UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State and its Olympic Regional Training Center entered the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials with 19 wrestlers with Happy Valley ties competing. A total of eight Penn State RTC wrestlers will compete in the best-of-three final series at their respective weights, including three all-NLWC final series. The club will be represented at five of the six men's freestyle weights as the U.S. Olympic Team Trails – Wrestling will crown its champions tomorrow.
Three members of Penn State's Olympic RTC did not compete on day one as they wait for the Challenge bracket winners in Saturday's best-of-three final series. Kyle Dake (74 kg), David Taylor (86 kg) and Kyle Snyder (97 kg) will each meet the Challenge winners in a best-of-three series beginning Saturday in session one at 10 a.m.
Thomas Gilman (PSU RTC/57 kg) had a first round bye and downed Jax Forrest (MHS) 5-4 in his first match. Gilman then took on Daton Fix (CWC) and posted a strong 6-0 win. The victory moves him into the best-of-three final series vs. Spencer Lee on Saturday. The U.S. has not qualified the 57 kg weight class for the Paris games so the winner at 57 kg will head to Turkey in May to try and qualify the weight and become an Olympian.
Nick Lee (PSU RTC/65 kg) had a first round bye and then rolled to a 9-2 win over Alec Pantaleo (CKWC) in his first match. Lee then took on Andrew Alirez (NCRTC) in his next bout and posted a convincing 11-9 victory. The win advances him to the best-of-three final series on Saturday. His opponent will be a fellow Penn Stater and an RTC teammate. Zain Retherford (PSU RTC/65 kg) received a bye into the semifinals. He took on Jesse Mendez (OHRTC) in his first bout and posted a 3-2 win. The victory moves Retherford on to Saturday's best-of-three final series against teammate Nick Lee. The U.S. has not qualified the 65 kg weight class for the Paris games so the winner at 65 kg will head to Turkey in May to try and qualify the weight and become an Olympian.
Jason Nolf (PSU RTC/74 kg) had a first bye and then took care of Alex Marinelli (HWC) 7-3 in his first match. Nolf then battled Jarret Jacques (TSWC) and came away with a 9-2 win. He met Jordan Burroughs in the Challenge bracket final and controlled the action throughout, posting a 3-0 win. His victory over Burroughs moves him into the best-of-three final series against RTC teammate Kyle Dake, starting tomorrow morning. Aaron Brooks (Current-PSU RTC/86 kg) had a first round bye and then beat future Nittany Lion Connor Mirasola (AWA/NLWC) 11-5 in his first bout. Brooks roared back from an early deficit against Alex Dieringer and rolled to an 8-4 win. He then downed Zahid Valencia (SKWC) 7-6 in the finals, coming back from a second period deficit for the win. The victory moves him into the best-of-three final series against RTC teammate David Taylor tomorrow.
Jennifer Page (PSU RTC/WFS 62 kg) received a bye through to the semifinals of the challenge bracket. She took on Mallory Velte in her first match and came away with an 8-7 win. Page battled Macey Kilty in the next round but dropped a hard-fought 9-8 decision, falling into consolation action. Mitchell Mesenbrink (Current-PSU RTC/74 kg) posted a strong 13-3 technical superiority win over Ladarian Lockett (CWC) in his first match after an opening round bye. Lee then took on Jordan Burroughs and an 8-3 decision, falling into consolation action on Saturday. Greg Kerkvliet (Current-PSU RTC/125 kg) had a first round bye and rolled to a 10-0 technical superiority over Christian Lance (NWTC) in his first bout. Kerkvliet lost a hard-fought 5-1 decision to Nick Gwiazdowski in his next bout, falling into consolation action on Saturday.
