Growing up, Craig Henning always thought he would be a basketball player. But — when he moved to a school that didn’t offer basketball in first grade — Henning decided that wrestling was better than doing nothing at all. Years later, that decision is paying dividends for head coach Barry Davis and the Wisconsin wrestling team.

Henning, who occupies the 149-pound slot on the Badger wrestling team, is currently ranked 15th in the nation with a 12-2 record. What’s even more remarkable about Henning’s success is that he is doing it as a true freshman.

“He’s a very smart wrestler,” Davis said. “He knows how to figure things out and can make changes as the match goes on.”

What makes Henning’s decision to wrestle even more intriguing is that his father was a basketball man and both Joe and his brother Craig planned on replacing their headgear with Air Jordans once they reached fifth grade, when basketball was first offered. But once wrestling started, it instantly grew on the two brothers and especially Henning’s father Walt.

“My dad was a basketball player,” Henning said. “When we were growing up, we always figured we’d be basketball players. When we first started, [Walt] didn’t know much about it. Then, when we went to our first practice and our coach at the time said, ‘Any parent who wants to come down and learn with your kid come on down,’ (he) was like, ‘What the heck?’ So he started learning the same time I did and it was nice to learn the sport together. Now I think he likes that more than basketball. Everything is wrestling. He’s a diehard.”

Much of Henning’s early success this year can be attributed to the opportunity he had to compete in college opens during his senior year of high school. The matches against college-level competition provided Henning a glimpse of what it takes to be successful at the next level.

“He knew what to expect coming in and what the intensity was,” Davis said. “I think he was 2-2 in his first college open. Right there I think he realized that, ‘Hey, I’ve got to work harder and be better prepared.’ He had 28 matches last year in the opens and that’s like a full college season. It’s almost like he had his redshirt last year.”

Henning agreed with Davis, adding that the level of competition and intensity were the biggest changes from his days at Chippewa Falls High School.

“You won’t have easy matches anymore,” Henning said. “There are no easy matches anymore. You don’t get a week off. Everyone wrestles a national place-winner or state champion.”

Henning said he was excited, more than anything, to be able to step in and contribute right away.

“Just taking a few months off without competition was pretty hard,” Henning said. “I couldn’t imagine taking off an entire year. [The redshirt] is nice because it puts me in a position where even if I don’t do so well then I still know what I need to do succeed at this level. If I do well this year, then I’m still learning and whenever I take my redshirt then I’ll know what I need to do be on top.”

Davis mentioned that Henning and Tyler Turner are perfect practice partners, as Henning is more of a defensive wrestler while Turner is more of a penetrator. The different styles have helped improve the two’s performance thus far this season. Turner currently holds an 11-2 record and is fresh off a seventh place finish at the competitive Cliff Keen Invitational in Las Vegas.

“His style is definitely more controlling,” Turner said of Henning. “He’s really good on top and bottom which has really helped him in the matches he’s wrestled. He’s more of a scrambler. That’s what he has brought into the room and it’s helped whoever he has wrestled with.”

As for the Big Ten season, Turner sees no reason why Henning shouldn’t be able to continue his success.

“Craig has really stepped it up and he’s going to step it up again once the Big Ten season starts,” Turner said. “He’s really adjusting well and it’s been a big encouragement to the team to see young wrestlers like him and Colin and Matt Maciag just step it up to the next level.”

For Henning, having his older brother Joe already wrestle at a Division I school has allowed him to enter his freshman year with insight that most freshman don’t have. He added that having someone like Turner, who already has a full season under his belt has been priceless in shortening the learning curve.

“[Joe] has given me a lot of advice — mainly academically because he had some problems his freshman year,” Henning said. “Its also really nice coming in here and having such a great partner that is right around the same weight and has already been through an entire season. [Tyler] has told me what I need to do and made sure I’m doing all the right things.”

The coaching staff has also played a major role in Henning’s growth as a wrestler.

“The coaching staff here is just awesome,” Henning said. “They all know their stuff and will wrestle with you whenever you want. Anytime you can’t find someone to wrestle with, all you have to do is call over a coach and they’ll jump in with you. All three of them are people you can talk to about everyday stuff outside wrestling and just kick back with and have a good time.”

After Henning graduated from Chippewa Falls, he held a top ranking in a number of individual polls. That success allowed Henning the luxury of choosing from a number of schools. However, Wisconsin was his only real choice.

“This school just felt like it was better,” Henning said. “I know a bunch of guys down here and the coaches are awesome. I felt like this was the best place to be at to succeed academically and athletically.”