ST. LOUIS, Mo.; March 20, 2021 –The Penn State Nittany Lions (6-0, 6-0 B1G), under the direction of head coach Cael Sanderson, added four more national champions to its growing list of title-holders at the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Penn State went a perfect 4-0 in the NCAA finals, with all four individuals winning their first individual crowns. The Nittany Lions qualified nine for this year's tournament and the three-day event was held in the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo.
Junior Roman Bravo-Young (Tucson, Ariz.), senior Nick Lee (Evansville, Ind.), freshman Carter Starocci (Erie, Pa.) and sophomore Aaron Brooks (Hagerstown, Md.) each won, marking the third time a Sanderson led Penn State team had four or more champions in one year.
Penn State now has 48 national champions in its long history, with 27 of them coming during Sanderson's tenure as head coach. Penn State finished as NCAA national runner-up, trailing only first-place Iowa in the final team standings. In Sanderson's 12 years, Penn State been NCAA Champion eight times, runner-up once (this year), and placed sixth and ninth in 11 total tournaments.
Bravo-Young, the No. 2 seed at 133, met No. 1 Daton Fix of Oklahoma State in the first finals bout of the evening as the session began at 133. Bravo-Young fought off a Fix shot at the 1:50 mark to keep the bout scoreless and a reset sent action back to the center circle. Bravo-Young's first shot was defended by Fix, a fast, low effort with :35 on the clock. The duo finished the period and neutral and the first period ended in a scoreless tie. Fix chose down to start the second stanza. Bravo-Young controlled the action from the top, maintaining control for over 1:20, turning Fix briefly. Fix rolled through but Bravo-Young maintained control and finished the period on top. Tied 0-0 but with 2:00 in riding time, Bravo-Young chose down to start the third period and Fix cut him loose to a 2-0 lead. The official hit Bravo-Young with two quick stalls in the final :40 to give Fix two points and a one-point lead. Bravo-Young's 1:58 riding time sent the action to sudden victory tied 2-2. In the extra time, however, Bravo-Young left no doubt. The Nittany Lion junior picked up his first national title with a fast, low double that tripped Fix to the mat. Bravo-Young collected both the Cowboy's feet and finished off the takedown for a 4-2 (sv) win. Bravo-Young became Penn State's 45th national champion. He went 5-0 with a major and a tech fall and finished the season 14-0.
Lee, the No. 2 seed at 141, met No. 1 Jaydin Eierman of Iowa in Penn State's second straight NCAA title bout. Lee set a fast early tempo, working his way in on a series of single legs that Eierman was forced to fight off. Lee's pressure forced the Hawkeye out of bounds numerous times over the first minute-plus. Eierman worked his way in on a single with :25 left and this time Lee defended the shot. Tied 0-0, Eierman chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Lee fought off another Eierman shot at the 1:00 mark and action returned to the center circle. The duo finished the period on their feet and Lee trailed by one after two periods. Lee chose neutral to start the third period and quickly used a high single to take Eierman down and grab a 2-1 lead. Eierman escaped and the bout was tied 2-2 with 1:35 left in the match. Lee upped the pressure ono Eierrman, forced him into a stall at :35 and then nearly connected on a low single. Lee nearly won the bout in regulation with a late shot but Eierman's defense killed the clock and the match moved into extra time. Like his teammate in the match before, Lee left no doubt in the extra period. The Lion senior roared in towards Eierman early in the extra minute and finished off a high shot for a takedown and the win. Lee's 4-2 (sv) win earned him his first national title. Lee became Penn State's 46th national champion. He went 5-0 with two majors and a tech and finished the season 13-1.
Starocci, the No. 3 seed at 174, faced off against No. 1 Michael Kemerer of Iowa in the third finals bout for the Nittany Lions. Starocci battled the top-seeded Hawkeye in the center circle for the first minute-plus. Kemerer dove in on a shot with 1:25 on the clock that Starocci countered and action moved back up to neutral as time moved below 1:00. Starocci worked in on a single that turned into a :30 scramble but the action ended in a stalemate and the bout moved to the second period tied 0-0. Starocci chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The Lion freshman stalked the middle of the mat, keeping action on the NCAA logo while looking for an opening on offense. Starocci worked his way in on a single leg with :15 and almost finished off the takedown, but time ran out on the Lion's effort and he led 1-0 after two. Kemerer chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 1-1 tie. The third period ended with neither man scoring and, like his teammates before him, Starocci would need extra time to win his title. And just like Bravo-Young and Lee, Starocci ended the match quickly in sudden victory. He worked in on a high shot, gained control of Kemerer at the waist and took the Hawkeye down for the 3-1 (sv) win, becoming a national champion as a freshman. Starocci became Penn State's 47th national champion. He went 5-0 at the tournament with a major and ends his first collegiate season with a 14-2 record.
