Former Penn State wrestler announces transfer portal pick

The depth that Cael Sanderson has developed within the Penn State wrestling room over the past two seasons is the best we have seen since he took over the program nearly two decades ago. Sanderson brought in the No. 1 overall prospect and top recruiting class in 2024 and 2025. Then perhaps the biggest addition this offseason has been World Champion Masanosuke Ono, who will join the Nittany Lions for 2026.

As a result of the steady influx of top talent, the Nittany Lions saw an exodus of reserve wrestlers to the transfer portal following March’s national title. This week, one of those wrestlers, 141/149-pounder David Evans, revealed where he will compete next season. On Tuesday, Evans announced via Instagram that he is transferring to Utah Valley to use his final year of eligibility.

“Grateful for my time spent in State College, I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Evans wrote. “I’m excited and ready for the future out in Utah Valley. Go Wolverines!”

✍️ David Evans puts pen to paper!

Welcome to the Valley!#GoUVU | #ValleyForged pic.twitter.com/0DSPXgACvZ

— UVU Wrestling (@UVUwre) April 23, 2025

Evans did not wrestle for Penn State wrestling in 2025 and entered the portal in March. In five seasons with the Nittany Lions, he went 30-9 with a 36.59% bonus. All those matches came between 2022 and 2024, where Evans wrestled at 133, 141, and 149 pounds. He will likely compete at 149 next season for the Wolverines.

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Evans is now the second former Penn State wrestler to transfer to Utah Valley after Terrell Barraclough made the move last offseason. Barraclough had a terrific season for the Wolverines, finishing with a 32-4 record and a fifth-place All-American at the NCAA Championships in Philadelphia.

The Nittany Lions have a connection to Utah Valley in Penn State wrestling assistant Cody Sanderson, who was the head coach of the Wolverines when the program started in 2003. At the time, it was the first Division I wrestling program started from the ground up in 30 years.

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