THIS WEEK'S ACTION:
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State (4-0, 0-0 B1G), ranked No. 1 on the InterMat Tournament Power Index (TPI), heads to New Orleans, La., for the 2022 Collegiate Wrestling Duals on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 19-20. The two-day event will take place in the Morial Convention Center. Penn State battles Central Michigan (0-1) (7 p.m. Eastern) and No. 24 North Carolina (1-2*) (9 p.m.) on day one with Tuesday's action to be determined. *North Carolina hosts Appalachian State on Thursday, 12/15, post-press.
Penn State is coming off a dominant 31-3 win over Oregon State on Sunday, Dec. 11, in sold out Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions won nine of ten bouts over the Beavers, including all four matches featuring ranked opponents. Penn State got majors from Roman Bravo-Young and Carter Starocci and a tech fall from Greg Kerkvliet.
The Nittany Lion line-up features Gary Steen, who is 4-4 at 125 as a redshirt freshman. Roman Bravo-Young is 3-0 and ranked No. 1 at 133. Beau Bartlett is now ranked No. 5 at 141 and is 8-0 on the year. Shayne Van Ness is 7-0 at 149 and ranked No. 17. Terrell Barraclough is ranked No. 28 at 157 with a 6-2 mark. Alex Facundo is 7-0 and ranked No. 14 at 165. Carter Starocci is 4-0 and No. 1 at 174 and Aaron Brooks is 2-0 and No. 1 at 184. Max Dean is 6-2 on the year and ranked No. 5 at 197. Greg Kerkvliet is 4-0 and ranked No. 1 at 285. In all, Penn State has six wrestlers ranked in the top five at their respective weights, including four at No. 1.
Central Michigan will carry an 0-1 dual mark into the weekend's action. The Chippewas are led by No. 20 Johnny Lovett at 149 and No. 31 Corbyn Munson at 157. Central Michigan has one the only other meeting between the two schools, a 25-15 victory at the National Duals on Jan. 22-23, 2005.
No. 24 North Carolina is 1-2 at press time and hosts Appalachian State on Thursday, 12/15, post-press. The Tar Heels have seven wrestlers ranked by InterMat. Jack Wagner is No. 33 at 125, Joey Melendez is No. 29 at 133, Lachlan McNeil is No. 25 at 141, Zach Sherman is No. 14 at 149, Clay Lautt is No. 8 at 174, Gavin Kane is No. 17 at 184 and Max Shaw is No. 31 at 197. Penn State leads the all-time series with the Tar Heels 8-1.
Penn State returns to action in the new year, beginning Big Ten dual competition at Wisconsin on Friday, Jan. 6, at 9 p.m. Eastern in a B1G Network national telecast.
All rankings listed are InterMat individual/InterMat TPI. The 2022-23 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. 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.
#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (4-0, 0-0 B1G)
125 Gary Steen Fr. Hermitage, Pa./Reynolds 4-4
133 #1 Roman Bravo-Young Sr.+ Tucson, Ariz./Sunnyside 3-0
141 #5 Beau Bartlett Jr. Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) 8-0
149 #17 Shayne Van Ness Fr. Somerville, N.J./Blair Academy 7-0
157 #28 Terrell Barraclough Jr. Kaysville, Utah/Layton 6-2
165 #14 Alex Facundo Fr. Essexville, Mich./Davison 7-0
174 #1 Carter Starocci Jr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 4-0
184 #1 Aaron Brooks Sr. Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown 2-0
197 #5 Max Dean Sr. Lowell, Mich./Lowell 6-2
285 #1 Greg Kerkvliet Jr. Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley 4-0
CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS (0-1)
125 Sean Spidle Jr. Lapeer, Mich./Powers Catholic
133 Vince Perez Jr. Adrian, Mich./Tecumseh
141 Ja'Kerion Merritt Jr. Hopkinsville, Ky./Christian County
149 #20 Johnny Lovett Jr. Miami, Fla./Southridge
157 #31 Corbyn Munson Sr. Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea
165 Tracy Hubbard Sr. Macomb, Mich./Collegiate
174 Alex Cramer Jr. Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake
184 Ben Cushman Sr. Flushing, Mich./Flushing
197 Cameron Wood So. Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville
285 Bryan Caves So. Port Byron, Ill./Riverdale
#22 NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS (1-2*)
125 #33 Jack Wagner Gr. Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf 6-2
133 #29 Joey Melendez Sr. Norridge, Ill./Montini Catholic 4-2
141 #25 Lachlan McNeil Fr. Toronto, Canada/Wyoming Seminary 4-3
149 #14 Zach Sherman Gr. Islamorada, Fla./Blair Academy 0-0
Jayden Scott Fr. Henrietta, N.Y./Rush-Henrietta 4-3
157 Sincere Bailey Fr. Park Forest, Ill./James Martin 8-4
165 Nicholas Fea Fr. Middletown, N.Y./Bergen Catholic 1-1
174 #8 Clay Lautt Gr. Olathe, Kan./St. James Academy 5-1
184 #17 Gavin Kane So. Milton, Ga./Cambridge 4-3
197 #31 Max Shaw So. Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson 5-2
285 Brandon Whitman Sr. Dundee, Mich./Dundee 3-4
Individual Rankings listed are InterMat and Team Rankings are
Intermat Tournament Power Index (as of 12/13/22)
* North Carolina hosts Appalachian State on Thursday, 12/15, post-press
NOTES:
MAX DEAN DOWNS #11 HARVEY TO LEAD PENN STATE TO 31-3 VICTORY OVER OREGON STATE; NAMED B1G W.o.W.
