TODAY'S ACTION
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Dec. 3, 2019 --The Penn State Nittany Lions (1-1, 0-0 B1G), ranked No. 2 nationally on InterMat's Tournament Power Index, will battle two intra-state rivals this weekend. Head coach Cael Sanderson and crew visit No. 14 Lehigh (1-2) on Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. The dual with the Mountain Hawks will air on SE2/PLN live. The Lions then host Penn (0-0) on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. in Rec Hall. The battle between the Lions and Quakers will stream on BTN+.
Penn State is coming off its first loss in nearly five years, a 19-18 setback at No. 6 Arizona State on Nov. 22. Penn State split the bouts in the dual but the Sun Devils won the bonus point battle over the short-handed Lions.
The Nittany Lions feature a talented line-up with eight wrestlers ranked by InterMat. Freshman Brody Teske sports a 5-2 mark at 125. Sophomore Roman Bravo-Young is 5-0 at 133 and ranked No. 4. Junior Nick Lee is 6-0 at 141 and ranked No. 3. Jarod Verkleeren is 4-1 at 149 while Luke Gardner is 3-1. Junior Bo Pipher is 4-3 at 157 with No. 6 Brady Berge yet to wrestle this season. Senior Vincenzo Joseph sports a 2-0 mark at 165 and is ranked No. 1. Senior Mark Hall is 5-0 at 174 and ranked No. 1. Freshman Creighton Edsell is 3-2 at 184 with No. 2 Shakur Rasheed yet to wrestle this season. Senior Kyle Conel is 2-2 and ranked No. 20 at 197. Senior Anthony Cassar is 2-0 and ranked No. 1 at 285.
Lehigh enters the weekend with a 1-2 overall mark and ranked No. 14 on InterMat's TPI. The Mountain Hawks are coming off a close 19-18 third criteria loss to Pitt and an 18-14 loss to Princeton last weekend. Lehigh is led by senior Jordan Kutler, who is 7-0 and ranked No. 2 at 174. Brandon Paetzell is 4-2 and ranked No. 11 at 125, Josh Humphreys is 5-3 and ranked No. 13 at 157, Jake Jakobsen is 4-4 and ranked No. 15 at 197 and Jordan Wood is 4-2 and ranked No. 10 at 285.
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Penn will head to Rec Hall ready for its dual meet debut. The Quakers have competed in a number of tournaments thus far this season, including winning the Keystone Classic last Sunday in the Palestra. The Quakers are led by two ranked wreslters. Freshman Michael Colaiocco is ranked No. 10 at 125 while sophomore Anthony Artalona is ranked No. 10 at 157. Penn also relies on seniors Jake Lizak at 165 and Neil Antrassian at 174. Freshman Cole Urbas, a Porta Matilda native and State College High School grad, could get the nod at 197 for the Quakers.
Penn State returns to action by hosting two Big Ten duals in January. The Nittany Lions welcome the Illinois Illini to Rec Hall on Friday, Jan. 10, for a 7 p.m. dual. Penn State then hosts Northwestern on Sunday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m.
Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
#2 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (1-1, 0-0 B1G)
125 Brody Teske Fr. Duncombe, Iowa/Fort Dodge 5-2
Devin Schnupp Jr. Lititz, Pa./Warwick 1-2
133 #4 Roman Bravo-Young So. Tucson, Ariz./Sunny Side 5-0
141 #3 Nick Lee Jr. Evansville, Ind./Homeschool 6-0
149 Luke Gardner Jr. Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville 3-1
Jarod Verkleeren So. Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield 4-1
157 #6 Brady Berge So. Mantorville, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville 0-0
Bo Pipher Jr. Paonia, Colo./Paonia 4-3
165 #1 Vincenzo Joseph Sr. Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic 2-0
174 #1 Mark Hall Sr. Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley 5-0
184 #2 Shakur Rasheed Sr. Coram, N.Y./Longwood 0-0
Creighton Edsell Fr. Wyalusing, Pa./Wyalusing 3-2
197 #20 Kyle Conel Sr. Ashtabula, Ohio/Lakeside 2-2
285 #1 Anthony Cassar Sr. Rocky Hill, N.J./Montgomery 2-0
#14 LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (1-2)
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 #11 Brandon Paetzell Jr. Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg 4-2
133 Nick Farro Jr. Morristown, N.J./Delbarton School 4-3
