THIS WEEK’S ACTION:
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; January 22, 2025 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (8-0, 2-0 B1G) visits the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-3, 2-1 B1G) on Friday, Jan. 24. The dual begins at 8 p.m. and is a B1G Network national telecast. All rankings listed are InterMat/InterMat Tournament Power Index (TPI).
The Nittany Lions are coming off a dominating 31-7 win at Nebraska last Friday night. The Nittany Lions rolled up eight wins, including three tech falls and a major, in front of a Nebraska wrestling record crowd of over 6,600 in the Devaney Center. Penn State improved to 8-0 overall with the win, 2-0 in Big Ten action.
Penn State’s line-up features ten ranked wrestlers. True freshman Luke Lilledahl is 10-0 and ranked No. 6 at 125. Sophomore Braeden Davis is 6-2 and ranked No. 7 at 133. Senior+ Beau Bartlett is 11-0 and ranked No. 3 at 141. Sophomore Shayne Van Ness is 10-1 and No. 4 at 149. Sophomore Tyler Kasak is 10-0 and No. 3 at 157. Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink is 12-0 and No. 1 at 165. Junior Levi Haines is 10-1 and No. 2 at 174. Graduate Carter Starocci is 11-0 and No. 1 at 184. Redshirt freshman Josh Barr is 9-0 and No. 4 at 197. Senior+ Greg Kerkvliet is 11-0 and ranked No. 2 at 285.
Rutgers is coming off a strong 31-7 win of its own, downing Wisconsin in Piscataway on Sunday. The win improved RU to 10-3 overall, 2-1 in Big Ten action. The Scarlet Knights feature a line-up that also has 10 ranked wrestlers in it. Dean Peterson is No. 19 at 125. Dylan Shawver is No. 9 at 133. Joseph Olivieri is No. 14 at 141. Andrew Clark is No. 20 at 149. Conner Harer is No. 31 at 157. Anthony White is No. 26 at 165. Jackson Turley is No. 22 at 174. Shane Cartagena-Walsh is No. 18 at 184. John Poznanski is No. 16 at 197. Yaraslau Slavikouski is No. 7 at 285. Penn State leads the all-time series with Rutgers 24-0, including a 35-3 win at Penn State last year on Feb. 12, 2024. Penn State won the last meeting at Rutgers as well, 33-8 on Feb. 10, 2023.
Penn State will return to action next week when it hosts Iowa on Friday, Jan. 31, in the Bryce Jordan Center. The dual, the first of two straight Friday night BJC Duals, is set for 7 p.m. and is a B1G Network national telecast.
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.
Individual rankings listed are InterMat as of 1-21-25 // Team ranking InterMat TPI
THIS WEEK
The Penn State Nittany Lions (8-0, 2-0 B1G) head to Piscataway, N.J., for a Big Ten road dual at Rutgers (10-3, 2-1 B1G). The dual is set for Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. and is a B1G Network national telecast.
UP NEXT
Penn State hosts Iowa on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. in the first of two straight BJC Duals.