Brooks, the No. 1 seed at 184, battled No. 2 Trent Hidlay of North Carolina State in the last of four title bouts for Penn State. Brooks was the aggressor early, forcing Hidlay backwards over the course of the first minute. The action continued in neutral for the next minute with neither wrestler finding an opening. With the clock moving to the :30 mark, Brooks forced Hidlay into a first stall warning. Tied 0-0, Brooks chose down to start the second period. Brooks worked his way into control of Hidlay's shoulders and turned him to his back for a reversal. The Lion bench challenged for two back points but none were given and Brooks led 2-1 at the 1:30 mark. Trailing by one, Hidlay chose down to start the third period. He escaped to a 2-2 tie at 1:40 and the bout continued in neutral. Brooks continued to pressure Hidlay in the center circle. The Lion took a 3-2 lead on another Hidlay stall and the clock moved down to :30. Brooks fought off a solid shot from Hidlay at the :20 mark and the North Carolina State bench challenged for a takedown. The no call stood and Brooks walked away with his first national title on the backs off a 3-2 win. Brooks became Penn State's 48th national champion. He went 5-0 at the tournament with a technical fall.
Freshman Michael Beard (Pottstown, Pa.), the No. 15 seed at 197, finished off his tournament with a sudden victory win in the seventh-place bout during the prior session. He ended the tournament with a 4-2 record that included three majors. The freshman All-American closed out his first season with a 10-6 mark. Freshman Greg Kerkvliet (Grove Heights, Minn.), the No. 9 seed at 285, also won his final match of the tournament, taking seventh-place in the prior session. Kerkvliet went 4-2 during his initial NCAA tournament run, including three majors and a tech fall. He went 10-4 over the course of the season and became a freshman All-American as well.
Junior Brady Berge (Mantorville, Minn.), the No. 12 seed at 157, was unable compete after being injured in the national quarterfinals ended his NCAA tournament run with a 2-1 record, including a major. Berge went 10-3 this year. True freshman Robert Howard (Cranford, N.J.), the No. 23 seed at 125, went 2-2 at 125 and had his tournament end during session three. Freshman Joe Lee (Evansville, Ind.), the No. 23 seed at 165, went 0-2 in his first tournament appearance.
The Nittany Lions went a perfect 4-0 in the finals, marking the third time Penn State has had four or more national champions in one season since Sanderson's arrival (five in 2017, four in 2018). It is the second time Penn State was perfect in the finals when having four or more finalists (5-0 in 2017).
Penn State's perfect final run gave the Lions a 31-9 final record here in St. Louis. The Lions tallied 17.0 bonus points off 11 majors and four tech falls. Penn State was also 4-0 in sudden victory bouts, including winning three in the finals. The Penn State now has 232 all-time All-Americans including this year's six, with 69 of those coming in Sanderson's 12 years. Lee is the 15th four-time All-American in Penn State wrestling history. Bravo-Young is the 32nd three-time All-American in Lion history.
Penn State has won eight of the last ten contested NCAA Championships with last year's being cancelled by the NCAA (all since Sanderson's arrival at Penn State and he just finished his 12th season this year). The Nittany Lions have won nine NCAA titles overall, owning a championship from 1953. Penn State won four-straight titles in 2016, '17, '18 and '19 and also won four-straight in 2011, '12, '13 and '14.
Penn State finished its dual meet schedule with a perfect 6-0 mark, 6-0 in the Big Ten, and earned a share of its seventh Big Ten Regular Season Championship with 5-0 Iowa. The Nittany Lions finished as Big Ten tournament runners-up two weekends ago.
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.
Penn State at 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships – Session 6
March 20, 2021 – Enterprise Center – St. Louis, Mo.
TEAM STANDINGS (top five)
1: Iowa – 129.0
2: PENN STATE – 113.5
3: Oklahoma State – 99.5
4: Arizona State – 74.0
5: Michigan – 69.0
Weight-by-weight agate (RANKINGS LISTED ARE OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT SEED):
125: #23 Robert Howard, Fr., Cranford, N.J. -- DNP
Rd. 1: #10 Malik Heinselman, Ohio State – W, 6-4 dec.