141 Ryan Pomrinca Sr. Annandale, N.J./North Hunterdon 6-3
149 Jimmy Hoffman So. Drums, Pa./Hazleton 6-3
157 #13 Josh Humphreys So. Parkersburg, W. Va./Parkersburg South 5-3
165 Brian Meyer Fr. Phllipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg 2-7
174 #2 Jordan Kutler Sr. Sparta, N.J./Blair Academy 7-0
184 Chris Weiler Jr. Biglerville, Pa./Wyoming Seminary 6-4
197 #15 Jake Jakobsen Jr. Scotia, Pa./Stroudsburg 4-4
285 #10 Jordan Wood Jr. Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown 4-2
PENN QUAKERS (0-0)
WT NAME EL HT/HS
125 #10 Michael Colaiocco Fr. Sparta, N.J./Blair Academy
133 Carmen Ferrante So. Newton, N.J./Bergen Catholic
141 Doug Zapf So. Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West
OR A.J. Vindici Sr. Randolph, N.J./Randolph
149 Grant Aronoff So. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas
OR Lucas Revano Fr. Belmar, N.J./Camden Catholic
157 #10 Anthony Artalona So. Seffner, Fla./Tampa Prep
165 Jake Lizak Sr. Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland
174 Neil Antrassian Sr. La Salle, Mich./Monroe
184 Jesse Quatse Fr. Crabtree, Pa./Greensburg Salem
197 Cole Urbas Fr. Port Matilda, Pa./State College
285 Joey Slackman Fr. Commack, N.Y./Commack
OR Ben Goldin So. Orlando, Fla./Lake Highland Prep
Rankings listed are InterMat TPI/InterMat Individual as of 12/3
THIS WEEK
Penn State (1-1, 0-0 B1G) visits #14 Lehigh (1-2) on Friday, Dec. 6, for a 7 p.m. dual in Bethlehem, Pa. The Lions return home to host the Penn Quakers (0-0) on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 2 p.m. in Rec Hall.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions return to action in January hosting Big Ten duals against Illinois (Jan. 10, 7 p.m.) and Northwestern (Jan. 12, 2 p.m.). Both duals are in Rec Hall.
ON THE AIR
TV - Lehigh (SE2/PLN) / Penn (none)
Radio - WRSC (93.3 FM) or, occasionally, WQWK (103.7 FM)
Radio online - Free all year via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com
Live Web Video - Lehigh (PLN) / Penn (BTN+)
NOTES:
TRIO OF LIONS WIN MAT-TOWN OPEN TITLES
Seven members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team took part in the Mat-Town Open at Lock Haven University on Sunday, Dec. 1, in Lock Haven, Pa. All seven wrestled unattached and three true freshmen won individual titles at their respective weight classes. True freshman Aaron Brooks went 3-0 at 184 to win Penn State's first title of the day. Brooks had one pin along the way to the 184-pound crown. True freshman Michael Beard went 3-0 at 197 to win his title. Beard had two tech falls and a major decision. True freshman Seth Nevills went 3-0 at 285 to win the heavyweight crown. Nevills had two pins in his three victories.
RBY, JOSEPH, HALL, CASSAR PICK UP RANKED WINS & LEE GETS TF IN DUAL AT #6 ARIZONA STATE
Penn State, wrestling down two starters and giving up a forfeit victory, split bouts with Arizona State 5-5 but had its 60-dual win streak (dating back to the end of the 2014-15 season) snapped in a close 19-18 loss at #6 Arizona State on Nov. 22. Wrestling in front of an ASU record crowd of over 8,500, the Lions won five of the nine matches wrestled, all in impressive style. #3 Nick Lee rolled to an 18-3 tech fall at 141, #3 Roman Bravo-Young posted a 7-6 win over #16 Josh Kramer at 133, #1 Vincenzo Joseph notched a strong 7-4 win over #5 Josh Shields at 165, #1 Mark Hall rolled to an 11-3 major over #8 Anthony Valencia at 174 and #1 Anthony Cassar dominated #5 Tanner Hall in a 9-5 victory. But ASU had four bonus points to Penn State's three and grabbed the dual victory in Tempe.
PENN STATE CROWNS 4 CHAMPS AT BLACK KNIGHT INVITE
Penn State dominated action at the 2019 Army West Point Invite on Nov. 17 in West Point, N.Y. Fifteen Penn Staters competed at nine weights and the Nittany Lions came away with four champions with 11 total place-winners. The Nittany Lions four champions were Roman Bravo-Young at 133, Nick Lee at 141, Jarod Verkleeren at 149 and Mark Hall at 174. Luke Gardner was runner-up at 149 as well, dropping a tough bout in an all-Penn State final at that weight.