ON THE AIR
Television - B1G Network
Streamed TV - Fox Sports App
Radio online - Free all year via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com
#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (8-0, 2-0 B1G)
125 #6 Luke Lilledahl Fr. Weldon Spring, Mo./Wyoming Seminary 10-0
133 #7 Braeden Davis So. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 6-2
141 #3 Beau Bartlett Sr.+ Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary 11-0
149 #4 Shayne Van Ness So. Somerville, N.J./Blair Academy 10-1
157 #3 Tyler Kasak So. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 10-0
165 #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink So. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 12-0
174 #2 Levi Haines Jr. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 10-1
184 #1 Carter Starocci Gr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 11-0
197 #4 Josh Barr R-Fr. Davison, Mich./Davison 9-0
285 #2 Greg Kerkvliet Sr.+ Inver Grove Heights, Min../Simley 11-0
#25 RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (10-3, 2-1 B1G)
125 #19 Dean Peterson Sr. Barnegat, N.J./Saint John Vianney 14-3
133 #9 Dylan Shawver Sr. Lorain, Ohio/Elyria 14-3
141 #14 Joseph Olivieri Sr. East Hanover, N.J./Hanover Park 12-3
149 #20 Andrew Clark Sr. Collingswood, N.J./Collingswood 17-7
157 #31 Conner Harer Fr. Montgomery, Pa./Montgomery 12-5
165 #26 Anthony White Sr. South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield 12-5
174 #22 Jackson Turley Gr. Chester, Va./St. Christopher’s 12-5
184 #18 Shane Cartagena-Walsh So. Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean 17-5
197 #16 John Poznanski Sr. Colonia, N.J./Colonia 11-4
285 #7 Yaraslau Slavikouski Gr. Rechitsa, Belarus/Northfield Mt. Hermon 12-3
Individual rankings listed are InterMat as of 1-21-25 // Team ranking InterMat TPI
NOTES:
NITTANY LIONS ROUT #4 NEBRASKA IN LINCOLN,
LIONS WIN 8 OF 10 IN FRONT OF NEARLY 7K FANS
Penn State routed homestanding Nebraska 31-7 in Lincoln, Neb., on Friday, Jan. 17, winning eight of ten bouts in front of a Nebraska record crowd of over 6,600 fans. Penn State used three tech falls and a major, as well as a number of impressive regular decisions, to grab the win. True freshman Luke Lilledahl downed #6 Caleb Smith 4-2 at 125 and sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink posted a 20-3 tech fall (5:39) over #7 Bubba Wilson as well.
NITTANY LIONS TIE ALL-TIME MARGIN OF VICTORY RECORD
WITH 55-0 SHUTOUT WIN OVER MICHIGAN STATE
The Penn State Nittany Lions opened up Big Ten dual action on Friday, Jan. 10, by shutting out visiting Michigan State 55-0 in Rec Hall. Penn State tied its all-time record for margin of victory with the effort (Buffalo, 55-0, Feb. 18, 2018). The Nittany Lions had six pins (Greg Kerkvliet, Shayne Van Ness, Tyler Kasak, Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, Josh Barr), three technical falls (Luke Lilledahl, Braeden Davis, Mitchell Mesenbrink) and a major (Beau Bartlett).
BECKETT RUNNER-UP AT F&M, 5 LIONS COMPETE
Senior Sam Beckett went 4-1 with three majors to take second place at 174 in the Franklin & Marshall Open on Friday, Jan. 10. Four other Lions competed as well: Cael Nasdeo picked up two wins at 141, Brock Weiss grabbed two wins at 149 and Ty Watson won twice at 157. Tim Levine picked up a victory at 141.
ZACK RYDER NAMED B1G FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK (1/8)
Freshman Zack Ryder was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the week ending Jan. 5, 2025. Ryder was one of nine Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers to head to the 2025 Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Jan. 4-5. He rolled through a strong field at 184 to claim the 184-pound title as a true freshman. Ryder went 5-0 overall with a pin and a tech fall. He posted a dominant 9-2 win over No. 22 DJ Parker of Oklahoma in the quarterfinals and then pinned No. 25 TJ Stewart of Virginia Tech in the semifinals. He downed Northern Colorado’s Al Heeg 6-1 (sv) in the finals.
THREE LIONS WIN SCUFFLE TITLES, FIVE PLACE AT UTC
Penn State sent nine individuals to Chattanooga for the 2025 Southern Scuffle on Jan. 4-5 and three true freshmen won titles. Five Penn Staters placed overall. Zack Ryder went 5-0 with a pin and a tech to win the crown at 184. He beat #22 DJ Parker of Oklahoma 9-2 in the quarters and pinned #25 TJ Stewart of Virginia Tech in the semis on his way to the championship. Connor Mirasola went 5-0 with a pin, two techs and a major to win at 197, downing #30 Patrick Brophy of The Citadel 7-3 in the finals. Cole Mirasola went 4-0 with two techs and a major to win at 285. He downed #29 Connor Barkett of Duke in the quarters and majored #25 Lucas Stoddard of Army in the finals. Sophomore Connor Pierce went 4-1 to place second at 149 and senior+ Kurt McHenry went 6-2 to take fifth at 125.