Max Dean (PSU RTC/86 kg) lost his first round bout to Evan Wick (TMWC) 13-1. He rebounded with a 12-2 technical superiority over Connor Mirasola in his first consolation bout. He will continue on in conso action on Saturday. Mark Hall (Former PSU/86 kg) had a first round bye. He lost a tough 5-2 decision to Alex Dieringer (CKWC) in his first bout. He picked up a forfeit win over Patrick Downey (S-MMA) in his first conso bout to continue on to Saturday's action.
Beau Bartlett (Current-PSU RTC/65 kg) opened up the tournament with a 10-6 win over Nahshon Garrett (LVWC) before dropping a tough 6-2 match to Andrew Alirez (NCRTC). He then dropped a tough 3-2 match to Joey McKenna (PRTC), coming up on the short side of two different challenges in the loss. Bartlett bowed out of the Trials with a 1-2 mark. Alex Facundo (Current -PSU RTC/74 kg) downed teammate Levi Haines 6-0 in his first match at 74 kg. He then dropped a tough 5-3 bout to Jordan Burroughs in the next round. He battled Tyler Berger (PRTC) in conso action and lost a hard-fought 5-5 (ct.) bout, ending his tournament run with a 1-2 mark. Levi Haines (Current-PSU RTC/74 kg) dropped a 6-0 bout to teammate Alex Facundo in his first match at 74 kg. He then bowed out of the tournament with a tough 11-7 loss to Alex Marinelli (HWC). Carter Starocci (Current-PSU RTC/86 kg), having moved up to 86 kg, beat Patrick Downey (S-MMA) 12-4 in the opening round before dropping a tough 6-4 bout to Trent Hidlay (WRTC) in round two. Starocci received a bye in his first consolation bout but did not compete in the next round of conso action, ending his tournament.
Nico Megaludis (Former PSU/57 kg) had a first round bye and lost 8-0 to Spencer Lee (HWC) in his first bout. He bowed out of the tournament with a tough 2-2 (ct.) loss to Marcus Blaze (PWC). Vincenzo Joseph (Former PSU/74 kg) lost a tough 6-6 (ct.) match to Jarrett Jacques in the opening round and then did not compete in consolation action, ending his tournament.
David Taylor (PSU RTC/86 kg), Kyle Dake (PSU RTC/74 kg) and Kyle Snyder (PSU RTC/97 kg) all await the challenge bracket winners in best-of-three final series' beginning in session one at 10 a.m.
The Trials conclude tomorrow. Saturday's action continues at 10 a.m. with the conclusion of the Challenge brackets. The best-of-three finals series will take place at 6:30 p.m. with a free Fan Fest taking from 1:30 to 6 p.m. in Pegula Ice Arena across the street from the BJC.
The event will be broadcast and/or streamed in its entirety. Saturday's third session begins at 10 a.m. and, like Friday, will feature mat-by-mat streams (four mat setup and a quad box on Peacock. Session four, featuring the U.S. Olympic Finals, begins at 6:30 p.m. and will air nationally on USA Network and Peacock.
All 18 of Team USA's representatives will be determined at the event in the BJC (6 men's freestyle, 6 women's freestyle, 6 Greco). The Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games begin on July 26. The wrestling portion of the games runs from August 5 through August 11. In addition, the top three finishers at each weight class earn spots on the U.S. National Team.
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/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/Penn State Olympic RTC at 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Wrestling
April 19-20, 2024 – Bryce Jordan Center – University Park, Pa.
Weight-by-weight competitors and agate:
Thomas Gilman (PSU RTC/57 kg)
1: bye
2: Jax Forrest MHS – W, 5-4
3: Daton Fix CWC – W, 6-0
F-1: Spencer Lee HWC
F-2: Spencer Lee HWC
F-3 (if needed): Spencer Lee HWC
Nico Megaludis PITT-WC (Former PSU/57 kg)
1: bye
2: Spencer Lee HWC – L, 0-8
C1: Marcus Blaze PWC – L, 2-2 (ct.)
