UNIVERSITY PARK — In a bold move that promises to be talked about for years to come, Penn State Director of Athletics Tim Curley redefined 'The Penn State Way' on Friday.

That 'Penn State Way' had been perceived to be to make safe, Penn State Family selections for coaching positions.

Well, that all changed when Curley announced the hiring of Cael Sanderson as the 12th coach in the more than 100-year history of Penn State wrestling.

The hiring came at the end of a tumultuous week in State College as rumors ran rampant about who was on Curley's short list to succeed Troy Sunderland, who officially announced his resignation on April 4. Sunderland's resignation came 10 days after Curley had issued Sunderland an ultimatum on March 26 — resign or be fired.

While that revelation rocked University Park and the Penn State wrestling community, Friday's announcement triggered tsunami-sized shockwaves that radiated out across the nation.

Newspapers and television stations across the Midwest had, in recent days, reported breathlessly on rumors that Sanderson was being actively pursued by Penn State and that he was actually interested.

The shock waves had as much impact at ground zero in University Park as they did in Ames, Iowa, home to Sanderson's alma mater and former employer — Iowa State University.

"I was shocked. I was shocked when I heard the rumor mill stuff that I heard that he was interested in the position and was part of the search. He's been so successful at Iowa State, it amazed me he was interested in leaving Iowa State for any job," said Rich Lorenzo, who coached Penn State from 1978-91 and is now the executive director/treasurer of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.

"I didn't put John Smith or Terry Brands or Cael Sanderson or Tom Ryan or J Robinson on my list because I felt they were at places they felt was a gold mine. Even more so, the fact that the university was willing to make a statment and commitment to being competitive and a statement to be committed to winning a national championship says a lot."

Current members of the team were inundated with the same rumors as the general public, having been shut out of the search process.

"Thursday I got a text that said Sanderson was here for his second interview. I was with Adam Lynch and Christian Harr," junior 165-pounder Dan Vallimont, an All-American in 2008, said. "We said, 'OK, where is he?' We started walking around campus looking for him."

The wrestlers, who didn't receive official notification of the hiring from the Penn State administration until 6 p.m. Friday, a full 1 hour, 11 minutes after the official release was e-mailed, found out in a variety of ways.

Junior 149-pounder Bubba Jenkins, an NCAA runner-up in 2008, said he was walking back to his apartment after, of all things, playing basketball, when his Mom texted him.

"I'm absolutely ecstatic and excited and happy he's here. It's a good choice for him and for Penn State," Jenkins said.

"We weren't thinking we would hear anything until Saturday; Christmas came early."

Sophomore 125-pounder Brad Pataky, who was in Lock Haven with his family watching his sister play softball for Lock Haven University, also received a text.

"I was excited. You can't replace a coach like Troy Sunderland, but Cael Sanderson has definitely had his big moments. If Penn State thinks he's the right guy, he's the right guy," Pataky said.

"It's going to be a completely different type of program, something we're not used to. At the same time, it's a new start for good and bad."

Pataky didn't sound pleased at the prospects of seeing the current assistants — Matt Dernlan, Mark Perry, Aaron Anspach and Troy Letters — being let go like Sunderland.

"I'd love to see them all stay," he said. "They all have had big impacts on the program and on my life, not just with wrestling, but with school and life in general."

Freshman 174-pounder Quentin Wright, who placed sixth at the 2009 NCAA Wrestling Championships in March, related mixed reactions to the hiring.

"It's good and bad. The good part about it is he's an awesome guy and he seems to know what he's doing. Iowa State's been really good the past few years. Cael was 159-0 in college, so he obviously knows what he's doing. Someone of that stature brings a lot of pride to the program," Wright said.

"The sad part is I love the coaching staff we have right now. We're only allowed to have four coaches total and I think Cael will bring one or two people with him, so that will probably bump one or two coaches we have now."

Sanderson is arguably the greatest wrestler in the storied history of NCAA wrestling. From 1999-2002, Sanderson compiled a 159-0 career record (going 39-0, 40-0, 40-0 and 40-0); won four individual national championships; won four Most Outstanding Wrestler awards at the NCAA championships (the only wrestler in NCAA history to do so); became the first freshman in NCAA history to win the O.W. honor and won three Dan Hodge Trophies as the nation's best collegiate wrestler (also a collegiate first).

His wrestling career culminated in 2004 when the Heber City, Utah, native won the 84 kg Olympic Gold Medal in Athens, Greece.

As coach of the Iowa State Cyclones the past three years, Sanderson put together a 44-10 record with second-, fifth- and third-place finishes at the national tournament. And, in those three years, all 30 of his wrestlers qualified for NCAAs.

The Des Moines Register reported that Sanderson had been paid a base salary of $115,000 a year at Iowa State. That begs the question of what his offer was to come to Happy Valley. Whatever the price, it is considerably more than the previous head coach was being paid.

"At least in the sport of wrestling, when you look at it, if you want to be competitive on the national scene, the salaries have increased dramatically. If you want to be up at the top, that's the price you have to pay," Lorenzo said.

For Vallimont, the idea of change doesn't sound welcome, but the commitment to the program is long overdue.

"I'm excited about it. I'm anxious to see what happens. It will be a big change. That's something I usually have trouble with. With any change in the coaching staff, you have new styles and new routines. I don't like changes; I like my routine, but I think this change is for the better. I know it will be difficult at first to make the adjustment, but I'm ready to do it," he said.

"I actually never expected it either. I know the money's there. It makes me glad to know they were willing to spend it on us. They haven't really put that much concern into the wrestling program the past few years. With little things like travel, our plans were always messed up. It makes me have a little more respect for the administration knowing it was willing to do this."

Lorenzo, too, said it was about time that the administration ratcheted up its commitment to one of the university's most storied programs.

"You've got to keep up with the Smiths and Jones. For Penn State, it shocks me, it amazes me and it pleases me that Tim Curley and Dr. (Graham) Spanier would make this type of commitment," the former coach said.

"Penn State wrestling deserves it."