Rd. 2: #7 Taylor LaMont, Utah Valley – L, 1-2 dec.
Cn. 2: #24 Fabian Gutierrez, Chattanooga – W, 9-7 dec.
Cn. 3: #15 Patrick McKee, Minnesota – LBF (2:04)
Howard took on No. 10 Malik Heinselman of Ohio State in his first NCAA tournament bout. The duo battled through a scoreless opening period and the bout moved to the second period tied 0-0. Howard chose down to start the second period and after a minute's work, reversed the Buckeye to take a 2-0 lead. He then turned Heinselman for four back points, nearly pinning him, and leg 6-1 after two. Heinselman escaped to start the third and added a late takedown, but Howard's strong second period gave the Nittany Lion a 6-4 victory in his first NCAA tournament bout.
He took on No. 7 Taylor LaMont of Utah Valley in his second-round match-up. Howard and LaMont wrestled through an even minute-plus to start the bout. Each wrestler had slight chances but quick defense on both sides sent the bout to the second period tied 0-0. LaMont escaped to a 1-0 lead to start the second, the only scoring of the middle stanza. Howard looked to answer that escape in the third period but LaMont was able to maintain control until the :25 mark. Howard escaped but 1:26 in riding time allowed LaMont to escape with a 2-1 victory and send Howard into the wrestle-backs.
Howard took on No. 24 Fabian Gutierrez of Chattanooga in his first consolation bout of the tournament. Howard opened up the bout with a quick takedown to take an early 2-1 lead. He worked the middle of the mat for the remainder of the period and led by one after one. Guiterrez reversed the Lion freshman to start the second period and maintained control until a last-second escape by Howard tied the bout at 3-3. Howard chose down to start the third period and reversed the Moc. He added two nearfall points but was reversed. A stall point against had Howard up by one. The Lion freshman iced the win with another reversal and walked away with a 9-7 win. He took on No. 15 Patrick McKee of Minnesota in the next consolation round. McKee connected on a single right off the opening whistle. Howard fought off the move for a bit but the Gopher took a 2-0 lead with a takedown. Howard fought off two turns but was pinned at the 2:04 mark on the third effort by McKee. The loss ended the freshman's tournament with a 2-2 record. Howard went 7-6 as a true freshman this year.
133: #2 Roman Bravo-Young, Jr., Tucson, Ariz. // All-American // National Champion
Rd. 1: #31 Sean Carter, Appalachian State – W, 20-5 (TF; 7:00)
Rd. 2: #18 Kyle Burwick, Wisconsin – W, 11-3 maj. dec.
Qtrs: #10 Louie Hayes, Virginia – W, 4-1 dec.
Semis: #3 Korbin Myers, Virginia Tech – W, 5-3 dec.
Finals: #1 Daton Fix, Oklahoma State – W, 4-2 (sv)
Bravo-Young met No. 31 Sean Carter of Appalachian State in the opening round. Bravo-Young took an early 2-0 lead with a quick takedown and tacked on two more to lead 6-2 with over 2:00 in time after one period. The second-seeded Lion added an early escape and a takedown and finished off the period with a four-point turn to lead 13-2 after two (with a clinched riding time point). Bravo-Young finished off the technical fall with a flurry of takedowns in the third, posting the 20-5 technical fall with 3:45 in riding time.
He met No. 18 Kyle Burwick of Wisconsin in the second round. The Lion junior took a 2-1 lead midway through the first period and turned that into a 4-1 lead with a second takedown in the final seconds of the period. Bravo-Young notched a reversal to take a 6-1 lead and ended the second stanza with another late takedown to carry an 8-2 lead into the third period. Burwick chose down to start the third period and Bravo-Young worked his riding time edge up over 1:00. Bravo-Young used a late takedown in the third period and 1:22 in riding time for an 11-3 major decision, another Penn State bonus point victory.
Bravo-Young faced No. 10 Louie Hayes of Virginia in Penn State's first national quarterfinal bout. Bravo-Young took a 2-0 lead with a takedown just over a minute into the bout. He finished the period still in control and carried that lead, and 1:41 in riding time, into the second period. Bravo-Young added a quick escape in the second to lead 3-0. Hayes picked up his lone point with an escape in the third and Bravo-Young added a riding time point to roll into the semifinals. He also became a three-time All-American with the victory.