Beau Bartlett (Current-PSU RTC/65 kg)
1: Nahshon Garrett LVWC – W, 10-6
2: Andrew Alirez NCRTC – L, 2-6
C1: Joey McKenna PRTC – L, 2-3
Nick Lee (PSU RTC/65 kg)
1: bye
2: Alex Pantaleo CKWC – W, 9-2
3: Andrew Alirez NCRTC – W, 11-9
F-1: Zain Retherford NLWC
F-2: Zain Retherford NLWC
F-3 (if needed): Zain Retherford NLWC
Zain Retherford (PSU RTC/65 kg)
1: bye
2: bye
3: Jesse Mendez OHRTC – W, 3-2
F-1: Nick Lee NLWC
F-2: Nick Lee NLWC
F-3 (if needed): Nick Lee NLWC
Kyle Dake (PSU RTC/74 kg)
F-1: Jason Nolf NLWC
F-2: Jason Nolf NLWC
F-3 (if needed): Jason Nolf NLWC
Alex Facundo (Current -PSU RTC/74 kg)
1: Levi Haines NLWC – W, 6-0
2: Jordan Burroughs PRTC – L, 3-5
C1: Tyler Berger PRTC – L, 5-5 (ct.)
Levi Haines (Current-PSU RTC/74 kg)
1: Alex Facundo NLWC – L, 0-6
C1: Alex Marinelli HWC – L, 7-11
Vincenzo Joseph SKWC (Former PSU/74 kg)
1: Jarrett Jacques TSWC – L, 6-6 ct.
C1: Ladarian Lockett CWC – L, forfeit
Mitchell Mesenbrink (Current-PSU RTC/74 kg)
1: bye
2: Ladarian Lockett CWC – W, 13-3
3: Jordan Burroughs PRTC – L, 3-8
C1:
Jason Nolf (PSU RTC/74 kg)
1: bye
2: Alex Marinelli HWC – W, 7-3
3: Jarrett Jacques TSWC – W, 9-2
4: Jordan Burroughs PRTC – W, 3-0
F-1: Kyle Dake NLWC
F-2: Kyle Dake NLWC
F-3 (if needed): Kyle Dake NLWC
David Taylor (PSU RTC/86 kg)
F-1: Aaron Brooks NLWC
F-2: Aaron Brooks NLWC
F-3 (if needed): Aaron Brooks NLWC
Aaron Brooks (Current-PSU RTC/86 kg)
1: bye
2: Connor Mirasola AWA/NLWC – W, 11-5
3: Alex Dieringer CKWC – W, 8-4
4: Zahid Valencia SKWC – W, 7-6
F-1: David Taylor NLWC
F-2: David Taylor NLWC
F-3 (if needed): David Taylor NLWC
Max Dean (PSU RTC/86 kg)
1: Evan Wick TMWC – L, 1-13
C1: Connor Mirasola AWA/NLWC – W, 12-2 TS
C2: Mark Hall PRTC
Mark Hall PRTC (Former PSU/86 kg)
1: bye
2: Alex Dieringer CKWC – L, 2-5
C1: Patrick Downey S-MMA – W, forfeit
C2: Max Dean NLWC
Carter Starocci (Current-PSU RTC/86 kg)
1: Patrick Downey S-MMA – W, 12-4
2: Trent Hidlay WRTC – L, 4-6
C1: bye
C2: Evan Wick TMWC – L, inj.
Kyle Snyder (PSU RTC/97 kg)
F-1: Isaac Trumble (WRTC)
F-2: Isaac Trumble (WRTC)
F-3 (if needed): Isaac Trumble (WRTC)
Greg Kerkvliet (Current-PSU RTC/125 kg)
1: bye
2: Christian Lance NWTC – W, 10-0 TS
3: Nick Gwiazdowski SPAR/TMWC – L, 1-5
C1:
Jennifer Page (PSU RTC/WFS 62 kg)
1: bye
2: bye
3: Mallory Velte BDRTC – W, 8-7
4: Macey Kilty SKWC – L, 8-9
C1:
