Cael Sanderson publicly advocated for a pushout rule in collegiate wrestling following Penn State's victory at the 2026 NCAA Championships.
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While reflecting on his team's record-breaking performance, Sanderson noted the following regarding the rule:
Shift in Stance: He admitted to being against the pushout rule for many years but has changed his mind because of the difficulty officials have in calling stalling.
Benefit to Penn State: He stated that a pushout rule would be "great" for his program because his wrestlers are constantly moving forward and looking to score points.
Addressing Stalling: Sanderson argued that referees often hesitate to call stalling even when it is occurring, and a pushout rule would provide a clearer, more objective way to penalize defensive wrestling.
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Sanderson's comments came during a post-match press conference where he also discussed the team's culture of "following the rules" and maintaining a high standard of performance regardless of the outcome.