Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1488968
4 2 J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M WRESTLING S ometimes it's not so bad being caught in the middle. With one na- tional champion before them in the Penn State wrestling lineup and three more taking the mat after them, redshirt freshmen Shayne Van Ness and Alex Facundo have found success as middle- men striving for similar status. A climb toward the top of the rankings most likely will be slow, given that Van Ness at 149 pounds — currently ranked 17th — and Facundo — who jumped to No. 14 from honorable mention status at 165 — arguably are in two of the most competitive weight classes among the NCAA's 10. So far, though, so good. Each wres- tler was 9-1 after six dual-meet victo- ries and three wins apiece in the Black Knight Open at Army West Point. And, each has a ringing endorsement from the Nittany Lions' head coach. "They're both great, and they're both looking really good," Cael Sanderson said. "I think Van Ness is a goer. He had some nagging injuries to take care of [as a true freshman], and he didn't get a chance to wrestle as much, but he's re- ally good and he's just a tough kid. He's going to compete hard, and he's healthy and excited to go." Facundo, like Van Ness, came to Penn State with elite scholastic credentials, but he was able to get 15 matches in dur- ing his redshirt season. "He's had a ton of success," Sand- erson said, "but he's one of those guys who didn't have as much success as he wanted as a redshirt. "I look at that as him being willing to try new things. A lot of times, kids aren't really willing to do that because it almost feels like you have to take a step backward to move to a higher level. "He's a worker," Sanderson added. "The challenge with him is telling him it's OK when we have a recovery day to not come in. He's just a hard worker, and he wants to be really good. He's super talented. So, yeah, we're excited about him. He's going to be a lot of fun." Van Ness, a two-time national prep champion at Blair Academy, and Fac- undo, a four-time state champ in Mich- igan who won the Under-20 division of the Pan American Games earlier this year, have similar styles. Both are slick and quick in the neutral position and willing to mix it up. Van Ness left a Dec. 2 match against Rider's Quinn Kinner with his left eye bloodied and nearly swollen shut. Each wrestler sports a tape job on one of his knees that MIDDLE MANAGEMENT Redshirt freshmen Shayne Van Ness and Alex Facundo have found success in the heart of a formidable Penn State starting lineup J I M CA R L S O N | B L U E W H I T E C O N T R I BU TO R Van Ness is unfazed by the competition in a tough 149-pound weight class. "It doesn't matter if he's a No. 1 guy, doesn't matter if I'm down by 10," the redshirt freshman said. "I'm never scared to go after anyone." PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE