Weaver

It’s been a week of ups and downs for Altoona’s star wrestler Braiden Weaver this week.

The downs came when he was involved in vehicle accidents on back-to-back days — neither of which were his fault. On Tuesday, another driver ran a red light and hit Weaver’s Hummer, causing his vehicle to spin around. The next day, a driver ran a stop sign and hit the truck he was driving.

He’s okay, but they were his first two accidents since he started driving.

“It’s pretty crazy,” Weaver said, “but everyone is okay. I’m out of vehicles. My mom has to run me to school.”

The ups were Division I schools suddenly showing interest in him after he decommitted from the University at Buffalo, which he verbally committed to before the start of his junior season.

On Thursday, he signed a letter of intent to wrestle for NCAA powerhouse Penn State, becoming, according to Braiden and his dad, Erik, the first Altoona wrestler to sign with the Nittany Lions.

His flip to Penn State came on the heels of Weaver placing seventh at the prestigious Defense Soap Super 32 wrestling tournament in October at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex in Greensboro, N.C. He’s the first Altoona wrestler to place in the tournament.

“Penn State showed some interest after I placed seventh at the Super 32,” Weaver said. “I’ve wanted to wrestle at Penn State since I was 5 years old. I took a visit and I fell in love with it. I decided there was no other place I’d rather be than at Penn State.”

He chose Penn State over Maryland and West Virginia. There were other programs interested in him.

It’s a pretty long leap from Buffalo to Penn State, which has won 12 national team titles in the last 13 NCAA Championships.

“I’m not worried about it at all,” Braiden said. “I’m very thankful for the University of Buffalo believing in me. They have a truly good program, but I think my calling was something a little bit different. I think Penn State was made for me. I always knew I was good enough to go there, and here I am now.”

“I am one very proud dad,” Erik Weaver said. “I am extremely happy for Braiden to achieve his dream of becoming a D1 collegiate wrestler. To wrestle at one of the best wrestling programs in the country is an honor, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for him.”

Penn State assistant coach Cody Sanderson recruited Weaver after the Super 32.

“He liked how scrappy I was and how not many guys are like that anymore,” Weaver said. “He said I’d be a great fit for Penn State and how they love recruiting local people. Hopefully they’ll bring in more Altoona guys into Penn State.

“I’m honored and blessed to do something like that. It really shows how far I’ve come and how much the hard work is paying off.”

Weaver, who expects to wrestle at 133 or 139 at Penn State, has high expectations for his college career.

“I’m going there to win national titles for Penn State,” he said, “and hopefully keep on that (team) national title for Penn State.”

He’ll, of course, be wrestling for coach and four-time undefeated NCAA champion Cael Sanderson. Sanderson’s Penn State teams have won 10 Big Ten regular season titles and nine Big Ten Championships. He’s coached 40 national champions.

“I like how he doesn’t like losing,” Weaver said. “It’s something that I don’t like to do either. I’m a really sore loser when I lose. So, I think that’s something we have in common. I also like what he stands for. If it’s not right for Penn State he doesn’t do it. He really takes care of his team. That’s all I can ask for in a coach in helping me get to the next level.”

Ranked No. 1 by PA Power Wrestling for much of the second half of his junior season, Weaver went 42-7 with 15 pins and 10 technical falls en route to winning his third District 6 title and second regional title at 121 pounds.

Weaver reached the semifinals of the PIAA Class 3A Championships, but he suffered a 4-1 loss to Cedar Cliff’s Kavin Muyleart. He bounced back to win two consolation bouts to finish third.

Weaver, a three-time Mirror first team all-star who is 115-20 in his high school career, placed fifth at the PIAA Championships as a freshman. Weaver shared the Mirror’s Wrestler of the Year award with Luke Sipes as a freshman. Sipes is now a freshman at North Carolina.

Weaver is looking to capture Altoona’s first state title since Steve Maurey won gold in 1974.

“I think it’s super possible,” Weaver said. “I’m not going in there to place. I’m going in there to win it. I believe I’m the best in the country right now no matter what the rankings say.”

Tonight Weaver will be watching Penn State wrestle Oklahoma at the Bryce Jordan Center in the Nittany Lions’ season opener.

“I’m super excited,” he said. “I can’t wait for the season to start. All the stress is gone since I signed. Everything is working in my favor in regard to wrestling, not my life with the crashes.”