He took on No. 3 Korbin Myers of Virginia Tech in the first of Penn State's four national semifinal bouts. Bravo-Young took a quick lead with a takedown just :40 into the bout. Myers escaped to a 2-1 score and action returned to neutral. The Lion junior carried that one-point lead into the second stanza. Myers chose down to start the second period and Bravo-Young was able to keep control for :25 before the Hokie escaped to a 2-2 tie. The tie score held for the remainder of the period and the bout moved to the final stanza deadlocked. Bravo-Young chose neutral to start the third period. Bravo-Young darted in on a fast low shot, snagged Myers' ankle, and pulled both feet into control for a takedown at the 1:05 mark. The swift move put the Lion up 4-2. Bravo-Young kept control of Myers and built his riding time edge up over 1:00. Young managed a late escape but Bravo-Young, with riding time, notched the 5-3 win and advanced to the national finals.
See above story for this session's recap.
141: #2 Nick Lee, Sr., Evansville, Ind. // All-American // National Champion
Rd. 1: #31 Julian Flores, Drexel – W, 18-0 (TF; 2:33)
Rd. 2: #15 Clay Carlson, South Dakota State – W, 14-3 maj. dec.
Qtrs: #10 Zach Sherman, North Carolina – W, 11-3 maj. dec.
Semis: #3 Sebastian Rivera, Rutgers – W, 9-3 dec.
Finals: #1 Jaydin Eierrman, Iowa – W, 4-2 (sv)
Lee battled No. 31 Julian Flores of Drexel in the opening round. Lee came out fast, taking Flores down and quickly turning him to his back for four nearfall points and a 6-0 lead. He added a second four-point turn, then a third, and led 14-0 with 1:00 still on the clock. Lee finished off the tech fall with a final turn to roll to an 18-0 win at the 2:33 mark in the opening period.
He met No. 15 Clay Carlson of South Dakota State in round two. Lee took a 2-0 lead just :20 into the bout, added a second takedown and two back points to jump out to a 6-1 lead in the first minute. He forced Carlson into a stall warning and finished off the period with a 6-2 lead. Lee escaped to start the second stanza and rolled into another takedown just :15 into the second. He picked up a stall point and finished the period with an 11-2 lead and 2:28 in riding time. Lee tacked on one more takedown in the third and, with a gaudy 4:06 in riding time, rolled into the quarterfinals with a 14-3 major decision.
Lee took on No. 10 Zach Sherman of North Carolina in the quarterfinals. Lee quickly took Sherman down and went to work on top, looking for tilts. After three brief turns that Sherman rolled through, Lee cut Sherman loose to a 2-1 score with 1:10 in riding time. Lee tacked on another takedown and got a two-point turn to lead 6-1 after one with over 2:00 in time. After a neutral start in the second, Lee quickly took Sherman down a third time to up his lead to 8-2. He added a fourth takedown in the third period and, with 4:03 in riding time, advanced to the semifinals with an 11-3 major decision. Lee became a four-time All-American with the victory as well.
He met No. 3 Sebastian Rivera of Rutgers in the semifinals. Lee looked to set a fast pace early. The Lion senior forced Rivera into defense for the first minute-plus, with a number of fast shots that the Knight had to step away from. Rivera countered a Lee shot late and took a 2-0 lead with a takedown in front of the Rutgers bench. Trailing by two, Lee chose down to start the second period. Lee escaped to a 2-1 score and then picked up a stall point on a second Rivera stall to tie the bout at 2-2 with :50 on the clock. Lee rolled through a low double to take a 4-2 lead at the :45 mark. Lee maintained offensive control for the rest of the period and led 4-2 after two. Rivera escaped to start the third period and cut Lee's lead to 4-3. Lee scrambled away from a Rivera shot to force a reset with :40. Lee finished off the bout with a strong takedown and rolled Rivera to his back for two near fall points. He finished the match on top and, with riding time, moved into the national finals with a 9-3 victory.
See above story for this session's recap.
157: #12 Brady Berge, Jr., Mantorville, Minn. -- DNP
Rd. 1: #21 Andrew Cerniglia, Navy – W, 12-4 maj. dec.
Rd. 2: #5 Kaleb Young, Iowa – W, 3-2 dec.
Qtrs: #4 Jesse Dellavecchia, Rider – L, inj. def.
