Cael Sanderson was introduced as Penn State’s wrestling coach Monday afternoon — three days after he announced he would leave his team and his home in Ames.

The former ISU wrestling coach spoke in front of an announced crowd of more than 500 people on Monday at the Rec Hall in State College, Penn.

“I can’t stop thinking — we need to get the mascot on a weight program. But we have plenty of time for that,” said Sanderson, who had just finished his third season as head coach at Iowa State.

Sanderson competed at Iowa State from 1998 to 2002, and had stayed in Ames — training and coaching — since 1997. Last Thursday night, he made the decision to leave his alma mater.

Monday afternoon, he said the team he left behind should stick together. All 10 of Iowa State’s starters had another year of eligibility.

The Cyclones placed third at the March NCAA Tournament.

“I can’t really say what’s going to happen with those wrestlers. We’ve spent a lot of time talking with the individuals, and they’re gonna, they’re gonna try and stay,” Sanderson said. “I think it’s important that they stick together, especially — we have a great junior class at Iowa State. And I think it’s important that they stick together and finish what they started.”

Sanderson said he need to “really get in here and see where we’re at” when he was asked about his goals for the Penn State program. He had only briefly spoken with the team, which has eight starters who have further eligibility, including 2008 NCAA runner-up Bubba Jenkins (149) and two freshman All-Americans, Frank Molnaro (141) and Quentin Wright (174)

Penn State didn’t qualify a 184-, 197-pounder or a heavyweight for the NCAA Tournament last season.

Sanderson said the past week-and-a-half has been difficult emotionally and that the decision seemed to have “happened real fast.”

“The minutes and hours that I’ve thought about this over that time has been pretty much every second,” Sanderson said. “My family, and I have counseled with the people closest to me, and like I said before this has been a very difficult time, a very emotional time, but I feel like this is the place for me. And I can’t explain that probably very eloquently, but this is where I want to be right now, and I think this is the right place.”

He was asked what his message to ISU fans would be.

“My message is just thank you. I’ve cherished my time there. I’ve been at Iowa State for 12 years and I’ve loved it. I’ve loved every minute of it,” Sanderson said. “And there are some very special people there to me, especially the current wrestlers on the team. It’s been very difficult, and it’s a tough time, but sometimes you have to make tough decisions.”