TODAY'S ACTION
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lions (4-0, 4-0 B1G), ranked No. 3 in the latest InterMat Tournament Power Index (TPI), have two dual meets scheduled for the coming six days. The Lions visit No. 11 Ohio State (5-3) on Friday, Feb. 19, for a B1G Network national telecast at 7 p.m. and then host Maryland (0-7*) on Monday, Feb. 22. at 6 p.m. in Rec Hall in another B1G Network event. Maryland is at Rutgers on Feb. 19 as well. All rankings listed are InterMat individual.
Penn State enters the dual with a 4-0 mark after winning another Big Ten road contest in Ann Arbor last Sunday. The Nittany Lions won six of ten bouts and got two key wins from freshmen in the 18-13 win over No.2 Michigan. True freshman Robert Howard made his collegiate debut at 125 and posted a 6-5 win over Jack Medley and redshirt freshman Carter Starocci downed No.2 Logan Massa 7-1 (tb), using a four-point tilt in a tie-breaker period to secure the victory.
The Nittany Lions have nine ranked wrestlers via InterMat heading into the week, ten overall. Roman Bravo-Young is No. 3 at 133 on InterMat; Nick Lee is ranked No. 2 at 141; Terrell Barraclough debuted in the 149 rankings at No. 20; Brady Berge moved up to No. 8 at 157; Joe Lee is now No. 14 at 165; Carter Starocci moved up to No. 5 at 174; Aaron Brooks is now No. 2 at 184; Michael Beard is No. 16 at 197; and Seth Nevills is No. 8 at 285. True freshman Robert Howard, while not ranked on InterMat, debuted at No. 18 on TrackWrestling.
Ohio State enters the week with a 5-3 overall record and is ranked No. 11 on InterMat's TPI. The Buckeyes have wins over Wisconsin, Rutgers, Michigan State, Maryland and Purdue. They have lost to Illinois, Iowa and Michigan (an 18-16 setback last Friday).
The Buckeyes are being led by six ranked grapplers. Malik Heinselman is ranked No. 10 at 125; Sammy Sasso is No. 2 at 149; Ethan Smith is No. 10 at 165; Kaleb Romero is No. 3 at 174; Rocky Jordan is No. 20 at 184; and Tate Orndorff is No. 16 at 285.
Penn State leads the all-time series with Ohio State 22-12, including the last five in a row. The Lions won 20-16 last season in the BJC on Feb. 15, 2020. The Nittany Lions downed the Buckeyes 28-9 on Feb. 9, 2019, in their last trip to Columbus.
Maryland enters the week with an 0-7 mark and is at Rutgers on Friday, Feb. 19, the same night that Penn State visits Ohio State. The Terrapins wrestled tough against Indiana and Northwestern in their two best outings.
Maryland is being led by Kyle Cochran, who is 3-4 at 18, and Kevin Makosy, who is 2-4 at 197.
Penn State has a 42-2-2 lead in the all-time series between the two long-time East Coast rivals and has won 27 straight. The Lions won 40-3 last year in Rec Hall on Feb. 2, 2020. The Nittany Lions won 47-3 on Jan. 21, 2018, in their last trip to Maryland.
Unless a previously postponed dual is rescheduled, Penn State will return to action when it hosts the 2021 Big Ten Championships on Saturday and Sunday, March 6-7, in the Bryce Jordan Center. While no public tickets will be available due to virus mitigation guidelines, the Big Ten Network will carry Saturday night's semifinals and the championship finals live nationally and stream the remaining action on B1G Net+. The 2021 NCAA Championships will take place on March 18-20 in the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo.
All dates, including the post-season, are subject to change. Start times and television broadcast designations for wrestling events will be released at a later date. Under current Big Ten guidance, public tickets will not be sold for 2020-21 Penn State wrestling home matches.
All rankings listed are InterMat/InterMat TPI as of Jan. 12, 2021. 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.