Berge met No. 21 Andrew Cerniglia of Navy in the opening round. Berge fought off a fast shot from Cerniglia and had two solid opportunities of his own defended by Cerniglia and the first period was scoreless. Berge escaped to a 1-0 lead to start the second period and then took a 3-0 lead with the bout's first takedown at the :45 mark. The Nittany Lion added a second takedown late to lead 5-1 after two periods. Berge tacked on three more takedowns and 1:45 in riding time to roll to a 12-4 major decision.
He met No. 15 Clay Carlson of South Dakota State in round two. Lee took a 2-0 lead just :20 into the bout, added a second takedown and two back points to jump out to a 6-1 lead in the first minute. He forced Carlson into a stall warning and finished off the period with a 6-2 lead. Lee escaped to start the second stanza and rolled into another takedown just :15 into the second. He picked up a stall point and finished the period with an 11-2 lead and 2:28 in riding time. Lee tacked on one more takedown in the third and, with a gaudy 4:06 in riding time, rolled into the quarterfinals with a 14-3 major decision.
Berge met No. 4 Jesse Dellavecchia of Rider in his quarterfinal bout. Berge and Dellavecchia worked through over two minutes of wrestling on their feet until Dellavecchia got in on a high single with :50 on the clock. Berge fought off the effort for a bit then was injured during the action as it moved to the mat. The Lion junior was not able to continue and suffered an injury default loss, falling to the consolation bracket.
He was unable compete after being injured and ended his NCAA tournament run with a 2-1 record, including a major. Berge went 10-3 this year.
165: #23 Joe Lee, Fr., Evansville, Ind. -- DNP
Rd. 1: #10 Travis Wittlake, Oklahoma State – L, 1-8 dec.
Cn. 1: #26 Andrew Nicholson, Chattanooga – L, 4-10 dec.
Lee faced No. 10 Travis Wittlake of Oklahoma State in his first NCAA tournament match-up. Lee battled Wittlake through a scoreless first period but have a up a stall warning in the process and the first period ended tied 0-0. Wittlake escaped to a 1-0 lead to start the second stanza. Lee tried to throw Wittlake on the edge of the mat but the Cowboy countered the effort and turned Lee to his back for a 7-0 lead off the takedown and near fall points. Lee picked up a late escape in the second period but dropped an 8-1 decision to fall into the consolation bracket.
He took on No. 26 Andrew Nicholson of Chattanooga in his first consolation bout of the tournament. Nicholson notched a takedown quickly in the bout but Lee reversed the action right away and tied the bout. A quick Moc escaped and Lee trailed 3-2 at the 2:15 mark. Lee to a 4-3 lead with a takedown midway through the period and Nicholson escaped to a tie. Nicholson took a 7-4 lead in the second with an escape and a takedown, finishing on top in the period. The Moc added a quick takedown in the third and picked up a riding time point to hand Lee a 10-4 loss, ending the Penn State freshman's tournament run. Lee went 0-2 in his first NCAA tournament.
174: #3 Carter Starocci, Fr., Erie, Pa. // All-American // National Champion
Rd. 1: #30 Victor Marcelli, Virginia – W, 10-2 maj. dec.
Rd. 2: #14 Hayden Hastings, Wyoming – W, 8-2 dec.
Qtrs: #6 Andrew McNally, Kent State – W, 6-3 dec.
Semis: #2 Demetrius Romero, Utah Valley – W, 2-0 dec.
Finals: #1 Michael Kemerer, Iowa – W, 3-1 (sv)
Starocci took on No. 30 Victor Marcelli of Virginia in his first NCAA bout. Starocci took a 2-0 lead with :51 left in the opening period, turning a high single into a takedown to lead by two after the first period after finishing the period on top. He quickly escaped to start the second stanza and added a takedown in the final seconds to carry a 5-0 lead into the third period. The Lion built his riding time point up over 1:00, then tallied two more takedowns to roll to a 10-2 major decision in his first NCAA tournament bout.
He faced off against No. 14 Hayden Hastings of Wyoming in round two. Starocci scored quickly, taking a 2-0 lead with just under a minute gone. The Lion freshman built up over 1:00 in riding time, cut Hastings loose, and added a late takedown to lead 4-1 after one period. Hastings picked up an escape in the second period but not before Starocci had over 2:00 in riding time and led 4-2 after two. Starocci escaped to start the third period and added on a final takedown to finish off the third period in control. His 2:13 in riding time added one more to his tally in an 8-2 victory that moved the freshmen into the quarterfinals.