NASDEO WINS EDINBORO OPEN CROWN; BECKETT SECOND
True freshman Cael Nasdeo went 3-0 with a tech and a major (plus a non-collegiate win) to claim the 141 pound title at the Edinboro Open on Jan. 4. Redshirt freshman Sam Beckett went 2-1 at 174 and took second place.
PENN STATE NEARLY PERFECT IN NASHVILLE
The Penn State Nittany Lions went 3-0 at the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tenn., on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in dominant fashion. The Nittany Lions notched two shutout wins and went 29-1 overall in their three duals. Penn State shutout Binghamton 52-0 and #15 Little Rock 44-0 and downed #8 Missouri 41-3. The Nittany Lions had 29 wins, 22 for bonus (four majors, eight technical falls, eight pins and two forfeits) and outscored its three opponents 135-3.
PENN STATE ROARS TO 41-3 WIN OVER #8 MISSOURI
TO CLOSE OUT COLLEGIATE DUALS IN NASHVILLE
Penn State roared to a 41-3 win over #8 Missouri on Sunday, Dec. 22, to close out the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville. Beau Bartlett posted a 4-1 win over #16 Josh Edmond at 141 and Carter Starocci majored #10 Colton Hawks 10-1 at 184 to lead Penn State. Levi Haines, ranked #2 at 174, lost a thrilling 4-1 sudden victory decision to #1 Keegan O’Toole in the dual’s marquee match up.
NITTANY LIONS POST THIRD STRAIGHT SHUTOUT,
BLANKING #15 LITTLE ROCK AT JOURNEYMEN
Josh Barr posted a 4-1 (sv) win over #5 Stephen Little at 197 and Braeden Davis downed #5 Nassir Bailey 1-0 at 133 to spark Penn State to a 44-0 shutout win over #15 Little Rock in its second dual at the Journeymen Collegiate Duals on Dec. 22. The shutout was Penn State’s third straight. The Lions also got ranked wins from Shayne Van Ness, who pinned #16 Jordan Williams at 149; Tyler Kasak, a 4-2 winner over #20 Matty Bianchi at 157; and Mitchell Mesenbrink, who roared to a 17-1 tech over #21 Joey Bianchi at 165.
PENN STATE SHUTS OUT BINGHAMTON in Nashville
The Nittany Lions opened up the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals with a 52-0 shutout win over Binghamton. Luke Lilledahl posted a 19-4 tech over #33 Carson Wagner and Carter Starocci pinned #23 Will Ebert to spark Penn State.
BARR EARNS SECOND B1G FRESHMAN
OF THE WEEK AWARD (12/25)
Redshirt freshman Josh Barr was named Big Ten Freshman of the week for the week ending Dec. 22, 2024, his second honor of the season. Barr went 3-0 at the Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville on Sunday, Dec. 22. He had a tech fall in PSU’s win over Binghamton and a pin in the Lion win over Missouri. Barr also used a takedown in extra time to post a thrilling 4-1 (sv) win over #5 Stephen Little in the Nittany Lions’ victory over Little Rock.
BARTLETT AND LILLEDAHL EARN
B1G WEEKLY HONORS (12/18)
Senior+ Beau Bartlett was named B1G Wrestler of the week and true freshman Luke Lilledahl was named B1G Freshman of the Week for the week ending Dec. 18, 2024. Bartlett pinned No. 28 Cole Brooks and Lilledahl posted a 20-5 tech fall at 4:25 over Jack Braman in Penn State’s 54-0 shutout win over visiting Wyoming in the Bryce Jordan Center.
PENN STATE SHUTS OUT WYOMING 54-0 IN JORDAN CENTER
The Penn State Nittany Lions rolled to a 54-0 shut out win over visiting Wyoming on Sunday, Dec. 15. The dual, moved to the Bryce Jordan Center earlier in the week due to scheduling conflicts with the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament in Rec Hall, was wrestled in front of over 7,300 fans, turning a Rec Hall sellout into an even bigger crowd for the Cowboy dual. Penn State had five pins, four technical falls and a major in posting its second most lopsided win ever (55-0 over Buffalo on Feb. 18, 2018).
