Mark Palmer

In looking at a college wrestler, it’s all too easy to get wrapped up in won-loss records, pinning percentages and other by-the-numbers stuff… and overlook the other aspects that make an athlete’s story all the more compelling.

Take Dan Vallimont, for example.

College wrestling fans know Vallimont as a Penn State redshirt senior who, despite being seeded sixth in the 165-pound bracket, made it to the finals of the 2010 NCAA Division I Championships… losing to Wisconsin's top-seeded Andrew Howe, 9-3, in the title bout.

via Penn State’s 2010 NCAA finalist Dan Vallimont: Beyond the obvious.

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I am going to talk about Dan Vallimont here and talk about Cyler Sanderson next time, as I want people to be aware of the journey these two guys took to get to where they have gotten, and I think I have another perspective on both that may not be obvious to the average fan.

I have always been as fascinated with what it takes to get someplace as much as where one winds up. And how that person reacts says something about him/her. This constant exchange between people goes on without anyone even knowing about it until one day they stop and say, heh, that person said or did that, and look what happened.

So I am going to say a couple of things about here about Dan Vallimont that perhaps you have not thought about. But since they are coming from what I am looking at, this has to be set up a bit.

via State College, PA – Penn State Wrestling: Dan Vallimont, Beyond the Obvious.

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Whether he was ordering bacon and eggs or visiting his barber, the older brother of Penn State’s celebrated first-year wrestling coach couldn’t escape the chatter.

“Everywhere I would go, whether it was getting breakfast or a haircut, people were saying they can’t wait for 2010-11,” associate head coach Cody Sanderson said. “People are excited about the recruits that are going to be in our lineup. But we left it at that. We owed it to the program to keep our focus on 2009-10.”

Such was the conundrum facing the start of Cael Sanderson’s tenure.

The future looked promising. But the present demanded unwavering attention.

via Sandersons shift to next season – Sports | Centre Daily Times – State College, PA.

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Collegian Staff Writer

Year one: complete. In the first season under the guidance of Cael Sanderson, the Penn State wrestling team performed amid the excitement and expectations that came along with its new coach.

The Nittany Lions compiled a 13-6-1 dual meet record — a vast improvement on the 2008-09 mark of 8-12-2.

Add a Big Ten champion, three All-Americans and a ninth-place finish at the NCAA championships to the list of improvements in Sanderson’s first season at the helm.

via Coach lays foundation in debut – The Daily Collegian Online.

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Penn State's Dan Vallimont, right, tries to get free from Stanford's Nick Amuchastegui, during the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships match in Omaha, Neb. on Friday.

OMAHA, Neb. – Even to the most demanding fan, Cael Sanderson’s first year as Penn State wrestling coach would be deemed a success.

Even with obvious weaknesses in the lineup, highlighted by redshirting four talented freshmen, Sanderson nudged the Nittany Lions to a 13-6-1 regular-season record and a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Tournament.

Sanderson can add three All-Americans and a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Division I Championships to that modest list of accomplishments.

via Nittany Lions add to honors at NCAA Division I wrestling championships | PennLive.com.

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BlueWhiteIllustrated.com Assistant Editor

OMAHA, Neb. — Dan Vallimont has jumped many hurdles in his five years as a Penn State wrestler. There never seemed to be anything he couldn't clear.

Until Saturday night.

On the blue mat with the giant NCAA logo in the middle on top of the raised platform in front of more than 15,000 wrestling junkies in the Qwest Center, the last hurdle in Vallimont’s career finally tripped him up.

Vallimont lost, 9-3, to Wisconsin No. 1 seed Andrew Howe.

The Nittany Lion senior was in on several single attempts, but the Wisconsin sophomore countered all but one.

via BlueWhiteIllustrated.com – Vallimont falls just short of national title.

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Dan Vallimont wrestled in the biggest match of his storied career on Saturday night. And although the Jefferson native came out on the losing end of the bout, Vallimont ended his amateur career with a season to remember.

Vallimont, a Penn State senior, lost in the 165-pound final of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Omaha to Wisconsin’s Andrew Howe in a 9-3 decision. But the defeat can’;t take away from Vallimont’s amazing season which saw him earn his second All-American nod, capture his 100th career victory and wrestle his way through the NCAA championships for a runner-up finish.

via Jefferson’s Vallimont runner-up at NCAA wrestling championships | dailyrecord.com | Daily Record.

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OMAHA, Neb.; March 20, 2010 – Penn State senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) was defeated in the national finals at 165 in the culminating event at the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Vallimont’s run to National Runner-Up status helped head coach Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lion wrestlers take ninth place at the event.

Vallimont, the No. 6 seed, took on No. 1 seed Andrew Howe of Wisconsin, who had downed Vallimont twice during the regular season. Vallimont got in on Howe’s right thigh at the 2:22 mark, but the Badger was able to force a stalemate. Howe countered a low Vallimont shot and got the bout’s first takedown with 1:51 on the clock to take a 2-0 lead. Vallimont could not escape a strong Howe ride for the remainder of the period. Leading 2-0 with 1:51 in riding time, Howe chose down to start the second period, escaped quickly and then took Vallimont down to open up a 5-0 lead. Vallimont escaped with :40 left in the period, only to be taken down at the end of the second to fall behind 7-1 (and how clinched the riding time point). Vallimont chose neutral to start the third period and quickly got in on Howe’s right leg. But Howe once again forced a stalemate. Vallimont forced another scramble with a low single and got his first takedown with :59 on the clock. He cut Howe loose and trailed 8-3. The Nittany Lion took two more solid shots as the bout ended, but Howe was able to fight off every Vallimont effort and posted the 9-3 win.

via Dan Vallimont National Runner-Up, Sanderson’s Nittany Lions Claim Ninth Place at NCAA Championships – PENN STATE OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE.

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