UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (3-0, 0-0 B1G) shut out visiting Wyoming (2-3) 54-0 in front of over 7,300 fans in the Bryce Jordan Center. The dual, originally a sellout in Rec Hall, was moved to the Jordan Center this past Sunday due to the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament being held in Rec Hall this weekend. All rankings listed are InterMat/InterMat Tournament Power Index (TPI).
The Nittany Lions won all ten bouts, all for bonus, including five pins. The shut out is the first of the season for Penn State.
The dual began at 125. Penn State true freshman Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 12 at 125, rolled to a 20-5 technical fall over Wyoming’s Jack Braman, finishing off the match in the second period at 4:25. Sophomore Braeden Davis, ranked No. 11 at 133, mirrored that tech fall next. Davis rolled to a 18-3 tech fall at 5:27 to put Penn State up 10-0 early. Senior+ Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 3 at 141, made short work of No. 28 Cole Brooks, locking the Cowboy’s shoulders and getting the fast fall at 0:47 in the first period.
Sophomore Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 2 at 149, picked up Penn State’s second straight fall, pinning No. 22 Gabe Willochell at the 4:27 mark to give the Nittany Lions a 22-0 lead. Sophomore Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 4 at 157, dominated No. 19 Jared Hill in the fifth bout of the dual. Kasak used two first period takedowns and a takedown and three nearfall points in the third to roll to a 16-3 major and send Penn State into the halftime break with a 26-0 lead.
Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, opened up the second half with his seventh technical fall in as many matches. Mesenbrink rolled over Cooper Voorhees, posting the 15-0 tech fall at the 3:17 mark. Junior Levi Haines, ranked No. 2 at 174, continued Penn State’s dominance with the third pin of the dual. Haines got the first period pin over Riley Davis at 2:25 to put Penn State up 37-0.
Graduate Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 184, picked up yet another first period fall for the Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lion graduate picked up his fall at the 1:38 mark to give Penn State a 43-0 lead. Redshirt freshman Josh Barr, ranked No. 7 at 197, picked up Penn State’s third straight pin, getting another first period fall at 1:48. Senior+ Greg Kerkvliet, ranked No. 2 at 285, finished off the dual meet with a convincing 20-3 technical fall over Kevin Zimmer at the 3:28 mark. Kerkvliet’s effort capped off Penn State’s 54-0 shutout victory.
Penn state rolled up a gaudy 29-1 edge in takedowns. The Nittany Lions won all ten matches, picking up bonus points in each. Penn State had 24 bonus points off five pins (Bartlett, Van Ness, Haines, Starocci, Barr), four tech falls (Lilledahl, Davis, Mesenbrink, Kerkvliet) and one major (Kasak). The 54-0 win, Penn State’s first shoutout of the year, is the first since a 35-0 shutout at Michigan State last year on Feb. 21, 2024. The 54-point margin is the second largest in Penn State history (55-0 over Buffalo on Feb. 18, 2018).
The Nittany Lions improve to 3-0 on the year while the Cowboys fall to 2-3. Penn State returns to action next weekend with a trip to the Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tenn. The Nittany Lions will wrestle three opponents on Sunday, Dec. 22. Penn State battles Binghamton at 3 p.m., Little Rock at 5 p.m. and Missouri at 7 p.m.
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.
#1 Penn State 54, Wyoming 0
December 15, 2024 – Bryce Jordan Center – University Park, Pa.
125: #12 Luke Lilledahl PSU tech fall Jack Braman WYO, 20-5 (TF; 4:25) 5-0
133: #11 Braeden Davis PSU tech fall Stockton O’Brien WYO, 18-3 (TF; 5:27) 10-0
141: #3 Beau Bartlett PSU pinned No. 28 Cole Brooks WYO, WBF (0:47) 16-0
149: #2 Shayne Van Ness PSU pinned No. 22 Gabe Willochell WYO, WBF (4:27) 22-0
157: #4 Tyler Kasak PSU maj. dec. No. 19 Jared Hill WYO, 16-3 26-0
165: #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink PSU tech fall Cooper Voorhees WYO, 15-0 (TF; 3:17) 31-0
174: #2 Levi Haines PSU pinned Riley Davis WYO, WBF (2:25) 37-0
184: #1 Carter Starocci PSU pinned Ethan Ducca WYO, WBF (1:37) 43-0
197: #7 Josh Barr PSU pinned Brant Whitaker WYO, WBF (1:48) 49-0
285: #2 Greg Kerkvliet PSU tech fall Kevin Zimmer WYO, 20-3 (TF; 3:28) 54-0
Attendance: 7,317
Records: Penn State (3-0, 0-0 B1G); Wyoming (2-3)
Up Next for Penn State: Sunday, Dec. 22, Journeymen Collegiate Duals, Nashville, Tenn. (vs. Binghamton at 3 p.m., Little Rock at 5 p.m., Missouri at 7 p.m.).
DUAL MEET BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: True freshman Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 12 at 125, met Wyoming’s Jack Braman. Lilledahl began the dual with a quick low single, finishing off the takedown at the 2:25 mark. Braman escaped after a reset and Lilledahl went right back to work on offense, notching a second takedown at 2:10 to open up a 6-1 lead. The Lion freshman let the Cowboy up at 1:45 and worked his way for a third takedown and a 9-2 lead at 1:30. Lilledahl added a fourth takedown with :30 left in the period and then finished the period on top to lead 12-3 with 1:51 in riding time after one. Braman chose down to start the second period. Lilledahl turned him for two back points, cut him, took him down, cut him once more and finished off the bout with a final takedown to post the 20-5 technical fall at the 4:25 mark.
