THIS WEEK'S ACTION:
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State (8-0, 5-0 B1G) visits Iowa (10-1, 5-1 B1G) on Friday, Feb. 9, for its final road dual of the season. The Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes tangle at 9 p.m. Eastern (8 p.m. local) in a B1G Network national telecast. Three days later, Penn State welcomes Rutgers (10-4, 3-3 B1G) to the Bryce Jordan Center on Monday, Feb. 12. The 2024 BJC Dual begins at 7 p.m. and is also a B1G Network national telecast.
Penn State, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, is coming off a 28-9 win over Ohio State on Friday, Feb. 2. The Nittany Lions won eight of ten bouts in the dual meet victory and gave up only three takedowns. Penn State improved to 8-0 overall, 5-0 in the Big Ten, with the home win.
The Nittany Lions line-up features five grad/seniors and five underclassmen. Senior Beau Bartlett is 14-0 at 141, senior Carter Starocci is 9-0 at 174, graduate Bernie Truax is 8-2 at 184, senior+ Aaron Brooks is 10- at 197 and senior Greg Kerkvliet is 9-0 at 285. Sophomore Aaron Nagao is 8-3 at 133, sophomore Levi Haines is 11-0 at 157, redshirt freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink is 15-0 at 165, true freshman Braeden Davis is 14-0 at 125 and true freshman Tyler Kasak is 11-1 at 149.
Iowa enters Friday's dual 10-1 overall, 5-1 in Big Ten action, after a tough road loss at Michigan on Feb. 2. The Hawkeyes have been led by senior Real Woods, who is 12-1 at 141; graduate Jared Franek, who is 18-2 at 157; sophomore Michael Caliendo, who is 19-1 at 165; sophomore Drake Ayala, who is 17-3 at 125; senior Zach Glazier, who is 19-0 at 197; and a host of veteran wrestlers as well. Iowa leads the all-time series 28-12-2 but Penn State has won the last two meetings and four of the last five. The Nittany Lions won the last meeting, 23-14 on Jan. 27, 2023, in the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State won the last meeting in Carver Hawkeye Arena 19-13 on Jan. 28, 2022.
Rutgers will enter Monday's dual meet 10-4 overall, 3-3 in conference action. The Knights dropped a home dual to Ohio State on Feb. 4 in their last outing. Rutgers has been led by graduate Yara Slavikouski, who is 14-2 at 285; junior Dylan Shawver, who is 18-5 at 133; and senior Jackson Turley, who is 9-3 at 174.. Penn State leads the all-time series with RU 23-0, including a 33-8 win at Rutgers last year on Feb. 10, 2023.
The Nittany Lions will host Nebraska in its next outing. Penn State welcomes Nebraska to Rec Hall on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m. in another B1G Network telecast.
All rankings listed are InterMat individual/InterMat TPI. The 2023-24 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via X 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.