Starocci battled No. 6 Andrew McNally of Kent State in the quarters. Starocci and McNally tangled in the center circle for the two minutes with neither wrestler giving an inch. Starocci drove in on a high single at the 1:00 mark and finished off a takedown to lead 2-0. He finished the period on top and led by two after one. Starocci escaped to a 3-0 lead to start the second period. He added another takedown off a high single late in the period and finished on top once again to lead 5-0 after two. McNally chose down to start the third and Starocci controlled the action long enough to build up a 2:03 time edge. The Kent State grappler added a late takedown but, with 1:54 in riding time, Starocci posted the 6-3 victory and advanced to the national semifinals. Starocci also became an All-American for the first time with the win.
He faced off against No. 2 Demetrius Romero of Utah Valley in the semis. Starocci battled Romero in the center circle for the opening minute-plus. The Lion freshman shot Romero to the edge of the mat but Romero defended the effort. The first period ended in a scoreless tie. Starocci chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The duo then worked the middle of the mat on their feet for the rest of the second period and the Lion freshman led by one after two. Romero chose down to start the third period and Starocci made the decision work his way. The Nittany Lion freshman was dominant in the offensive position, controlling Romero for the entire third period. The ride-out gave Starocci 1:47 in riding time and the Lion freshman moved to the national finals with a 2-0 victory.
See above story for this session's recap.
184: #1 Aaron Brooks, So., Hagerstown, Md. // All-American // National Champion
Rd. 1: #32 Jhaquan Anderson, Gardner-Webb – W, 17-1 (TF; 5:25)
Rd. 2: #17 Owen Webster, Minnesota – W, 5-0 dec.
Qtrs: #8 Taylor Venz, Nebraska – W, 9-4 dec.
Semis: #4 Parker Keckeisen, Northern Iowa – W, 6-4 dec.
Finals: #2 Trent Hidlay, North Carolina State – W, 3-2 dec.
Brooks battled No. 32 Jhaquan Anderson of Gardner-Webb in the first round. Brooks scored just seconds into the bout, quickly added a second and then turned Anderson to his back to open up an 8-1 lead after the opening stanza. Brooks picked up another takedown and a stall point in the second to lead 11-1 with nearly 4:00 in riding time after two. His domination continued into the third period and the top-seeded Lion sophomore posted a lopsided 17-1 technical fall at the 5:25 mark, advancing to the second round.
He took on No. 17 Owen Webster of Minnesota in the second round. Brooks and Webster battled evenly for over 2:00 before Brooks' constant pressure led to a takedown and a 2-0 lead for the Lion sophomore. Brooks finished the period on top and carried that lead with :56 in time into the middle period. Brooks picked up a quick escape to start the second period and led 3-0. He led 4-0 after two thanks to a stall point. Webster chose down to start the third period but Brooks dominated the action. He maintained control for the entirety of the period and, with 2:53 in riding time, rolled into the national quarterfinals with a 5-0 win.
Brooks met No. 8 Taylor Venz of Nebraska in the quarterfinals. Brooks turned a low shot into a scramble with 2:15 on the clock and bulled his way to a takedown and a 2-0 lead. The Lion sophomore kept control for :45 before Venz escaped to a 2-1 score. The one-point lead held for Brooks after the opening stanza. Venz chose down to start the second period and reversed Brooks for a 3-2 lead. Brooks quickly escaped and then immediately moved in for a takedown to lead 5-3 at the 1:04 mark. A strong ride allowed Brooks to kill the clock and he led by two after two. Brooks chose down to start the third, escaped and iced the bout with another takedown. Nearly 2:00 of riding time made the final score 9-4 and Brooks moved into the national semifinals. The two-time Big Ten Champion became a two-time All-American with the win as well.
He met No. 4 Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa in Penn State's final semifinal match of the night. Brooks took an early lead, using a fast low single to take Keckeisen down and lead 2-1 at the 1:49 mark. The early takedown was the lone score of the opening period and Brooks carried that one-point lead into the second stanza. The Lion sophomore escaped to a 3-1 lead to start the second period. Brooks' relentless offensive effort led to another scramble in the middle of the mat. He worked his way through the action and took a 5-1 lead with another takedown. A short rideout and Brooks entered the third period with a 5-1 lead. Keckeisen escaped to a 5-2 score but Brooks' riding time eclipsed 1:00. Brooks gave up a late takedown and, with riding time, moved into the NCAA finals with a 6-4 victory.
See above story for this session's recap.
197: #15 Michael Beard, Fr., Pottstown, Pa. // All-American
Rd. 1: #18 Jacob Kosar, Navy – W, 14-4 maj. dec.