NITTANY LIONS ROLL UP 11 OF 15 PLACE WINNERS AT BLACK KNIGHT INVITE
Penn State had 15 competitors at the Army West Point Black Knight Invite on Nov. 17 and 11 of Penn State's competitors placed at the event. Roman Bravo-Young (133), Nick Lee (141), Jarod Verkleeren (149) and Mark Hall (174) all won titles while Luke Gardner (149) lost to Verkleeren in the finals for second place. Brody Teske took third at 125, Konner Kraeszig took third at 165, Brandon Meredith placed fifth at 125, Bo Pipher was fifth at 157, Creighton Edsell was fifth at 184 and Austin Hoopes was sixth at 197.
FOUR PINS, FOUR DEBUT WINS, A SHUTOUT OVER NAVY
Penn State opened up its 2019-20 season by shutting out Navy 45-0 on Nov. 10 in front of yet another sold-out Rec Hall crowd. Four Lions picked up falls in the victory and four grapplers earned victories in their Nittany Lion dual debuts. Junior Luke Gardner got a fall at 149 in his Lion dual debut, junior Nick Lee picked up a pin at 141, senior Mark Hall got a fast fall in just 0:58 at 174 over #17 Spencer Carey and Anthony Cassar picked up a pin at 285. In addition to Gardner's debut win at 149, redshirt freshman Brody Teske got a victory at 125 in his Lion debut, classmate Creighton Edsell picked up a win at 184 in his first Lion dual and graduate transfer Kyle Conel picked up the victory at 197 in his Nittany Lion dual debut.
LIONS SEND 3 TO BINGHAMTON OPEN
While the Penn State Nittany Lions were opening up their dual season in a raucous Rec Hall by shutting out Navy on Nov. 10, three true freshmen ventured to the Binghamton Open unattached. Donovon Ball and Ritchie Heywood competed at 184 while Keagan Carmenatty went at 285. Heywood picked up his first open tournament victory with a pin while Carmenatty had a fall at heavyweight as well.
JOE LEE, CARTER STAROCCI WIN TITLES AT CLARION OPEN
Eleven members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team competed both attached and unattached at the Clarion Open in the first open tournament of the new season. Three true freshmen advanced to the finals at their respective weights, with Joe Lee and Carter Starocci winning titles. Lee rolled to a 4-0 record including three majors to win the 165-pound title in his first open tournament. Fellow true freshman Starocci also went 4-0 at 174 and won his weight class with two majors as well. True freshman Michael Beard advanced to the finals 197 before losing a close decision, going 2-1 with a major to place second. Redshirt freshman Brandon Meredith had a good showing at 125. Meredith went 4-1 overall with two majors and a tech fall to place third. True freshman Terrell Barraclough also placed third in his first open tournament. Barraclough went 5-1 at 149 with two majors to take third place.
MILESTONES
A number of team and individual records and milestones are in play as of now:
* 100 career win plateau
Mark Hall -- 98 wins
Vincenzo Joseph -- 76 wins
Kyle Conel -- 80 wins (78 at KSU, 2 at PSU)
* Dual meet win % in PSU history
Mark Hall -- 8th at 97.3 (36-1)
* Falls in PSU history
Mark Hall -- 8th at 34
Shakur Rasheed -- 19th at 28
PENN STATE HOSTING 2020 OLYMPIC TRIALS IN THE BJC
Bryce Jordan Center on the campus of Penn State University in University Park, Pa. has been selected to host the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5. Penn State University is serving as the local organizing committee. The champions from the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling will become eligible to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, August 2-8. In the two-day format, Saturday, April 4 will include start of the Challenge Tournament in all 18 weight classes. Included in Saturday's action will be the Challenge Tournament finals, which will determine one athlete in each weight class who advances to the Final X Championship Series on Sunday. On Sunday, April 5, all 18 best-of-three Final X Championship Series will be held, which determines the U.S. Olympic Team Trials champions in each weight class. This series will feature the top seed and the Challenge Tournament champion, as determined by the 2020 Olympic Games Team Selection Procedures. In addition, the completion of the consolation rounds of the Challenge Tournament will be held on Sunday.
