has a great room. No doubt. But I don't think their guys need all these great partners to be great. Same goes for other schools. I think more of it has to do with the coaches, the wrestler, and the system/culture. And Penn State has it all and that might be the bigger reasons versus being in a great room. I'm not saying it doesn't help. I'm saying it's overblown. 

There's countless examples of highly accomplished college wrestlers who don't have amazing training partners like what's happening at Penn State - Mendez, Alirez, Gable, Carr, O'Connor, Gross, Zahid, Jden, Delgado, Maple, OToole, Caldwell, Howe. Too many to name. I'm sure I will be corrected me on some of these names, but you get the point. 

I think it’s overblown too. In general, you don’t get better at things by not doing the things. Have any backups gone on to great senior level success after not cracking a given starting lineup? PSU is an obvious team to look at but there are others. I always think of Jamil Kelly who was never an NCAA champ but won an Olympic medal. He doesn’t quite fit the criteria though, because he was on the starting lineup for several years.

Edited April 30 by alex1fly

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

16 minutes ago, alex1fly said:

I think it’s overblown too. In general, you don’t get better at things by not doing the things. Have any backups gone on to great senior level success after not cracking a given starting lineup? PSU is an obvious team to look at but there are others. I always think of Jamil Kelly who was never an NCAA champ but won an Olympic medal. He doesn’t quite fit the criteria though, because he was on the starting lineup for several years.

Kelly: Never an All-American...

Rob Eiter , never a starter, but multiple world teams. (Behind Zeke at ASU and also 48 kg)

Edited April 30 by Interviewed_at_Weehawken

[juniorvarsity]

On 4/30/2026 at 10:32 AM, alex1fly said:

I think it’s overblown too. In general, you don’t get better at things by not doing the things. Have any backups gone on to great senior level success after not cracking a given starting lineup? PSU is an obvious team to look at but there are others. I always think of Jamil Kelly who was never an NCAA champ but won an Olympic medal. He doesn’t quite fit the criteria though, because he was on the starting lineup for several years.

That's a good point too. These backups never really do anything. I was more focused on looking at starters and if there were other high AA/champ guys in the weight classes nearby. Also if there was an RTC wrestler near their weight. 

Now getting team titles, that naturally must occur. You have to have an entire good team. So naturally you will have good guys next to each other in the lineup.

But it's just my fringe belief. I think it's overblown. Messenbrink was great when he showed up to Penn State. If Levi and Starocci weren't there, I'm sure he would have the same results at the NCAA tournament. 

[scourge165]

On 4/26/2026 at 11:34 AM, Hilton Head Joe said:

I hope it is not that bad! But the 3 NCAA champ deep weight classes at PSU has got to stop. It will be very interesting to see who comes after Sealey now. I just cant fathom this kid being 3rd string. Unless Cael is taking care of him $ and he is ok with never starting. 

Hell, he could be 4th string with Jayden James. 

 

Sealey was a top 3 P4P recruit, but I also remember Facundo beating... I THOUGHT it was Mesenbrink and Haines the same off-season and then... he sat, transfered to Okie State(so it would have been two years ago at the open). 

[Hilton Head Joe]

2 hours ago, scourge165 said:

Hell, he could be 4th string with Jayden James. 

 

Sealey was a top 3 P4P recruit, but I also remember Facundo beating... I THOUGHT it was Mesenbrink and Haines the same off-season and then... he sat, transfered to Okie State(so it would have been two years ago at the open). 

Ok so Sealey ends of being 4th string. Why on earth would he stay? This is getting cult like man! I got a feeling Sealey is gonna make the world team at 163. I like his chances against old man Green in a rematch. But does Mesenbrink enter at WTT? Is Cael giving the nod to Sealey here? PSU please stop hoarding talent!    

[scourge165]

8 hours ago, Hilton Head Joe said:

Ok so Sealey ends of being 4th string. Why on earth would he stay? This is getting cult like man! I got a feeling Sealey is gonna make the world team at 163. I like his chances against old man Green in a rematch. But does Mesenbrink enter at WTT? Is Cael giving the nod to Sealey here? PSU please stop hoarding talent!    

I don't know. I'm also not saying he IS 4th string... just that he COULD be. I'm taking it to the extreme. He's proven he can Wrestle with anyone, but I don't think anyone would find it hard to believe that Duke or Kasak can beat him... and James is a top 3 Wrestler in this class(just see his result with Melvin Miller and then look at how competitive Miller was with Duke). So I'm not placing him 4th. Just more highlighting the talent they have at '57 right now. 

And why does he stay? Maybe... because he's got a chance to make the world team at 163. Maybe he thinks that's the best place for him to develop? Maybe he thinks he can be a world champ AND he's got a big NIL deal because he was so highly touted. 

I really don't know. You have a small window to compete in College. I would transfer if I were him, but I can't speak to why he's not doing so. I don't know anything about the program other than guys stay there when they could likely AA elsewhere. The roster limit is going to have to have an impact.... I'd think. 

Why isn't Desmond leaving if this 5-5 comes to fruition? I suppose he could slide in at '41 in another year. 
Look at their '27 class;
#2 Landon Sidun (125/133)- He was going to slide perfectly in after Lillendahl. A RS year, then a Sidun would step in. Now if Lillendahl gets 5 years, that RS is going to cost Sidun a year as well as Lillendahl's own 5th year(assuming he wins). 
#6 Grey Burnett (133)-
#8 Clinton Shepherd (157/165)
#10 Gavin Mangano (149)
#94 James Whitbred (165)
#100 William Soto (125)

And then you have ANOTHER '57/'65  who is a top 10 P4P recruit. 

Does this change things?

I actually think this would lead to MORE transferring. Just take this Sidun. I don't know anything about him but what I can read on his resume, but #2 P4P, he's dominate in PA... sounds like a kid who'll be ready to go right out of the gate. 

Would it make more sense for him to go to... Va Tech and then transfer in 2 years to PSU? That kinda goes against what PSU does which is take HS recruits... for the most part, some exceptions would be Welsh or Messenbrink, but even the, they're young and have 3-4 years left. Dean is the only guy I can think of who came in with 1 year(which became 2 with Covid). But will they now adjust? And no school is going to turn down a National Finalist with 3 years who wants to come(I can't and won't speak to how much recruiting is done behind the scenes or how much "tampering" there is).
Edit 
*Drew Hildebrandt also transferred in after Wrestling elsewhere(god knows if I miss this, I'm going to get a snide comment from a particular Iowa fan who likes to make the strawman argument that "Penn State doesn't take transfers.")

Okie State is going to be in the same position. Iowa, Ohio State to lesser degrees. But this is going to create a "problem" for the Cowboys and PSU in the immediate future. 

Edited May 4 by scourge165