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Penn State wrestling notes: Josh Barr injury update, latest on Ono, Lions' plan for Duke and Sealey at 157

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel7 hours agoGregPickel
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Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson met with the media on Tuesday before the Army Black Knight Invite.

Penn State wrestling will take approximately 20 members of its roster to Sunday’s Army Black Knight Invitational in West Point, N.Y. Junior Masanosuke Ono will not be one of them, head coach Cael Sanderson said on Tuesday.

“No, I think he has some event he has to go home and wrestle in Japan in December,” Sanderson said. “So, he’s preparing for that right now. Different countries have different timelines. And their national team qualifiers are in December I think. So that’s kind of what he’s focused on.”

Japan holds one of its qualifying events to make its national men’s freestyle wrestling team every December. It is believed that Sanderson is referring to that. Either way, Ono, who is on the Penn State roster at 133 pounds, will not be making his Nittany Lions debut anytime soon.

One new Nittany Lion is ready to wrestle in a Penn State singlet for the first time, however. Minisink Valley, N.Y., native PJ Duke will compete at 157 pounds at the Black Knight Invite. It’s likely that he and Joe Sealey represent the Lions in that weight class at the event. Sealey wrestled in the Oklahoma dual last Friday over Duke and scored a 19-4 technical fall over Sooner Landyn Sommer in 5:47.

“We’re just getting started, right? We just need to get some matches in,” Sanderson said. “We have some really good guys there, obviously, at 57. Joe Sealey is outstanding. He’s one of the best wrestlers in the country, for sure. Very committed, hard working, talented, just a great kid. S

“So, we feel really confident in him wrestling for us. Btut, yeah, we’re playing on PJ wrestling this week, and just kind of see how things play out.”

Injury update on Penn State All-American Josh Barr

Penn State 197-pound All-American Josh Barr is out of the lineup with a short-term rib injury. It’s unclear when he will return to the mat. But, he is out for this weekend’s tournament.

“He is close,” Sanderson said. “He won’t be wrestling this weekend. But, he’s getting close.”

You can watch Sanderson’s full news conference in the video player above. It is also available on BWI’s YouTube channel. Click here to watch it. And, be sure to subscribe to the channel and enable notifications so you know when our Penn State wrestling show and podcast is live in addition to interviews with Sanderson and his wrestlers.