UNIVERSITY PARK — James English has spent the better portion of the last year inside hopsital rooms, doctors’ offices and physical rehabilitation centers.

He’d have preferred to be on wrestling mats.

English, a fifth-year senior for Penn State who missed all of last season with a severe shoulder injury that worsened over the course of a rugged career, is now ready to make his return.

If called on.

English, who beat sophomore Seth Beitz 5-1 in the team’s lone 149-pound bout at wrestleoffs last week, is expected to start when the two-time defending national champions welcome Lehigh to Rec Hall next Friday if Andrew Alton cannot wrestle.

Alton is recovering from an unspecified ailment that has kept him off the mat this preseason and is considered day-to-day by the coaching staff.

“I don’t really look at it as I’m No. 2 at that spot. I think it’s anyone’s spot until we have the wrestle-off,” English said. “But no matter who’s out there this year, whether it’s me or Andrew you’re going to have to have someone with the same goal and that’s to be a national champ.”

English, a graduate of Central York High School, couldn’t pinpoint the cause of multiple shoulder injuries that required surgery late last December. He guessed one injury turned into multiple issues while he tried to tough it out and continue wrestling.

After surgery, he started physical therapy, returned to cardiovascular exercise in May before easing himself back into light wrestling practices in June. He returned to the mat for his first match in the University World Team Trials in August where he went 0-2.

“I was a little rusty then but I’m feeling a lot better now,” English said. “I wouldn’t say I ever feel 100 percent. I’m still banged up, but I don’t know any wrestlers after five years of wrestling who aren’t banged up.”

English has made a stellar comeback from a season-ending injury before. After he missed all of his freshman season with an injury coming out of Central York High School, English bounced back with a solid 2009-10 campaign. As a redshirt freshman, English compiled a 17-7 record in open tournaments and filled in admirably for a then-injured Frank Molinaro.

He made his biggest mark at the University Nationals, outscoring all comers in a loaded 70-kilogram weight class 51-14. English finished 6-0 to win the 70-kilogram championship for the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.

“He’s one of the most disciplined and hardest working kids we have in the program,” Sanderson said. “He’s right there and he’s as good as anybody. We feel very comfortable with him.”

Andrew Alton on the mend

Due to the nature of the sport, Sanderson is closely guarded when it comes to injuries to his wrestlers.

That was no different Tuesday when he would only describe Alton’s status as “day-to-day.” Alton, who is expected to return to the team’s lineup after redshirting last season following a 30-10 freshman season, was more upbeat.

“I feel great physically. If I had to go, I’d easily go,” Alton said. “I’m not hurting at all anymore, I’m just going to sit out a couple of weeks.”

The injury, which has not been confirmed by the team, could potentially postpone an Alton Family reunion, as Andrew’s twin brother Dylan returns to the lineup at 157 pounds following his third-place finish last season at NCAAs.

The two have not wrestled in the same lineup since their days at Central Mountain, as Dylan redshirted as a freshman at Penn State.

“Ending my freshman year the way I didn’t want to makes me more hungry this year,” Andrew Alton said. “And then I get to wrestle with my brother this year which I haven’t for two years and I’m just excited about the whole team and the environment this year.”

Alton will look to replace the 103 bonus points departed 149-pounder Frank Molinaro provided during a 33-win season at the weight class last season.

He’s confident he can contribute on a similar level.

“My maturity level is a lot higher than it was as a freshman,” Alton said. “Now I know I can beat these guys and maybe I had a little doubt my freshman year but now I’m 100 percent positive that I can beat anybody in college.”

McIntosh looking to improve

Morgan McIntosh came into his true freshman season last year with lofty goals for himself and healthy expectations heaped on him by others.

Wrestling over 2,500 miles from his hometown in Santa Ana, Calif. and competing at a weight class where nearly every one of his opponents was bigger, stronger and more experienced than him, McIntosh went a long way in fulfilling most of his desires.

He’ll have to wait for another shot at an individual national championship. McIntosh will join all incoming freshman in taking a redshirt season this year.

“I’m looking forward to this year, obviously it’s going to be kind of sucky to be sitting on the sidelines watching other guys wrestle,” McIntosh said. “But you just have to look at it as another year to get better, stronger and try to get a little bigger if I can, or just get stronger on the mat wrestling bigger guys.”

McIntosh, a stocky 197, will compete unattached at the same weight this season. He found early success last season going 18-10 with signature wins against Iowa and Ohio State. McIntosh sealed Penn State’s historic victory over the Hawkeyes with a sudden victory win over Grant Gambrall and beat Ohio State’s Andrew Campolattano 5-4 in a battle of former top recruits.

He went 18-10 and qualified for the NCAA tournament, but eventually the wear and tear sustained during his first collegiate season caught up with him. McIntosh suffered a late season knee injury and was quickly bounced from the national tournament. He took a full month off after the season to recuperate.

Now McIntosh will yield the 197-spot to Quentin Wright and focus on improving away from the dual meet schedule.

“I just want to get a lot of matches in, as many as I can and get stronger, get better here in the room,” McIntosh said.

Heavyweight spot still up for grabs

Jon Gingrich and Jimmy Lawson are still 1-1 in head-to-head bouts this season. They are expected to wrestle off for a third time to determine which of the two will start against Lehigh.

Currently, neither Gingrich, a sophomore from Bald Eagle Area High School, or Lawson, a recent transfer with sophomore eligibility who played defensive tackle for the Monmouth football team, has an edge, as Sanderson indicated their battle is about even.

“They’re both very strong. Different kinds of strength,” Sanderson said. “If you grab Gingrich in the room you think he’s just made of iron and you put Lawson in the weight room and that guy can move some weight around.”

Sanderson said the two might wrestle in an open tournament in the coming days or even have their third match Friday, however.