As No. 1 Penn State wrestling began to face Michigan Friday night from the Crisler Center, there was a question of who would be in Cael Sanderson’s lineup at 141.
Normal starter Braeden Davis, ranked No. 12, ended up not competing for undisclosed reasons.
With Davis sidelined against Michigan, coach Cael Sanderson turned to freshman Nate Desmond to fill the spot at 141 pounds. Desmond faced a tough test in senior Dylan Ragusin, a former All-ranked No. 26 nationally, but delivered an impressive performance. After a tightly contested match, Desmond earned a sudden victory, pushing Penn State out to a commanding 13–0 lead in the dual.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Desmond’s showing was no surprise to those familiar with his résumé. A standout at Bethlehem Catholic, he helped guide the program to two Pennsylvania state team championships and captured the 2024 Prep Nationals title. Desmond was a four-time letter winner, a two-time team captain, and a two-time Pennsylvania individual state champion during his prep career.
The strong performance highlighted Penn State’s depth and ability to adjust, even amid lineup changes, as the Nittany Lions continued their dominant run this season.
