Penn State Wrestling Sends Nine to 2025 Big Ten Semifinals

March 08, 2025

Penn State Wrestling Sends Nine to 2025 Big Ten Semifinals

Nine of ten Lions are already qualified for NCAA Championships in Philadelphia

EVANSTON, Ill.; March 8, 2025 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (15-0, 8-0 B1G) moved nine wrestlers into the semifinals of the 2025 Big Ten Championships with a strong first session at Northwestern University. Head coach Cael Sanderson’s squad has already qualified all nine of those wrestlers for the 2025 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia in two weeks, with one more needing just another win to move on as well.

Penn State entered the tournament with eight top two seeds, all of whom earned byes in the first round (five first, three second). Penn State’s current list of NCAA qualifiers for the NCAA Championships in two weeks are: Luke Lilledahl, 125; Beau Bartlett, 141; Shayne Van Ness, 149; Tyler Kasak, 157; Mitchell Mesenbrink, 165; Levi Haines, 174; Carter Starocci, 184; Josh Barr, 197; Greg Kerkvliet, 285. Braeden Davis went 1-1 at 133 and needs just one win in consolation action to earn a trip as well.

True freshman Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 8 at 125 by InterMat, took on Illinois’ Caelen Riley in the opening round. Lilledahl used two takedowns in the first two minutes to open up a 6-1 lead and build his riding time up over 1:00. He added a third takedown and led 9-2 after one. Lilledahl escaped to start the second period, took Riley down on the edge of the mat midway through the period and pinned the Illini at 4:09 to advance to the quarterfinals. He took on No. 15 Joey Cruz of Iowa in the quarters. Lilledahl used a last second takedown in the opening period to lead 3-0 after one. He then escaped to a 4-0 lead to start the second period. Lilledahl took Cruz down with :30 left in the period, finished on top and led 7-0 after two. Lilledahl worked his riding time up over 1:00 before Cruz escaped to a 7-1 score in the third. The Lion freshman picked up a final takedown at :35 and added 1:45 in riding time to roll to an 11-1 major decision, advancing to the semifinals and earning a trip to the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Braeden Davis, ranked No. 5 at 133, battled Andrew Hampton of Michigan State in the first round. Davis picked up a takedown midway through the opening period and carried a 3-1 lead into the second period. He escaped to start the second period then added a late takedown to lead 7-1 heading into the third. After a Hampton escape, Davis added one more takedown and tacked on riding time to roll to an 11- 2 major decision. He met No. 10 Dylan Shawver of Rutgers in the quarterfinals. Davis fought off a late Shawver shot over the last seconds of the opening period to move the bout into the second tied 0-0. Shawver chose neutral in the second and Davis battled through another late shot to head to the third tied 0-0. Davis escaped to a 1-0 lead quickly in the third. Davis and Shawver rolled through a wild scramble that appeared to lead to a Davis takedown. None was called, Penn State threw a brick, action continued with Shawver being given a takedown with just seconds left. The flurry went to review. The call on the mat stood and Davis dropped the last second 3-1 decision.

Senior+ Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 1 at 141, had a first-round bye and took on No. 28 Greyson Clark of Purdue in the quarterfinals. Bartlett used two slick first period takedowns to take a 6-2 lead into the second period. He added a quick takedown in the second stanza to open up a 9-2 lead and carried that lead, plus 1:40 in riding time, into the third period. Bartlett worked his way to an escape and a 10-2 lead midway through the third period. Bartlett tacked on one more takedown and moved into the semifinals with a 13-3 major decision. He also earned a trip to the NCAA tournament once more.

Sophomore Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 2 at 149, had a first-round bye and took on No. 29 Kal Miller of Maryland in the quarterfinals. Van Ness notched a takedown with 1:04 left in the first period and finished the stanza on top to lead 3-0 after one. He quickly escaped to a 4-0 lead to start the second period. Van Ness worked his way to a takedown in the final minute, finished on top and led 7-0 with 1:33 in riding time after two. After a Miller escape, Van Ness picked up another takedown and a stall point to lead 11-2 after Miller escaped at :35. He tacked on a riding time point and rolled into the semifinals with a 12-2 major decision. The win also clinched a spot at the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 1 at 157, had a first-round bye and took on No. 9 Trevor Chumbley of Northwestern in the quarterfinals. Kasak scored quickly, taking a 3-0 lead off the opening whistle. He added a second takedown to carry a 6-1 lead into the second. Kasak escaped to start the middle period and led 7-1. He carried that lead into the third period. Kasak was able to hold on for a 7-3 win despite giving up a couple late stall points. His win advanced him to the semifinals and earned him a trip to the NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, had a first-round bye and met No. 9 Paddy Gallagher of Ohio State in the quarterfinals. Mesenbrink received a medical default victory and advanced to the semifinals with the win. He also earned a trip to the NCAA Championships.