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (8-0, 5-0 B1G)
125 #2 Braeden Davis Fr. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 14-0
133 #6 Aaron Nagao So. La Habra, Calif./Esperanza 8-3
141 #1 Beau Bartlett Sr. Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) 14-0
149 #10 Tyler Kasak Fr. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 11-1
157 #1 Levi Haines So. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 11-0
165 #7 Mitchell Mesenbrink Fr. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 15-0
174 #1 Carter Starocci Sr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 9-0
184 #6 Bernie Truax Gr. Oceanside, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista 8-2
197 #1 Aaron Brooks Sr.+ Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown 10-0
285 #1 Greg Kerkvliet Sr. Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley 9-0
IOWA HAWKEYES (10-1, 5-1 B1G)
125 #7 Drake Ayala So. Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge 17-3
133 #20 Cullan Schriever Jr. Mason City, Iowa/Mason City 8-2
141 #2 Real Woods Sr. Albuquerque, N.M./Montini Catholic 12-1
149 #12 Caleb Rathjen So. Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny 12-3
157 #5 Jared Franek Gr. Harwood, N.D./West Fargo 18-2
165 #6 Michael Caliendo So. Geneva, Ill./Batavia 19-1
174 #7 Patrick Kennedy Jr. Kasson-Mantorville, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville 10-3
184 Aidan Riggins Fr. Janesville, Iowa/Waverly-Shell 11-10
197 #11 Zach Glazier Sr. Albert Lea, Minn./Albert Lea 19-0
285 Ben Kueter Fr. Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City 2-0
#29 Bradley Hill Fr. Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf 15-5
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (10-4, 3-3 B1G)
125 #19 Dean Peterson Jr. Barnegat, N.J./Saint John Vianney 9-4
133 #10 Dylan Shawver Jr. Lorain, Ohio/Elyria 18-5
141 #19 Mitch Moore Gr. St. Paris, Ohio/Graham 11-3
149 #26 Michael Cetta Jr. Wyckoff, N.J./St. Joseph (Montvale) 12-5
157 Andrew Clark Jr. Collingswood, N.J./Collingswood 6-4
AJ DeSantis Jr. Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional 5-10
165 Anthony White Jr. South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield 9-10
Luke Gayer So. Anaheim, Calif./Calvary Baptist 9-9
174 #13 Jackson Turley Sr. Chester, Va./St. Christopher's 9-3
184 #19 Brian Soldano So. Wantage, N.J./High Point 11-7
197 #22 John Poznanski Jr. Colonia, N.J./Colonia 12-2
285 #8 Yara Slavikouski Gr. Rechitsa, Belarus/Northfield Mount Hermon 14-2
Individual Rankings listed are InterMat and Team Rankings are
Intermat Tournament Power Index (as of 2/6/24)
THIS WEEK
Penn State (8-0, 5-0 B1G) visits Iowa (10-1, 5-1 B1G) on Friday, Feb. 9. The Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes meet at 9 p.m. Eastern (8 p.m. local) in a B1G Network national telecast. Three days later, Penn State welcomes Rutgers (10-4, 3-3 B1G) to the Bryce Jordan Center on Monday, Feb. 12. The 2024 BJC Dual will begin at 7 p.m. and is also a B1G Network national telecast.
UP NEXT
Penn State hosts Nebraska on Sunday, Feb. 18. The dual is set for 4 p.m. in Rec Hall and is a B1G Network national telecast.
ON THE AIR
TV - B1G Network
Radio online - Free all year via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com
Live Web Video - none
BARTLETT DOWNS #3 MENDEZ TO LEAD PENN STATE TO 28-9 WIN OVER OHIO STATE
Beau Bartlett scored early in sudden victory to post a 4-1 (sv) win over #3 Jesse Mendez to spark Penn State to a 28-9 win over visiting Ohio State on Feb. 2. Bartlett's win was one of eight for Penn State in front of another sold out Rec Hall crowd. True freshman Tyler Kasak beat #9 Dylan D'Emilio 7-2 at 149 and Greg Kerkvliet majored #12 Nick Feldman 12-0 at 285 as well.
BARRACLOUGH, BARR, COCHRAN WIN 'BORO TITLES
Three Nittany Lions won individual titles at the Edinboro Open on Feb. 3. Terrell Barraclough went 4-0 with two pins, a tech and a major to win at 165; Josh Barr went 4-0 with a pin, two techs and a major to win at 184; and Lucas Cochran went 4-0 with two pins and a tech to win at 197. Connor Pierce went 4-1 for second at 149, Kyison Garcia was 3-2 for sixth at 133 and Brian Borden was 3-2 for sixth at 174.
BROOKS MAJORS #5 JAXON SMITH TO LEAD PENN STATE TO 42-6 VICTORY AT MARYLAND
Senior+ Aaron Brooks dominated #5 Jaxon Smith of Maryland, rolling to a 13-4 major at 197 pounds, to lead Penn State to a 42-6 road win on Jan. 28. Brooks' win highlighted a lopsided victory for the Nittany Lions. Penn State had four pins in the dual victory (Mitchell Mesenbrink at 165, Carter Starocci at 174, Bernie Truax at 184, Greg Kerkvliet at 285); two technical falls (Braeden Davis at 125, Levi Haines at 157) and two majors (Beau Bartlett at 141 and Brooks) to grab the B1G road win.
