Penn State wrestling true freshman PJ Duke is facing the biggest test of his college career.
Well, at least at the Folkstyle level.
At the freestyle level, Duke has a win over one of the greatest of all time on Yianni Diakomihalis, who won four national championships at Cornell, beating Diakomihalis twice in three tries at the U.S. Senior Word team trials over the summer.
The Kid is Alright: Penn State Wrestling Commit PJ Duke Shocks The World
Duke also has a win over the man he’ll be facing Friday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.
Before Duke graduated high school this spring, he beat reigning national champ Antrell Taylor at those same World Team Trials, winning 8-6.
Now, he’ll be wrestling Taylor on what will be the biggest stage in college wrestling Friday night, and he has the confidence of his head coach, who was a pretty good wrestler himself back in the day.
WHAT CAEL SAID
“PJ is an incredible competitor, has an opportunity to wrestle a defending national champion in his weight,” Sanderson told reporters earlier this week. “I think it’s a great opportunity for PJ to really kind of see where he is. Obviously, he’s wrestled some great wrestlers this year, but now he gets a chance to wrestle a defending national champion.”
DUKE IS USED TO PRESSURE
If Duke loses to Taylor, it won’t be because the pressure was too much.
Case in point, two weeks ago in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.With the Iowa faithful rooting against him, Duke took on the No. 12 wrestler in the country in Jordan Williams.
If the environment bothered him, Duke didn’t show it, grinding out a 4-2 win over Williams.
Penn State Wrestling: Freshman Duo Unphased by Carver, go 2-0 Against Hawkeyes
Days after the win, Duke told reporters that, in fact, he feels he’s better under pressure at times.
“It’s just a crazy thing that crossed my mind,” he said. “I think sometimes I do wrestle better under pressure, so like having all those fans probably does add a little bit extra pressure, but I try not to let it affect me for the most part, and I’m pretty good about that.”
“Pretty good” is an understatement.
The expectation is that Duke, who is the No. 3 wrestler at 157, will be a national champ one day, and that day might even come this year.
Beating Taylor, last year’s national champ, would a big way to show that he’s already in the mix, in case anybody is doubting it.
