news : DAVIS RETURNS TO CELEBRITY STATUS AT WRESTLE-OFFS

Daily Collegian Article

Stephen Hennessey, Writer

Phil Davis insists he is only well-known inside Rec Hall. Outside the home of Penn State wrestling, however, he said nobody considers him a celebrity.

Don't tell this to the 50-plus fans that mobbed Davis.

Sitting in the bleachers at Sunday's Wrestle-offs, the four-time All-American was constantly surrounded by a crowd of little boys and girls, shoving pens and posters in Davis' face for him to autograph. Davis signed his name with black pen on the back of a young girl's shirt, who stared at him with a smile from ear-to-ear on her face.

"It's important because Phil Davis was a real good wrestler," Cameron Coppolo, 9, of Bellefonte said, clutching a signed Penn State wrestling poster. "I'm lucky."

Davis and junior captain Bubba Jenkins sat next to each other on the bleachers while Jenkins wasn't wrestling, simultaneously signing autographs for their fans. Jenkins, ranked No. 2 in the nation at the 149-pound weight class, handed out Halloween candy to spectators in a pumpkin-shaped pail.

When he wasn't crowded by adoring fans, Davis watched the No. 7 Penn State wrestling team compete in its Wrestle-offs, an event the former 197-pounder says was always an awkward situation for wrestlers.

"You win, but you can't celebrate, not even an outward celebration. You can't even celebrate too much anyway," he said. "You have to win with pride when you're wrestling at a school like Penn State."

Davis said Wrestle-offs are a necessary thing, however, because each wrestler improves from battling each other.

Junior Brad Pataky said it is inspirational to have Davis still around the program.

"He's been with the program the last five years through the thick and thin," coach Troy Sunderland said. "He scored us a lot of team points and a lot of dual meets wins, and his national wins. He's been a great representative of the program and continues to be."

The former national champion now competes in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), training in State College at LionHeart Fitness. Davis doesn't have a set date for his next bout, but will continue training until a match is set up.

While he's training, Davis said he will attend every Nittany Lion home match this year.

"I don't know how I'm going to feel about watching the team and not being able to contribute more than screaming, but it's going to be fun," Davis said.