Penn State Wrestling’s Starocci, Brooks Win National Championships as Nittany Lions Run Away with Team Title

Two Penn State wrestlers captured their third consecutive national championships as the Nittany Lions wrapped up the NCAA tournament on Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma with the program’s 11th team title.

Carter Starocci finished off an undefeated season by winning the 174 pound title with a pin of Nebraska’s Mikey Labriola in the first period of their championship bout. Aaron Brooks, meanwhile, knocked off No. 1 seed Parker Keckeisen with a 6-2 decision in the 184-pound final.

In his final collegiate bout, top-seeded 133-pounder Roman Bravo-Young suffered his first loss in three years as No. 3 seed Vito Arujau of Cornell denied the Nittany Lion a third straight national title with a 10-4 decision in the title match. Levi Haines completed his true freshman season as national runner-up at 157 pounds, dropping a 6-2 decision to No. 1 seed Austin O’Connor of North Carolina.

Eight of Penn State’s nine tournament qualifiers earned All-America status. In addition to the champions and runners-up, 141-pound junior Beau Bartlett and 149-pound redshirt freshman Shayne Van Ness won third place, while senior 197-pounder Max Dean concluded his college career with a seventh-place finish in the medal round earlier on Saturday.

The Nittany Lions locked up their 10th team national title since 2011 on Saturday afternoon. Penn State finished the three-day tournament with 137.5 points, easily outdistancing second-place Iowa’ with’s 82.5 points. Cornell, Ohio State and Missouri rounded out the top five.

Roman Bravo-Young – 133 pounds

Bravo-Young came into the title bout with a 56-match win streak and seeking a third consecutive championship to cap off a remarkable collegiate career. No. 3 seed Vito Arujau arrived on a red-hot tournament run, having knocked off No. 2 seed Daton Fix in the semifinals. The Big Red junior would prove unstoppable. Arujau got in on Bravo-Young’s leg and tripped him to the mat for the bout’s opening takedown, and after an escape, connected on a single leg again and nearly put Bravo-Young on his back. After having given up two takedowns all season, Bravo Young gave up two in the first period and trailed 4-1 heading in the second. Arujau took bottom to start the middle period and turned in for a reversal, taking Bravo-Young to the mat for two near fall points and a stunning 8-1 lead. Bravo-Young escaped in the second and started the third with a reversal to pull within 8-4. But Arujau escaped and held off the Nittany Lion fifth-year senior the rest of the way. With a riding time point, Arujau claimed a 10-4 decision and his first national title.

Bravo-Young finishes his college career as a five-time All-American with a 100-10 record, three NCAA finals appearances, two national titles and three Big Ten championships.

Levi Haines – 157 pounds

Riding a 24-match win streak into the final, No. 2 seed true freshman Haines met North Carolina’ top-seeded sixth-year senior Austin O’Connor for the 157-pound title. After a scoreless first period, Haines chose bottom to start the third and O’Connor stayed in control the entire period for two minutes of riding time. O’Connor quickly escaped to start the third then countered a Haines shot with a low double for the bout’s first takedown. Haines escaped, but O’Connor got in for another low takedown that would put the bout away. Haines escaped, but with a riding time point O’Connor claimed a 6-2 decision and his second national championship.

Just the third Penn State true freshman to reach the finals, Haines finishes his first collegiate campaign as national runner-up with a 25-2 record.

Carter Starocci – 174 pounds

Undefeated No. 1 seed Starocci took on Nebraska’s second-seeded Mikey Labriola, who suffered his only defeat of the season to this point two weeks ago in the Big Ten title bout against the Nittany Lion. Starocci used a head inside single and circled around behind Labriola to take a 2-0 lead. As Starocci stayed in control, Labriola tried to roll out for an escape. Starocci caught him, took him to his back and went chest to chest for the pin at the 2:46 mark to win his third consecutive national championship.

Starocci finishes his redshirt junior season with a 25-0 record and extended his win streak to 52 matches, the longest in the nation.

Aaron Brooks – 184 pounds

No. 3 seed Aaron Brooks used a single leg for a takedown and rode out the remainder of the first period to take a 2-0 lead against top seed Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa. Brooks escaped to start the second, then caught Keckeisen’s leg, pulled him in and drove through for a second takedown. Brooks built up his riding time to 1:21 before Keckeisen escaped to make it 4-1 after two. Keckeisen was called for a third caution for an early start in the third, giving Brooks another point. The Panther escaped but Brooks continued to set the pace through the remainder of the bout, adding a riding time point for a 6-2 decision and his third straight national title.

Brooks finishes the season with a 17-1 record.

Greg Kerkvliet – 285 pounds

In another Big Ten title bout rematch, Kerkvliet, the No. 3 seed, met Michigan’s undefeated top seed Mason Parris in the heavyweight championship bout. Kerkvliet got in on a good shot early in the first period, but Parris got free and countered for a takedown to take a 2-0 lead. The Wolverine fifth-year senior stayed in control on top for the remainder of the period, collecting 2:29 in riding time. Parris escaped to start the third and Kerkvliet could not break through on offense. Down 3-0 in the third, Kerkvliet chose bottom and Parris again stayed in control until the Nittany Lion had to run injury time after appearing to twist his knee. When action restarted, Parris took bottom and Kerkvliet worked for a turn but couldn’t make it happen. Kerkvliet got a point on a second stall call against, but Parris escaped with three seconds remaining and added a riding time point for a 5-1 decision and his first national championship.

Kerkvliet finishes his junior season as national runner up and a three-time All-American with a 19-3 record.