MATCH NOTES, FEBRUARY 16, 2021 EDITION
#3 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (4-0, 4-0 B1G)
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 Robert Howard Fr. Cranford, N.J./Bergen Catholic 1-0
Baylor Shunk R-Fr. Centre Hall, Pa./Penns Valley 0-0
133 #3 Roman Bravo-Young Jr. Tucson, Ariz./Sunnyside 4-0
141 #2 Nick Lee Sr. Evansville, Ind./Home schooled 4-0
141/149 Beau Bartlett Fr. Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) 5-0
149 #20 Terrell Barraclough R-Fr. Kaysville, Utah/Layton 2-2
149 Jarod Verkleeren Jr. Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield 0-2
149 Luke Gardner Sr. Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville 3-1
149/157 Bo Pipher Sr. Paonia, Colo./Paonia 1-1
157 #8 Brady Berge Jr. Mantorville, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville 4-0
165 #14 Joe Lee R-Fr. Evansville, Ind./Mater Dei 3-1
174 #5 Carter Starocci Fr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 4-1
174 Creighton Edsell So. Wyalusing, Pa./Wyalusing 5-0
184 #2 Aaron Brooks So. Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown 4-0
197 #16 Michael Beard R-Fr. Pottstown, Pa./Malvern Prep 1-1
285 #8 Seth Nevills So. Clovis, Calif./Clovis 3-1
Rankings listed are InterMat Indiv./Team Ranking InterMat TPI (2/16/21)
THIS WEEK
#3 Penn State (4-0, 4-0 B1G) has two dual meets scheduled for the coming six days. The Lions visit #11 Ohio State (5-3) on Friday, Feb. 19, for a B1G Network national telecast at 7 p.m. and then host Maryland (0-7*) on Monday, Feb. 22. at 6 p.m. in Rec Hall in another B1G Network event. Maryland is at Rutgers on Feb. 19 as well.
UP NEXT
Unless a previously postponed dual is rescheduled, Penn State will host the 2021 big Ten Championships on Saturday and Sunday, March 6-7, at the Bryce Jordan Center. No public tickets will be available due to virus mitigation guidelines.
ON THE AIR
TV - B1G Network for both
Radio - WRSC (93.3 FM) or, occasionally, WQWK (103.7 FM)
Radio online - Free all year via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com
Live Web Video - none for both
SANDERSON GETS 200TH CAREER COACHING WIN
as penn state downs #2 michigan on the road
Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson earned his 200th career collegiate coaching victory on Feb. 14, 2021, when the Nittany Lions notched an 18-13 victory at #2 Michigan. Sanderson's victory total includes three seasons at Iowa State. His full and up-to-date coaching record can be found on page three off these notes.
STAROCCI TAKES DOWN #2 MASSA IN PENN STATE'S WIN
AT MICHIGAN; NAMED B1G WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
Freshman Carter Starocci used a four-point turn in the tie-breaker period to take down sixth-year senior Logan Massa of Michigan in Penn State's dual victory over the Wolverines. Starocci and No. 2 Massa ended regulation and sudden victory tied 1-1 before the Lion freshman used the back points to break away for a 7-1 (tb) win at 174. Starocci earned Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (2/16) honors for his efforts.
FRESHMAN ROBERT HOWARD WINS COLLEGIATE DEBUT
Nittany Lion freshman Robert Howard made his Penn State and collegiate debut in Penn State's dual meet at Michigan on Feb. 14 and came away victorious. Howard picked up takedowns in the first and second period to down UM's Jack Medley 6-5 at 125. His win helped spark Penn State to an 18-13 victory in Ann Arbor.
PENN STATE'S HOME DUAL VS. IOWA POSTPONED
DUE TO COVID ISSUES WITHIN IOWA'S PROGRAM
Penn State's home dual meet with Iowa scheduled for Feb. 12 has been postponed due to Covid issues within the Iowa program.
PENN STATE'S HOME DUAL WITH MARYLAND
OFFICIALLY MOVED TO MONDAY, FEB. 22, FOR B1G Net!
Penn State's home dual with Maryland has officially been moved to Monday, Feb. 22, in order to air live on the Big Ten Network. The dual meet with the Terrapins is set for 6 p.m. and airs nationally on the B1G Network.
BROOKS MAJORS #10 WEILER AND BEARD SHINES IN DEBUT
AS PENN STATE WINS AT WISCONSIN
Sophomore Aaron Brooks took care of #10 Chris Weiler of Wisconsin in a marquee match-up at 184 to lead Penn State to a 34-6 win in Madison on Feb. 2. The Lions won all nine contested bouts and went 4-0 in extra matches to go 13-0 in live action and 13-1 overall (giving up a forfeit at 125). True freshman Michael Beard made his collegiate debut in fine fashion as well, posting an 18-2 technical fall over Andrew Salemme at the 4:43 mark. Beard tallied four takedowns, three two-point turns and a four-point tilt to grab the win.
