Penn State wrestling would like to have 10 All-Americans again.
Only two schools in the history of college wrestling have accomplished that feat, and Penn State became the second last year (Minnesota first did it in 2001).
History: Penn State Wrestling Becomes 2nd Team Ever to Produce 10 All-Americans
To get to 10 All-Americans, Braeden Davis will have to do his part at 141.
It’s been an up-and-down season for Davis, who moved up a weight for the second straight season. Davis became an All-American for the first time last March, finishing fifth at 133. This season, the plan was for him to move up to 141 and redshirt behind veteran Aaron Nagao.
But a shoulder injury forced Nagao to retire from the sport and Davis to burn his redshirt.
Davis finished seventh at the Big Ten Championships earlier this month, thus qualifying for the NCAA Championships with a 12-5 record.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez is arguably the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the country and thus the heavy favorite at 141. Davis is seeded No. 14, and since only the top eight earn All-American honors, Davis has plenty of work to do.
He got the work started with a gritty 2-0 win over Utah Valley’s Haiden Drury, seeded No. 19.
The bout was scoreless going until the third period, when Davis, starting on bottom, got an escape to go ahead 1-0.
He ended up getting a second point on riding time for the 2-0 win.
Now, Davis has a rematch scheduled with Nebraska’s Brock Hardy, seeded No. 3. There wrestled at the Bryce Jordan Center this January, and Davis was leading most of the way before a late pin.