KASAK, BARR, COCHRAN WIN MAT-TOWN 2 TITLES
True freshman Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 12 at 149, went 4-0 with a pin and a major to win the 149-pound title at Mat-Town 2 in Lock Haven on Jan. 28. Kasak downed teammate David Evans, 4-2, in the title bout. True freshman Josh Barr went 3-0 at 184 with two tech falls to win his weight class and sophomore Lucas Cochran went 3-0 with two pins to win the 197-pound crown. Evans went 3-1 overall with a tech and a major to take second at 149.
PENN STATE SHUTS OUT MICHIGAN STATE IN EAST LANSING
The Penn State Nittany Lions won all ten bouts in a 35-0 shutout victory over Michigan State in East Lansing on Sunday, Jan. 21. The Nittany Lions picked up impressive wins from Levi Haines (9-6 tb2 over #21 Chase Saldate at 157) and Mitchell Mesenbrink (an 18-9 major over #10 Caleb Fish at 165) in the dual. Aaron Nagao (133) and Aaron Brooks (197) added tech falls and two wrestlers moved up a weight and picked up wins. Terrell Barraclough moved up to 174 and downed DJ Shannon 8-1 and Lucas Cochran moved up to heavyweight from 197 to beat Josh Terrill 5-0, securing Penn State's second shutout of the year.
FRESHMEN DAVIS AND MESENBRINK POST B1G WINS IN MICHIGAN
True freshman Braeden Davis and redshirt freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink each notched impressive wins in Penn State's 27-9 dual meet victory at Michigan on Jan. 19. Davis scored five unanswered points in the third period to beat #5 Michael DeAugustino at 125. He scored an escape and then took the Wolverine down, riding him out to add a riding time point in the 5-1 win. Mesenbrink was dominant in a 12-1 major over #7 Cameron Amine at 165. He forced the Wolverine into four stall warnings, nearly DQ'ing him, and added an escape, two takedowns and riding time in the 12-1 major decision.
PENN STATE ROLLS OVER #5 MICHIGAN IN ANN ARBOR
Penn State dominated #5 Michigan 27-9 in Ann Arbor on Jan. 19, winning eight of ten matches and forcing the Wolverines into 11 stall warnings. Penn State picked up ranked wins from Braeden Davis (125), Beau Bartlett (141), Levi Haines (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Bernie Truax (184), Aaron Brooks (197) and Greg Kerkvliet (285) in the win. The Nittany Lions owned a 15-2 takedown edge in the dual and their only losses came in sudden victory and/or by a point.
NITTANY LIONS USE 5 TECH FALLS TO SHUT OUT INDIANA; FOUR NITTANY LION FRESHMEN GRAB WINS
The Penn State Nittany Lions shut out visiting Indiana 46-0 on Sunday, Jan. 14, to open up Big Ten dual action. Penn State rode a wave of five technical falls and picked up a total of four wins from freshmen in the victory. Aaron Nagao (133), Tyler Kasak (149), Levi Haines (157), Carter Starocci (174) and Aaron Brooks (197) notched the techs. True freshmen Braeden Davis (125), Kasak (149) and Josh Barr (184) as well as redshirt freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink (165) logged the freshmen wins. The shutout was the first for Penn State since a 46-0 win over Rider on Feb. 20, 2022; and the first Big Ten shutout since a 46-0 win at Maryland on Jan. 7, 2022. Penn State also did not give up a takedown in the victory over the Hoosiers, owning a 35-0 takedown margin.