Rd. 2: #31 Owen Pentz, North Dakota State – W, 17-8 maj. dec.
Qtrs: #26 Jake Woodley, Oklahoma – L, 3-8 dec.
Con 4: #13 Tanner Sloan, South Dakota State – W, 9-1 maj. dec.
Con Q: #7 Rocky Elam, Missouri – L, 0-5 dec.
7th: #8 Stephen Buchanan, Wyoming – W, 10-8 (sv)
Beard met No. 18 Jacob Koser of Navy in the opening round in this, his first NCAA tourney. Beard turned a quick high single into a takedown and an early lead right out of the gates. The Lion controlled Koser for the period, turning him for four back points and finishing on top to lead 6-0 after one. He reversed Koser in the second and added a late takedown to lead 10-1 after two periods. The Lion freshman iced his first NCAA tournament win another takedown and 3:17 in riding time, rolling into the second round with a 14-4 major decision.
He met No. 31 Owen Pentz of North Dakota State in the second round. Beard dominated the first period. The Nittany Lion freshman collected four takedowns in the opening three minutes, scoring often and building up over 1:00 in riding time to lead 8-4 after one. Beard continued the offensive show in the second period, picking up two more takedowns (including one in the final seconds) to lead 12-6 heading into the third period. Beard finished off the major decision with two more takedowns and 1:32 in riding time to post the 17-8 major decision and advance to the quarterfinals.
Beard faced No. 26 Jake Woodley of Oklahoma in the quarterfinals. Beard fought off an early Woodley shot over the first minute, forcing a reset. Woodley finished off a second takedown with a lift on the edge off the mat to lead 2-0 with 1:17 on the clock. Beard escaped to a 2-1 score and trailed by one after one. He chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 2-2 tie. Woodley notched a second takedown, however, and Beard trailed 4-2 after two. Woodley chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 5-2 lead. He added a final takedown and, while giving up a stall point, got a riding time point and posted the 8-3 win over the Lion freshman. Beard's loss sent him into consolation action.
He met No. 13 Tanner Sloan of South Dakota State in his first consolation match-up. Beard turned a high single into a takedown and a 2-0 lead just over a minute into the bout. The Lion freshman then took control on offense, turning Sloan for back points and a 6-0 lead at the 1:05 mark. Beard finished the period on top and led 6-0 with 2:00 in riding time after one. Sloan chose down to start the second period but Beard controlled the action, riding Sloan out to lead 6-0 with 4:00 of riding time after two periods. Beard chose top to start the final period. With the riding time point clinched, he went to work in neutral. Beard picked up a final late takedown and, with 5:03 in riding time became an All-American with a 9-1 major decision. Beard took on No. 7 Rocky Elam of Missouri in the conso quarters. Elam notched a takedown in the first late in the period to lead 2-0 after the opening stanza. The Tiger escaped to start the second stanza and added a second takedown to carry a 3-0 lead into the final period. Elam added a final score and Beard dropped into Saturday's seventh-place bout with a 5-0 decision.
Beard met No. 8 Stephen Buchanan of Wyoming in the seventh-place bout, Penn State's first of two match-ups in the morning session. Beard came out hot offensively, taking the Cowboy down to his back for a takedown and two back points. Buchanan reversed the Lion and Beard escaped quickly to a 5-2 lead with 1:31 on the clock. With Beard leading by three after one period, Buchanan chose down to start the second stanza and escaped to a 5-3 score at the 1:47 mark. Buchanan tied the match with a scrambling takedown at the 1:00 mark but Beard worked his way to a reversal to take a 7-5 lead. Buchanan managed an escape and Beard led 7-6 after two. Beard escaped to an 8-6 lead to start the third period. Beard spent the last minute fighting off a Buchanan shot but the Cowboy finished off the takedown to send the bout to sudden victory tied 8-8. Beard ended the bout quickly in extra time, using a hot shot to take Buchanan down and post the thrilling 10-8 sudden victory decision. Beard ends his first NCAA tournament as the seventh place finisher, an All-American, going 4-2 with three majors.
285: #9 Greg Kerkvliet, Fr., Grove Heights, Minn. // All-American
Rd. 1: #24 Johnathan Birchmeier, Navy – W, 18-0 (TF; 2:17)
Rd. 2: #8 Jordan Wood, Lehigh – W, 12-2 maj. dec.
Qtrs: #1 Gable Steveson, Minnesota – L, 4-7 dec.