Max Dean posted a strong 6-3 win over #11 Tanner Harvey at 197 to lead Penn State to a 31-3 victory over visiting Oregon State in sold out Rec Hall. Dean's win was one of nine for Penn State as the Nittany Lions won all four bouts featuring ranked opponents. Penn State also got majors from Roman Bravo-Young and Carter Starocci and a technical fall from Greg Kerkvliet. Dean was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week (12/13/22) for his efforts.
VAN NESS AND KERKVLIET PICK UP BONUS IN RANKED WINS AS LIONS TAME LEHIGH ON THE ROAD
Redshirt freshman Shayne Van Ness notched a first period pin (2:28) over #26 Manzona Bryant IV and Greg Kerkvliet rolled to an 18-0 tech fall (4:01) over #22 Nathan Taylor as Penn State tamed Lehigh 24-12 for another road win. The Nittany Lions won six of ten bouts in the dual. Aaron Brooks beat #22 Tate Samuelson 8-3 and Beau Bartlett downed #30 Malyke Hines 8-4 as well.
VAN NESS DOWNS #24 KINNER AS LIONS ROLL AT RIDER
Penn State freshman Shayne Van Ness dominated #24 Quinn Kinner of Rider to lead the Nittany Lions to a lop-sided 37-3 road victory in New Jersey. The dual, wrestled in front of over 3,000 fans in Trenton's CURE Arena, featured nine Penn State wins. Freshman Gary Steen got his first Lion dual victory at 125, Donovon Ball picked up a dual win at 184 and the Lions had a pin and four majors to roll to the win.
STAROCCI, BROOKS, KERKVLIET DOMINATE AT NWCA ALL-STAR EXHIBITION.
Three Penn State Nittany Lions took part in the NWCA All-Star Exhibition on Nov. 22 in Austin, Tex. No. 1 Carter Starocci took on No. 2 Mekhi Lewis of Virginia Tech at 174 and rolled to a 2-0 win thanks to an escape and a strong third period rideout to clinch riding time. No. 1 Aaron Brooks rolled up five takedowns on his way to a convincing 11-8 win over No. 2 Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa at 184. No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet posted a strong 8-5 win over No. 4 Tony Cassioppi of Iowa, using three takedowns and escape and a riding time point. The event was an exhibition and the results DO NOT COUNT AS WINS/LOSSES FOR ANY WRESTLER NOR TOWARDS RPIs.
MAX DEAN NAMED BLACK KNIGHT INVITE O.W., ONE OF FIVE PENN STATE CHAMPS
Max Dean rolled through the field at the 2022 Black Knight Invite at Army West Point on Nov. 20, going 4-0 with two pins and a tech, including a pin of #25 Trey Rogers of Hofstra in the finals. Dean was one of five Penn State champions at the event, joined by Beau Bartlett (141), Shayne Van Ness (149), Levi Haines (157) and Alex Facundo (165).
PENN STATE PLACES 11 OF 13 AT BLACK KNIGHT
The Nittany Lions took 13 wrestlers to the Black Knight Invite on Nov. 20 and, in addition to the five champions mentioned above, had 11 of its entrants place. Three Nittany Lions advanced to the finals before losing to teammates in a series of three all-PSU title bouts. David Evans took second at 141, Terrell Barraclough was second at 157 and Matt Lee was second at 165. Gary Steen took third at 125 and Donovon Ball was third at 184 while Lucas Cochran placed fifth at 197.
THREE FRESHMEN DEBUT IN PENN STATE'S 44-3 SEASON OPENING WIN OVER LOCK HAVEN
A trio of Penn State redshirt freshmen made their Nittany Lion debuts when Penn State downed visiting Lock Haven 44-3 on Nov. 11. Gary Steen (125), Shayne Van Ness (149) and Alex Facundo (165) all competed in their first Penn State duals in front of a sold out Rec Hall crowd. Shayne Van Ness pinned Connor Eck at the 6:32 mark in his first Lion bout while Alex Facundo tallied 13 takedowns in a 27-12 tech fall (5:35) over Aiden Gaughler. Steen dropped a tough 14-4 bout to #13 Anthony Noto. Penn State had three pins (Van Ness, Max Dean, Greg Kerkvliet), three tech falls (Facundo, Roman Bravo-Young, Aaron Brooks), two majors (Beau Bartlett, Carter Starocci), and Terrell Barraclough downed #28 Ashton Eyler 3-1 at 157.
8 OF 12 LIONS PLACE AT BEARCAT OPEN
Penn State sent 12 wrestlers to Binghamton University on Sunday, Nov. 13, for the Bearcat Open. Eight of the 12 Lions competing placed at the event. Connor Pierce led the way with a second place finish, going 4-0 but dropping the title bout to a non-collegiate entry in the finals. Konner Kraeszig took third at 174, Lucas Cochran took third at 197, David Evans took fifth at 141 (with three pins), Levi Haines took fifth at 157, Joe Lee took fifth at 165, Donovon Ball took fifth at 184 and Levko Higgins placed sixth at 197.
MILESTONES
Individual records and milestones that are in play as of now:
* 225 Career coaching wins (overall career)
Cael Sanderson, 223
* 100 Career Big Ten dual meet coaching wins
Cael Sanderson, 96
* 200 Career coaching wins at Penn State
Cael Sanderson, 179
