By Cooper Cazares – Onward State
Penn State wrestling’s Shayne Van Ness is out for the 2023-24 season because of an undisclosed, lingering injury that will require surgery, head coach Cael Sanderson revealed Tuesday.
The Nittany Lion is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation at the 149-pound weight class.
“He’s had issues with something that’s just kind of gotten tough and kind of got tweaked again in practice, and it just makes sense for him to get it repaired and get ready for next year,” Sanderson said Tuesday.
Before his 3-0 record to start the season, the Nittany Lion had an impressive 24-7 overall record last year with seven majors, two tech falls, and five pins as a redshirt freshman. He placed fourth at the Big Ten Championship and third place in the NCAA Championship, earning All-American status.
“It stinks for him and stinks for the team, but you know it’s part of the sport and part of life,” Sanderson continued. “It’s just tough.”
Sanderson mentioned Van Ness will most likely undergo surgery for the injury sometime after the holidays.
“It’s definitely difficult. I feel for him obviously,” teammate Levi Haines said. “He’s a great training partner for me. I’m just hoping the best for him in his recovery, and he will be back better than ever.”
It’s unclear who will fill in for Van Ness at the 149-pound weight class for the remainder of the season. Two alternatives mentioned by Sanderson are redshirt freshman Connor Pierce or junior David Evans.
