Cael Sanderson gives insight on absence, injury of Braeden Davis

On Friday night, Penn State wrestling dominated Iowa 30-8 in front of an electric Bryce Jordan Center crowd. The Nittany Lions won eight of the ten weight classes and were rarely threatened by the second-ranked team in the country.

However, the Hawkeyes did have great success at 133 pounds. No. 3 Drake Ayala thoroughly dominated backup Kurt McHenry to the tune of a 19-4 tech fall. McHenry’s start was shocking, as most expected to see the anticipated top-10 matchup between Ayala and No. 7 Braeden Davis.

After the dual, Cael Sanderson explained why the senior McHenry got the nod over the standout sophomore Davis.

“[Davis was] just a little banged up from a week ago. He’s [McHenry] a little undersized, obviously, but he’s got a huge heart, and he’s a great wrestler,” Sanderson told the media. “And, you know, he wanted that shot. So, we gave it to him.

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“Obviously, that was a tall order with Ayala; he’s obviously really good. But, yeah, Davis was just a little banged up from last week. So, we figured it would be in his best interest to kind of let him rest a little.”

Of course, Davis did suffer an injury in the Nittany Lions’ season-opening dual against Drexel, which forced him to miss the Black Knight Invite. It is unclear if what happened against Rutgers is related to that injury.

The match against Ayala was expected to be physical and most likely would have strained the severity of the injury. Sanderson has historically prioritized getting guys ready for the postseason, even if it means sacrificing some big-time matches in the regular season.

Statement opportunities for Davis before Penn State wrestling enters the postseason

© Peter Ackerman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Braeden Davis entered last week ranked No. 7 in the latest InterMat rankings at 133 pounds. He currently has a 7-2 record with a 33.33% bonus.

The sophomore still has an opportunity to pick up a quality win before March’s Big Ten Championships. On February 16, Penn State wrestling will travel to Champaign to take on Illinois, where Davis will see No. 4 Lucas Byrd.

Davis will also get to solidify his resume against No. 10 Nic Bouzakis (Ohio State) and No. 11 Braxton Brown (Maryland) down the stretch.

Penn State wrestling will next face No. 19 Michigan at the Bryce Jordan Center on Friday, February 7, at 6:00 p.m. ET. The dual will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

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