PENN STATE DOWNS #18 OREGON STATE IN FRONT OF RECORD CROWD IN CORVALLIS
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team took down #18 Oregon State in front of a record crowd in Corvallis on Jan. 1, 2004. The Nittany Lions won nine of ten bouts in the rousing win, with 8,540 fans packing OSU's Gill Coliseum. Three Penn State freshmen got ranked wins. Braeden Davis downed #15 Brandon Kaylor 11-6 at 125, Tyler Kasak took down #12 Nash Singleton 4-1 at 149 and Mitchell Mesenbrink rolled to a 17-2 tech fall (3:44) over #10 Matthew Olguin at 165. The Nittany Lions tallied four total tech falls in the win.
NITTANY LIONS TALLY 4 FALLS IN 43-10 WIN OVER HOFSTRA
Penn State tallied four falls, three tech falls and a major in a lopsided 43-10 win over visiting Hofstra on Dec. 10, 2023, in sold out Rec Hall. With four freshmen starting as well, Nittany Lions Levi Haines, Mitchell Mesenbrink, Bernie Truax and Aaron Brooks got pins. Aaron Nagao, David Evans and Carter Starocci notched tech falls and Braeden Davis picked up a major at 125 in his Lion dual debut.
BARTLETT AND FACUNDO QUALIFY FOR APRIL'S OLYMPIC TRIALS
Nittany Lions Beau Bartlett and Alex Facundo each finished in the top five of their weight classes at the 2023 Senior Nationals/U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier in Ft. Worth, Texas, on Dec. 15-17. Bartlett won three straight to advance to the finals at 65 kg. He finished as runner-up with a 3-1 record. Facundo went 5-1 with a pin and a tech to take third place at 74 kg. Terrell Barraclough also competed, going 4-3 for sixth at 74 kg.. Gary Steen went 3-2 and took seventh at 57 kg. Timothy Levine (2-2 at 65), Donovon Ball (1-1 at 86) and Josh Barr (3-2 at 86) also competed.
FIVE NITTANY LIONS MAKE REC HALL DUAL DEBUTS IN 30-10 WIN OVER #20 LEHIGH TO OPEN DUAL SEASON
Penn State won seven of ten bouts in the dual meet opener for the Nittany Lions and downed #20 Lehigh 30-10 in Rec Hall on Dec. 3. Five Nittany Lions made their Penn State dual meet debuts in the match (Aaron Nagao, Tyler Kasak, Mitchell Mesenbrink, Bernie Truax, Lucas Cochran). Carter Starocci picked up a pin at 174 to lead Penn State, Greg Kerkvliet majored #12 Nathan Taylor at 285, Levi Haines downed #24 Max Brignola at 157, Mitchell Mesenbrink notched a tech fall over #32 Jake Logan at 165, Bernie Truax picked up a tech fall at 184, Beau Bartlett notched a major at 141 and Tyler Kasak moved up to 149 and downed Drew Munch 7-5 at 149.
LUCAS COCHRAN TAKES THIRD AT MAT TOWN OPEN
Sophomore Lucas Cochran posted a 2-1 record, plus a win over a non-collegiate wrestler, to take third place at the Mat Town Open at Lock Haven on Nov. 26. Cochran majored Virginia's Krystian Kinsey and then dropped a tough 13-6 decision to #6 Jacob Cardenas of Cornell. He pinned Cayden Bevis of Binghamton (2:57) and beat a non-collegiate wrestler in the third place bout. Kurt McHenry went 1-2 at 125 and both Sean Wang (133) and Timothy Levine (149) competed as well.
FIVE NITTANY LIONS WIN TITLES AT BLACK KNIGHT INVITE; BARTLETT'S THREE PINS EARN HIM B1G W.o.W.
