UNIVERSITY PARK — Every year during the Cael Sanderson Era of Penn State wrestling, both coaches and wrestlers alike have measured every competition against how it prepares the team for what awaits in March.
The Big Ten Championships and NCAA Championships, they say, are the ultimate measuring stick. With another regular season in the books, one in which the Nittany Lions produced preposterous statistics, Penn State seems poised for another prodigious postseason.
The Nittany Lions (15-0, 8-0 B1G) dominated American (10-10, 1-4 EIWA) 50-3 on Friday, Feb. 21, in front of another Rec Hall sold out crowd of 6,311.
Penn State completed its fifth consecutive undefeated regular season and the ninth in the past 10 years. The Nittany Lions have won 71 consecutive dual meets. Their last loss came more than five years ago, 19-17 to Iowa on Jan. 31, 2020.
The Nittany Lions wrestled like a team that had 9 p.m. reservations. Even with a 7 p.m. start time and a 10-minute intermission, the match was wrapped up by 8:19.
In that 1:19, Penn State won nine of 10 bouts, five by fall, including the final four and another four by technical fall.
No. 1 Tyler Kasak (in 2:19 at 157), No. 2 Levi Haines (in 3:41 at 174), No. 1 Carter Starocci (in 2:21 at 184), No. 2 Josh Barr (in 1:09 at 197) and No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet (in 2:47 at 285) all recorded falls.
No. 9 Luke Lilledahl (20-3 in 5:11 at 125), No. 1 Beau Bartlett (21-5 in 3:19 at 141), No. 2 Shayne Van Ness (16-1 in 5:51 at 149) and No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (19-2 in 5:20 at 165) amassed technical falls.
“I think the team’s in good position, in good shape. You know we’re healthy and happy and excited for the postseason,” Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said.
“Remember, a year ago we had an injury (to Starocci) in this last match so that was not a good thing, so we’re happy and healthy and excited for what’s coming up.”
On this night, Penn State scored bonus points in four of the first five bouts to open a 21-3 lead at the intermission.
Lilledahl and Bartlett each put on a takedown clinic in rolling to technical fall wins. Lilledahl scored six against Bald Eagle Area graduate Coen Bainey. Bartlett struck for six takedowns in the first period and then one more early in the second.
Van Ness took a slightly different route to his technical fall win. He used three takedowns, four nearfall points and a reversal.
And, at 157, Kasak returned to the lineup and looked sharp, turning his Eagle opponent with a bow-and-arrow and earning a fall in 2:19.
American did manage one win, at 133, where Raymond Lopez converted on a single with 11 seconds left to pull out a 9-7 decision over Kyison Garcia, who was subbing for starter Braeden Davis. Sanderson said Davis’s absence was precautionary.
Out of the break, Penn State wrestled with a heightened sense of urgency and intensity, piling up five consecutive bonus point wins, a technical fall and then four falls.
The three senior starters — Bartlett, Starocci and Kerkvliet — all ended their Rec Hall careers with exclamation points.
Bartlett literally sprinted to the middle of the mat and then wrestled with the same frenetic pace landing six takedowns in rapid-fire fashion.
“I don’t know if I’ve taken more than one shot in a match before,” Bartlett said with a smile and a laugh. “Most of my college career I kind of just struggled with … just like impostor syndrome, not knowing if I knew how to wrestle, even times where I was wrestling good or being surrounded by a bunch of great wrestlers, second guessing what I should do, how I should train, what I should eat.
“Recently, I’ve just gone back to what I did in high school daily, how much sleep, how much I’m eating and I trust that at the end of the day, everyone can help me. They can support me, my training partners, my fiancé, everyone can really help me a lot. But it’s in my hands and I owe it to myself to send it.”
Starocci, who has positioned himself to be the first five-time champion in NCAA history, expressed his appreciation for wrestling in Happy Valley.
“I love wrestling in Rec Hall, the Bryce Jordan Center or anywhere in State College. For me, I just love wrestling in general,” he said. “It’s special to always walk out there in Rec Hall and they kind of get your style. They’re always cheering. So, it’s always good.”
Sanderson said that Kerkvliet has been so consistently entertaining that fans usually hang around to watch him instead of getting an early jump on heading for home.
“I think Greg’s just done great. He’s very consistent. It’s nice when you have a heavyweight, and you look up in the stands and nobody’s leaving. It’s not the case very often,” he said.
“Greg’s been awesome for us and he wrestled well tonight. We’re obviously excited for the opportunity in the postseason but we’re definitely going to miss that guy. He’s a hammer.”
Individually, four Nittany Lions –– Bartlett, Mesenbrink, Starocci and Kerkvliet –– finished the season undefeated. Van Ness, Kasak, Haines and Barr finished with just one loss each.
Heading into the postseason, four Nittany Lions are ranked No. 1 (Bartlett, Kasak, Mesenbrink and Starocci) and four are No. 2 (Van Ness, Haines, Barr and Kerkvliet).
The starting lineup combined to finish with a 156-9 record, good for a 0.945 winning percentage.
Nine seniors were recognized during Senior Night festivities: Bartlett, Lucas Cochran, Aurelius Dunbar, Jack Kelly, Matt Lee, Timothy Levine, Kurt McHenry, Starocci and Sean Wang. Kerkvliet, who was recognized in Senior Day activities last year, didn’t participate this year.
Penn State will now rest, recuperate and train for the Big Ten Championships on Saturday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.
Bartlett said the approach of each individual on the team varies when it comes to preparation for the postseason.
“Whatever the coaches say. Everyone has mindsets that work for them. At the end of the day, you’ve got to be ready to present your best self when it’s time, whatever that takes,” he said.
“You’ve got to be real happy, real angry, real, I don’t know, drink three cups of coffee, whatever you need to present your best self. So, I think we’re all gonna be doing that.”
No. 1 Penn State 50
American 3
(Friday, Feb. 21, at University Park)
125: No. 9 Luke Lilledahl, PSU, won by tech. fall over Coen Bainey, 20-3 (5:11).
133: Raymond Lopez, AU, dec. Kyison Garcia, 9-7.
141: No. 1 Beau Bartlett, PSU, won by tech. fall over Elijah White, 21-5 (3:19).
149: No. 2 Shayne Van Ness, PSU, won by tech. fall over Gage Owen, 16-1 (5:51).
157: No. 1 Tyler Kasak, PSU, pinned Devon Capato, 2:19.
165: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, PSU, won by tech. fall over Kaden Milheim, 19-2 (5:20).
174: No. 2 Levi Haines, PSU, pinned Breon Phifer, 3:41.
184: No. 1 Carter Starocci, PSU, pinned Lucas White, 2:21.
197: No. 2 Josh Barr, PSU, pinned Liam Volk-Klos, 1:09.
285: No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet, PSU, pinned Emmanuel Ulrich, 2:47.
Ridge Riley Award winner: Kerkvliet.
Attendance: 6,311.
Takedowns: American 2; Penn State 35.
Records: American 10-10, 1-4 EIWA; Penn State 15-0, 8-0 B1G.
Next match: Penn State at 2025 Big Ten Championships, March 8-9 in Evanston, Illinois.