Junior Levi Haines, ranked No. 2 at 174, had a first-round bye and took on No. 26 Brody Baumann of Purdue in the quarterfinals. Haines took Baumann down at the 1:59 mark and then finished the period on top to lead 3-0 after one. He chose down to start the second and quickly reversed his way to a 5-0 lead to start the middle stanza. He built his riding time up to 3:50 with a rideout and carried that led to the third. Haines added an early takedown in the third to lead 8-0, then another to lead 11-1 and picked up the fall at the 5:58 mark, moving on to the semifinals and earning a trip to the NCAA tournament.

Graduate Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 184, had a first-round bye and took on DJ Washington of Indiana in the quarterfinals. Starocci dominated the first period, using a takedown and two stall points to lead 4-0 early. He picked up four late back points and led 9-0 after one. He reversed Washington to start the second stanza and led 11-0. Starocci ended the match in the second period with another takedown and four near fall points, getting the tech fall at the 4:54 mark to advance to the semifinals. Starocci also earned his fifth trip to nationals with the win.

Redshirt freshman Josh Barr, ranked No. 2 at 197, had a first-round bye and met No. 20 Camden McDanel of Nebraska in the quarterfinals. Barr scored quickly, taking McDanel down off the opening whistle. Barr built up over 1:00 in time, let McDanel up and then took him down again. He added four back points to lead 10-1 after the opening period. He quickly escaped to an 11-1 lead to start the second period then took a 14-2 lead with another quick takedown. He ended the match with a final takedown, getting the 17-2 tech fall at 4:05. The win moved Barr into the semifinals and earned him his first trip to the NCAA Championships.

Senior+ Greg Kerkvliet, ranked No. 2 at 285, had a first-round bye and battled No. 11 Ben Kueter of Iowa in the quarterfinals. Kerkvliet took Kueter down quickly, opening up a 3-0 lead in the initial seconds of the bout. He cut the Hawkeye loose and immediately took him down again to lead 6-1 at 1:47. Kerkvliet then turned Kueter to his back and picked up the first period pin at the 1:53 mark. Kerkvliet’s fall earned him a spot in the semifinals and a fifth trip to the NCAA tournament.

The Nittany Lions went 11-1 in the first session and picked up 15.0 bonus points off four majors, two tech falls, three pins and a default win. As of 3 p.m. Eastern, with consolation action on-going but PSU done for the session, the Nittany Lions lead the team race with 88.0 points. Nebraska is in second with 60.0 and Illinois is in third with 56.5. Iowa sits in fourth with 51.5.

Penn State closed out the dual meet schedule with a 15-0 mark and ended the conference slate 8-0 the week prior. Penn State closes out the 2024-25 dual slate with a 15-0 mark, 8-0 in Big Ten action (Regular Season Champions). Action at the 2025 Big Ten Championships continues tonight at 6 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. local). Sunday’s sessions start at 1 p.m. Eastern (12 p.m. local) and 5:30 p.m. Eastern (4:30 p.m. local).

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 at the 2025 Big Ten Championships – Session 1

March 8, 2025 – Evanston, Ill. – Northwestern University, Host

Team Standings (Top four in session 1 as of 3 p.m. Eastern)

1: PENN STATE – 88.0

2: Nebraska – 60.0

3: Illinois – 56.5

4: Iowa – 51.5

Weight-by-weight agate (rankings listed are InterMat as of 2/25/25):

125: #8 Luke Lilledahl, Fr., Weldon Spring, Mo./Wyoming Seminary – 4^th-seed

Rd. 1: Caelen Riley, Illinois – WBF (4:09)

Qtr: #15 Joey Cruz, Iowa – W, 11-1 maj. dec.

Semis: Tonight