NITTANY LIONS ROUT #16 NORTHWESTERN TO
CLOSE OUT TRI-DUAL IN EVANSTON
Penn State won seven of ten bouts to roll through No. 16 Northwestern in the final dual at a tri-meet in Evanston on Jan. 30, grabbing a 29-13 victory. Carter Starocci picked up his first dual win as a Nittany Lion at 174 and classmate Joe Lee capped off a 2-0 debut day with another win at 165. Roman Bravo-Young notched a pin at 133 and Nick Lee grabbed a major at 141. Brady Berge notched a decision at 157. Aaron Brooks (184) and Seth Nevills (285) both picked up tech falls to close out the action.
LIONS TAKE DOWN INDIANA 24-15 IN SEASON OPENER
The Penn State Nittany Lions won six of ten bouts in the season opener against Indiana, posting a 24-15 victory in the first dual at a tri-meet hosted by Northwestern on Jan. 30. Freshman Joe Lee picked up a win at 165 in his Lion dual debut. Roman Bravo-Young notched a win at 133, Nick Lee got a tech fall at 141, Brady Berge posted a decision at 157, Aaron Brooks opened his season with a major at 184 and Seth Nevills capped off the dual with a pin at 285.
PENN STATE PICKS UP 13 WINS IN TRI-MEET EXTRA BOUTS
Head coach Cael Sanderson's squad took advantage of a day of wrestling in Evanston, Ill., as the squad totalled 13 wins in extra bouts wrestled during the Penn State/Indiana/Northwestern tri-meet on Jan. 30. Penn State went 13-3 overall during extra action, going 7-0 against Indiana and 6-3 vs. Northwestern. True freshman Beau Bartlett went 3-0 at 141 in the first action of his collegiate career. Sophomore Konner Kraeszig went 3-0 at 165 and sophomore Creighton Edsell went 3-0 at 174. Luke Gardner went 2-0 at 149 and Terrell Barraclough picked up a win at 149 as well.
PENN STATE'S FIRST TWO DUALS POSTPONED
On Wednesday, Jan. 13, Penn State wrestling paused all team-related activities due to positive COVID-19 results among Tier 1 personnel. Due to the pause, the Nittany Lions' match at Rutgers scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 16, was postponed. The next weekend, the home opener against Michigan State was postponed. The Big Ten conference will work to reschedule both dual meets.
NITTANY LIONS RANKED #3 ON INTERMAT'S TPI;
NINE INDIVIDUALS RANKED AS WELL
The Penn State Nittany Lions are ranked No. 3 on InterMat's Tournament Power Index (TPI) and have nine wrestlers ranked by InterMat, all in the top 13. Sophomore Roman Bravo-Young heads into the opener ranked No. 3 at 133 and senior Nick Lee is ranked No. 2 at 141. Freshman Terrell Barraclough is No. 20 at 149 and sophomore Brady Berge is No. 8 at 157. Redshirt freshman Joe Lee is ranked No. 14 at 165 while classmate Carter Starocci is ranked No. 5 at 174. Sophomore Aaron Brooks his ranked No. 2 at 184. Redshirt freshman Michael Beard is ranked No. 16 at 197 and sophomore Seth Nevills is ranked No. 8 at 285.
Big Ten Announces 2020-21 Wrestling Schedule; Penn State to Face Nine Conference Opponents
The Big Ten Conference announced the 2020-21 wrestling schedule this afternoon and the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team now knows who it is facing in the upcoming season. Head coach Cael Sanderson's squad will take on nine Big Ten opponents in five traditional dual meets and two tri-meets.
Penn State will host the 2021 Big Ten Championships on Saturday and Sunday, March 6-7. The 2021 NCAA Championships will take place on March 18-20 in the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo. All dates, including the post-season, are subject to change. Start times and television broadcast designations for wrestling events will be released at a later date. Under current Big Ten guidance, public tickets will not be sold for 2020-21 Penn State wrestling home matches.
MILESTONES
Individual records and milestones that are in play as of now:
* 100 Career victories
Nick Lee, 87
* 200 Career coaching wins (overall career)
Cael Sanderson, 200
* 100 Career Big Ten coaching wins
Cael Sanderson, 86
* 175 Career coaching wins at Penn State
Cael Sanderson, 156