JOSH BARR MAJORS #6 BEARD TO LEAD PENN STATE
IN 36-3 WIN OVER LEHIGH IN ALLENTOWN’S PPL CENTER; named B1G freshman of the week
Red shirt freshman Josh Barr tallied three takedowns (one in the second and two in a dominant third) to roll to an 11-3 major decision over #6 Michael Beard at 197, leading Penn State to a 36-3 win over the Mountain Hawks. The dual was wrestled in Allentown’s PPL Center in front of a sold out crowd of nearly 10,000 fans. Penn State won nine of ten bouts, also picking up a win from true freshman Luke Lilledahl over #15 Sheldon Seymour at 125. Barr was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week (12/12) for his efforts.
KELLY WINS MAT-TOWN I TITLE, LEVINE RUNNER-UP
Jack Kelly went 3-0 with two pins (in 0:13 and 0:46 seconds) to win the 174 pound title at the Mat-Town Invitational on Dec. 1 in Lock Haven, Pa. Tim Levine went 1-1 plus a non-collegiate victory to earn a runner-up finish at 133 while Sam Beckett went 2-1 to place third at 174.
MITCHELL MESENBRINK EARNS B1G W.O.W. HONORS (11/27)
Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink went 4-0 with four technical falls at the Black Knight Invitational on Sunday, Nov. 24, to earn the 165 pound title at West Point, N.Y., earning tournament Outstanding Wrestler honors. He was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for the week ending Nov. 24, 2024, for his efforts.
NITTANY LIONS DOMINATE BLACK KNIGHT INVITATIONAL
The Penn State Nittany Lions dominated the 2024 Black Knight Invitational at Army West Point on Nov. 24. The Nittany Lions won nine of the 10 individual titles, 18 of their 22 competitors placed in the top six and every Penn Stater garnered at least one win. With results against teammates not counting as official NCAA bouts, three of Penn State’s titles included shared crowns with teammates not wrestling each other in the title bouts. Luke Lilledahl (125), Beau Bartlett (141), Shayne Van Ness (149), Tyler Kasak (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink 165), Levi Haines/Matt Lee (174), Carter Starocci/Zack Ryder (184), Lucas Cochran (197) and Greg Kerkvliet/Cole Mirasola (285) were champs. Alex Facundo (157) and Lucas Cochran (197) were runners-up. Kurt McHenry (125) and Connor Mirasola (197) placed third. Penn State rolled up a 55-9 overall record at the event, including seven majors, 24 tech falls and 15 pins (46 of its 55 wins were for bonus). Various matches that pitted Nittany Lions against each other are not included in those totals.
NITTANY LIONS ROLL OVER DREXEL
41-3 IN SEASON OPENER
The Penn State Nittany Lions opened up the regular season with a 41-3 victory over visiting Drexel on Sunday, Nov. 17, in Rec Hall. True freshman Luke Lilledahl received a forfeit win at 125 in his collegiate debut and Greg Kerkvliet closed out the dual with a pin at 285. In between, the Nittany Lions picked up three decisions and four straight tech falls in the second half to roll to the win. Levis Haines (174) and Carter Starocci (184) competed the night before in the NWCA All-Star Classic Exhibition and posted tech falls the next day in the win over the Dragons. Also grabbing victories were Braeden Davis (133), Connor Pierce (149), Alex Facundo (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165) and Lucas Cochran (197).
PSU SHINES AT ALL-STAR CLASSIC EXHIBITION
While Penn State’s official season began on Sunday, Nov. 17, in Rec Hall when the Nittany Lions beat Drexel, five Nittany Lions took part in the NWCA All-Star Classic exhibition the night before. The exhibition, not an official NCAA event and does not count towards wins, losses or RPI, featured Beau Bartlett (141), Shayne Van Ness (149), Tyler Kasak (157), Levi Haines (174) and Carter Starocci (184). Bartlett dropped a hard-fought 4-1 decision to No. 2 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State, Van Ness rolled to a 16-4 major over No. 3 Ty Watters of West Virginia, Kasak posted a 4-2 win over No. 3 Peyten Keller of Ohio, Haines notched a 7-0 win over No. 3 Cade DeVos of South Dakota State and Starocci grabbed a hard-fought 4-1 (sv) win over No. 2 Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa.
#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).