Penn State wrestling notes: Lions must soon make 149-pound decision, updates on missing starters

It’s become a January tradition to still have questions about the finalized starting Penn State wrestling lineup with the Big Ten dual season underway. This year’s version is mainly set. The Lions are rolling with freshman Braeden Davis at 125 pounds, and he is now ranked inside the top five. Head coach Cael Sanderson brought transfers in to compete for the jobs at 133, 165, and 184, and the newcomers, Aaron Nagao, Mitchell Mesenbrink, and Bernie Truax, respectively, have all won them. Then, there were All-American returners at 141, 157, 174, 197 with Aaron Brooks bumping up, and heavyweight.

In any other year, the lineup would have been cemented with another returning NCAA placer. But, Shayne Van Ness was lost for the season last month. It looked like freshman Tyler Kasak was poised to take over the 149-pound slot. However, a weekend bout with an illness kept him out of the lineup at Michigan and Michigan State. Junior David Evans stepped in and won Friday and Sunday.

What will the Lions do at 149?

Last weekend’s results will likely not change the team’s approach to go with Kasak at 149 moving forward. But Evans’ pair of performances at least give Sanderson and co. something to ponder as they reach the point where a final decision must be made.

“That’s a weight class and a decision that we’ve been trying to figure out, and what the right solution there is, to make sure that everyone has a good fair chance?” Sanderson said Tuesday. “I mean, those two wrestled earlier in the season, although it was at a lower weight [141 pounds].”

Kasak won that bout by the decision, 2-1, in a tiebreaker period back at the Army Black Knight Invitational.

“So that’s something that we have to resolve here quickly,” Sanderson continued. “And then we also need to get our 149 pounder they need to get enough matches to earn; you want to be a contributor and earn an automatic spot for your conference if possible. And then obviously, taking care of all those details. But yeah, that’s something that we got to work out here soon.”

How are Penn State starters who missed last weekend doing?

Kasak was not the only expected Penn State starter who did not wrestle last weekend. Multi-time NCAA champ Carter Starocci also missed both dual meets. And, heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet did not wrestle on Sunday. All were said to be dealing with some sort of sickness. None are expected to miss more time.

“Yeah, I think they’re ready to go now,” Sanderson said. “They just had one of those sicknesses they’ve been going through where it just kind of knocks you out for a few days, and then you’re good to go again.”

So, it stands to reason that all three should compete against Maryland on Sunday at Noon ET. Big Ten Network will televise the match from College Park.

He said it

Sanderson, on Penn State pulling Braeden Davis’ redshirt:

“It was just kind of like, we’re pulling his redshirt, he’s ready to go. It makes sense timing-wise with our team and just him and where he’s probably going to grow [into a bigger weight class in the future]. He’s had to eat disciplined to keep his weight down. And, just who we have on our team and coming in, the lineup we’ll have. So yeah, I think he showed that he was ready to go the first half of the season and that kind of has been the plan.