THIS WEEK’S ACTION:
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; November 13, 2024 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (0-0, 0-0 B1G) will open up the 2024-25 season this coming weekend in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions first official dual meet will be on Sunday, Nov. 17, when Drexel (0-2) visits Happy Valley for a 1 p.m. dual meet. The night before, select Nittany Lions will take part in the NWCA All-Star Classic Exhibition on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. The event is an exhibition, the results do not count as wins or losses for the athletes and it is not part of the Penn State Wrestling Season Ticket Package. All rankings listed are InterMat/Intermat Tournament Power Index (TPI).
The five Nittany Lions set to compete in the NFHCA All-Star Classic Exhibition on Saturday night are: No. 3 Beau Bartlett vs. No. 2 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State at 141; No. 2 Shayne Van Ness vs. No. 3 Ty Watters of West Virginia at 149; No. 5 Tyler Kasak vs. No. 3 Peyten Kellar of Ohio at 157; No. 2 Levi Haines vs. No. 3 Cade DeVos of South Dakota State at 174; and No. 1 Carter Starocci vs. No. 2 Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa at 184.
The next day, Penn State officially begins the 2024-25 season by hosting Drexel at 1 p.m. in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lion line-up heading into this weekend’s two events features nine ranked wrestlers. Braeden Davis is seventh at 133, Beau Bartlett is third at 141, Shayne Van Ness is second at 149, Tyler Kasak is fifth at 157, Mitchell Mesenbrink is first at 165, Levi Haines is second at 174, Carter Starocci is first at 184, Josh Barr is 23rd at 197 and Greg Kerkvliet is first at 285.
Drexel enters the weekend with an 0-2 mark after opening the season with two tough losses on Saturday, Nov. 9. The Dragons lost 29-9 to Navy and 33-0 to North Carolina. Kyle Waterman (133), Luke Nichter (157) and Dom Petracci (285) picked up wins for Drexel in the Navy dual. Penn State owns a 1-0 lead in the all-time series with the Dragons, having won the lone meeting 28-6 on Jan. 19, 2003, at Drexel.
Penn State will head to Army West Point next Sunday, Nov. 24, for the Black Knight Invitaitonal. Action begins in West Point, N.Y., at 10 a.m.
The 2024-25 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.
FIVE NITTANY LIONS SET TO COMPETE IN THE
NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC EXHIBITION
While Penn State’s official season opens up on Sunday, Nov. 17, in Rec Hall when the Nittany Lions host Drexel at 1 p.m., the venerable building will be the site of the NWCA All-Star Classic exhibition the night before. Five Nittany Lions will compete in the exhibition, which is not an official NCAA event and does not count towards wins, losses or RPI. Penn State’s Beau Bartlett (141), Shayne Van Ness (149), Tyler Kasak (157), Levi Haines (174) and Carter Starocci (184) will take part.
#FUNSTATS AFTER THE 2024 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
// Most Individual NCAA Titles Since 2011 -- PENN STATE 38, Cornell 14, Oklahoma State 10, Ohio State 10, Iowa 7
// Penn State National Finalists Since 2011 -- 56
// Penn State in NCAA Finals Since 2011 -- 38-18 (Since 2011, winning percentage in NCAA finals is .679)
// Penn State in NCAA Semifinals Since 2011 -- 56-8 (Since 2011, winning percentage in NCAA semis is .875)
// Penn State Team Championships Since 2011 -- 11 (of 13, no NCAA tournament in 2020)
// Penn State Percentage of Team Titles Won Since 2011 - .846 (no NCAA tournament in 2020)
// Penn State has 12 NCAA Championships (11 under Sanderson), third most in NCAA history
// Penn State is the only team in the nation to win at least one individual title at EACH WEIGHT in the last decade
// Penn State is one of only two teams in NCAA history to have five individual champions in one year TWICE.
// Penn State’s Cael Sanderson has won 11 NCAA titles as a coach, second most in NCAA history (tied).