Five Nittany Lion wrestlers won titles at the Black Knight Invite at West Point on Nov. 19. True freshman Braeden Davis went 4-0 at 125 to win the title, including victories over No. 31 Tristan Lujan of Michigan State and No. 30 Ethan Berginc of Army West Point. Aaron Nagao went 4-0 in his Penn State debut at 133, including a pin over No. 33 Braden Basile of Army West Point in the title bout. Beau Bartlett went 4-0 with three pins to reign supreme at 141. Mitchell Mesenbrink went 4-0 at 165, including a 25-6 tech over No. 21 Brevin Cassella of Binghamton and a pin of No. 22 Anthony White of Rutgers, to win his title. True freshman Josh Barr went 4-0 at 184, including a win over No. 13 Jacob Nolan, to win the crown as well. Bartlett's three pins earned the Lion senior a share of the Nov. 21 Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honor.
12 OF PENN STATE'S 17 ENTRIES PLACE AT BLACK KNIGHT
Including the five champions listed above (Davis, Nagao, Bartlett, Mesenbrink, Barr), 12 of Penn State's 17 competitors placed at the Black Knight Invite on Nov. 19. Robert Howard went 2-2 for 4th at 125; Gary Steen went 4-1 for 5th at 125; Tyler Kasak went 3-1, losing to Bartlett in the finals, for 2nd at 141; David Evans went 4-1 for 5th at 141; Terrell Barraclough went 3-1, including a pin of No. 9 Caleb Fish of Michigan State, for 2nd at 165 (losing to Mesenbrink in the finals); Matt Lee went 3-2 for 6th at 165; and Brian Borden went 3-2 for 6th at 174.
FIVE NITTANY LIONS COMPETE AT NWCA ALL-STAR EXHIBITION, HOSTED IN REC HALL ON NOV. 21
Five Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers competed in the 2023 National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Exhibition. The event took place on Tuesday, Nov. 21, in Penn State's very own Rec Hall. The exhibition was not an official NCAA event and does not count towards any competitor's win/loss record or RPI. Shayne Van Ness rolled to a 5-1 win over Arizona State's Kyle Parco at 149, Carter Starocci majored Mekhi Lewis 11-0 at 174, Aaron Brooks majored Tanner Sloan 11-2 at 197 and Greg Kerkvliet notched an 18-2 tech fall over Wyatt Hendrickson at 285.
SHAYNE VAN NESS RULES THE JOURNEYMEN; 3 WINS, 3 PINS, ALL IN THE FIRST PERIOD, EARNS B1G W.O.W.
Sophomore Shayne Van Ness rolled to a 3-0 record at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic on Nov. 12 in Bethlehem, Pa. All three of his wins were by fall and all three came in the first period. He pinned Army West Point's Eddie Hummel at 2:06, Bloomsburg's Cade Balestrini at 2:58 and Lehigh's Kelvin Griffin at 1:30. In all, Van Ness wrestled 6:34 minutes of a possible 21:00. He was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (11/14) for his efforts, sharing the honor with Wisconsin's Dean Hamiti.
NITTANY LIONS ROLL AT JOURNEYMEN COLLEGIATE
Penn State rolled to a 45-15 overall record at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic on Nov. 12 in Bethlehem, Pa. Eleven of Penn State's 20 wrestlers went unbeaten at the event (3-0). The Nittany Lions rolled up 10 pins, 11 tech falls and nine majors as well.
DAVID EVANS DOWNS #6 CJ COMPOSTO OF PEN TO TOP LIST OF NITTANY LION RANKED WINS AT JOURNEYMEN
Junior David Evans took down #6 CJ Composto of Penn in sudden victory to a 4-1 (sv) win at 141 to top the list of Penn State ranked wins at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic on Nov. 12 in Bethlehem, Pa. Evans lost a close 6-4 match to #12 Malyke Hines of Lehigh and got a medical forfeit win over #13 Vince Cornella of Cornell to go 2-1. Beau Bartlett rolled to a 15-3 major over #12 Hines as well, Carter Starocci teched #14 Nick Incontrera of Penn at 174, 21-5 (6:52), and Greg Kerkvliet rolled to a 7-2 win over #8 Owen Trephan of North Carolina State in Penn State's other top ranked wins.