Con. 4: #29 Austin Harris, Oklahoma State – W, 13-5 maj. dec.
Con. Q: #4 Cohlton Schultz, Arizona State – L, 8-14 dec.
7th: #21 Tate Orndorff, Ohio State – W, 13-1 maj. dec.
Kerkvliet faced No. 24 Jonathan Birchmeier of Navy his first NCAA tournament match-up. Kerkvliet dominated the bout from the opening whistle. The Lion freshman took Birchmeier down and then went to work on offense. He turned the Navy wrestler for four back points and reset himself three more times in less than three minutes. With a takedown and four four-point nearfalls, Kerkvliet rolled to an 18-0 technical fall at the 2:17 mark, picking up a win in his NCAA debut and rolling on to the second round.
He battled No. 8 Jordan Wood of Lehigh in the second round. Kerkvliet nearly scored on a fast low shot at the whistle but Wood was able to skip away. Kerkvliet kept up the pace and got a takedown at 1:30 and led 2-1 after the opening three minutes. Kerkvliet quickly escaped to a 3-1 lead to begin the second period and added another takedown. The Lion freshman led 5-1 after two periods. Woods chose down to start the third and Kerkvliet worked his riding time edge up over 1:00 with strong work on top. He turned Woods for four back points and led 9-2 with 1:17 in time as the clock moved below 1:00. Kerkvliet added a final takedown and 1:32 in riding time to rush into the quarterfinals with a 12-2 major decision.
Kerkvliet met No. 1 Gable Steveson of Minnesota in the last of Penn State's seven quarterfinal bouts. Steveson notched the bout's first takedown :30 into the match. The Nittany Lion could not work his way free of Steveson's control and trailed by two after the opening three minutes. Steveson escaped to a 3-0 lead to start the second period and the bout moved to its midpoint with the wrestlers battling in neutral. Trailing by three, Kerkvliet chose neutral to start the third stanza. The Lion freshman took a high single at the 1:40 mark but Steveson countered the move and took a 5-0 lead with another takedown. Steveson countered another Kerkvliet shot and took a 7-1 lead with :55 on the clock. Kerkvliet escaped and finished off a solid takedown as the bout ended but Steveson's early work led to a 9-4 win. The loss sent Kerkvliet into consolation action.
He battled No. No. 29 Austin Harris of Oklahoma State in his first consolation bout. The Lion big man dominated the opening period. Kerkvliet notched two textbook takedowns to lead 4-2 with over 1:00 in riding time after the opening three minutes. He added a third takedown in the second stanza and upped his lead to 6-3 with two minutes left. The third period was all Kerkvliet. Kerkvliet put on an offensive show in the third. He tallied three takedowns to up his lead to 12-5 and added a riding time point to post the 13-5 major decision. The win earned him All-American honors. He then took on No. 4 Cohlton Schultz of Arizona State in the conso quarters. Kerkvliet opened up the scoring with a quick takedown and led 2-1 out of the gates. But the Sun Devil countered that early burst with two takedowns of his own and led 7-4 after the opening period. Schultz extended his lead to 10-4 after two periods with an escape and a takedown. Kerkvliet cut into the lead early in the third with an escape and a takedown but Schultz answered with a final takedown down the stretch to post the 14-8 victory. The loss dropped Kerkvliet into Saturday's seventh-place bout.
Kerkvliet battled No. 21 Tate Orndorff of Ohio State in the seventh-place match at heavyweight, closing out Penn State's action in Saturday's early session. Kerkvliet scored quickly, taking Orndorff down for an early 2-0 lead. The Lion freshman went to work on top, building up riding time while looking for a chance to turn the Buckeye. Kerkvliet forced Orndorff into a stall warning and finished in control. Leading 2-0 with 2:505 in riding time, Kerkvliet chose down to start the second period and quickly reversed Orndorff for a 4-0 lead. He cut Orndorff loose and quickly took him down again to move out to a 6-1 lead, then 7-1 with a stall point. Kerkvliet once again rode Orndorff out and led 7-1 with clinched riding time (4:16) after two periods. He took Orndorff down again to start the third period, got another stall point, and led 10-1 with 1:30 left in the bout. Orndorff got hit with one more stall (a two-pointer) during a third Kerkvliet rideout. The Lion freshman added on 6:10 in riding time and rolled to a 13-1 major decision to take seventh place. Kerkvliet went 4-2 with three majors and a tech fall to become an All-American in his first trip to nationals.
