Cael Sanderson delayed the release of his 2026-27 roster until the day before Penn State hosts Bloomsburg at Rec Hall. The release on Wednesday revealed a bit of a roster shakeup, as Braeden Davis is no longer listed and is no longer with the team. It was also announced that Cole Mirasola and Will Henckel will miss the season while on a religious mission.
Sanderson was asked about Davis in his press availability on Tuesday but deflected, speaking about other wrestlers in the mix at the 133- and 141-pound weight classes. Davis competed at 141 pounds last season, was a three-year starter for the Nittany Lions, the 2023-24 Big Ten Champion at 125 pounds, and finished fifth at the NCAA Championships in 2025 at 133 pounds.
After an arrest in March 2025 on misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest and public drunkenness, Davis was expected to redshirt last season. Instead, an injury to Aaron Nagao forced him into the lineup at 141 pounds, where he went 2-2 and did not reach the NCAA Championships.
Marcus Blaze’s move to 141 sets up a competition at 133 pounds
Even if Davis were with the team, he may not have been in the mix at 133 or 141 pounds. Marcus Blaze is moving up to 141 pounds, where he’ll be in the lineup after finishing as the Big Ten runner-up to Ohio State’s Ben Davino last season and finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships after a semifinal loss to Davino and a third-place match loss to Virginia Tech’s Aaron Seidel.
Blaze is the No. 3-ranked wrestler at 141 pounds by InterMat, with Virginia Tech’s Bo Bassett and Lehigh’s Luke Stanich at No. 2. The Nittany Lions don’t have a ranked wrestler at 133, but the spot is expected to be filled by Japanese World Champion Masanosuke Ono, who is competing with Nate Desmond for the position. After joining the program in 2025, Ono will likely make his collegiate debut on Thursday at Rec Hall.
There may not have been much room for Davis amid that shuffle, but the reason he is no longer with the program has not been disclosed. It has, however, been confirmed to multiple outlets that he is no longer with the team.
Connor Mirasola is stepping into his twin brother Cole’s role at heavyweight
The other minor roster movement is at heavyweight, as Cole Mirasola, who went 18-8 as a redshirt freshman last season, is taking a year off for a religious mission. Henckel, who wrestled sparingly at 174, including competing with teammate Levi Haines at the Black Knight Invitational, will also be off the roster for the 2026-27 season on a religious mission.
Henckel went 9-1 in his opportunities, and the loss to Haines was his only blemish. Mitchell Mesenbrink, last year’s Hodge Trophy winner, is moving up to 174 this season, while Haines settled an eligibility dispute with the NCAA and fights to get back onto the roster.
Connor Mirasola moved up to heavyweight this offseason, including winning a U23 National Title at that weight.
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