133: Sophomore Braeden Davis, ranked No. 11 at 133, took on Stockton O’Brien. Davis took O’Brien down quickly opening up a 3-0 lead in the first minute. He dominated action on top, working to turn O’Brien for nearly a minute before O’Brien escaped to a 3-1 score. Davis turned a low shot into a second takedown with under 1:00 left in the period, finished the first on top, and led 6-1 with 1:35 in time. O’Brien chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 6-2 score. Davis quickly took the Cowboy down again and opened up a 9-2 lead. He cut O’Brien loose, moved in on offense and notched a third takedown at :22. Another rideout gave the Lion sophomore a 12-3 lead with 2:30 in time after two periods. Davis chose down to start the third period. He worked his way to a reversal, lifting O’Brien off his feet and taking him to his back for four near fall points, ending the match with an 18-3 tech fall at 5:27.
141: Senior+ Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 3 at 141, met No. 28 Cole Brooks. Bartlett ended the match quickly, working Brooks to the mat, shoulders down and getting the pin at 0:47.
149: Sophomore Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 2 at 149, battled No. 22 Gabe Willochell. Van Ness scored quickly, opening up a 3-0 lead in the opening seconds. He cut Willochell loose and went back to work on offense. He forced a scramble at 1:20 but Willochell countered for his own takedown and a 4-3 lead. Van Nes worked his way to an escape and a 4-4 tie at :55 and then went back to work, snapping through a quick takedown and a 7-4 lead at :45. Willochell chose down to start the second period and Van Ness built his riding time up to 1:04 before the Cowboy escaped to a 7-5 score. The Lion sophomore blew through a high doble and took him down to a 10-5 lead at 1:10. He worked his shoulders to the mat and finished off the fall at 4:27.
157: Sophomore Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 4 at 157, faced No. 19 Jared Hill. Kasak worked in neutral for nearly a minute before taking a 3-0 lead with a takedown on the edge of the mat. Kasak maintained control on top before cutting Hill loose to a 4-1 score. Hill gave up a penalty point with a swipe to the head and Kasak led 4-1 at 1:21. Kasak scrambled his way to a second takedown with 1:00 on the clock, opening up a 7-1 lead. Kasak put together a strong ride, finishing the period on top to lead 7-1 with 1:43 in time after one. Hill chose down to start the second period. Kasak controlled the action on until Hill escaped to a 7-2 score at 1:40. The duo worked in neutral as Kasak worked Hill backwards for the entirety of the period, forcing a first stall at :03. Leading 7-2, Kasak chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to an 8-2 lead. He then snapped a low single, nearly taking Hill down again on the edge of the mat. But the Cowboy was able to flee the mat and forced a reset with 1:24 on the clock. Kasak countered a slight Hill shot at the 1:00 mark, took the Cowboy down on the edge of the mat turned him to his back for three nearfall points and a 14-2 lead. Kasak cut Hill loose on the reset and went back to work on his feet. Kasak picked up a stall point at :08 and, with 2:06 in riding time, rolled to the 16-3 major.
165: Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, took on Cooper Voorhees. Mesenbrink scored quickly, taking Voorhees down at the 2:45 mark for an early 3-0 lead. He worked top control into over 1:00 in riding time, eventually turning the Cowboy to his shoulders. He picked up a four-point near fall the 1:00 mark to open up a 7-0 lead. Mesenbrink continued to dominate the top position, turning Voorhees for four more back points to lead 11-0 at :08. Mesenbrink chose down to start the second period, escaped to a 12-0 score, and finished off the tech fall with another takedown, winning 15-0 at 3:17.
174: Junior Levi Haines, ranked No. 2 at 174, met Riley Davis. Haines picked up the first takedown at the 1:44 mark, opening up a 3=-0 lead in the center circle. He worked his way to a turn, picking up four back points to lead 7-0 at :55. He reset, then turned the Cowboy flat and picked up the first period pin at 2:25.
184: Graduate Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 184, battled Ethan Ducca. Starocci took Ducca down for the opening takedown at the 2:18 mark to lead 3-0. He worked his way into a turn, rolling Ducca to his back for four back points and a 7-0 lead with 1:45 on the clock. Starocci reset, turned Ducca to his back and notched the first period pin at the 1:37 mark.
197: Redshirt freshman Josh Barr, ranked No. 7 at 197, took on Brant Whitaker. Barr took Whitaker down for a quick takedown, cut him loose and then took the Cowboy down once more to open up a 6-1 lead in the opening minute. Whitaker escaped and Barr quickly took him down again. The redshirt freshman worked Whitaker to his back for four near fall points to open up a 16-3 lead. He finished off the match with another Penn State pin, getting the fall at 1:48.
285: Senior+ Greg Kerkvliet, ranked No. 2 at 285, faced Kevin Zimmer. Kerkvliet scored first, taking Zimmer down for an early 3-1 lead. He cut the Cowboy loose and worked his offense for a second takedown and a 6-2 lead after another cut. Kerkvliet picked up a third quick takedown to lead 9-2 at 1:15 and went to work in the top position. Kerkvliet worked his riding time up to :39 before Zimmer escaped, but the Nittany Lion turned a high shot into a fourth takedown to lead 12-3 at :15. He added a late four point turn and led 16-3 after one. Zimmer chose down to start the second period and Kerkvliet quickly ended the bout, turning the Cowboy for four points, ending the 20-3 tech at 3:28.