Six Penn State wrestlers have advanced to the finals of the Big Ten Championships, set to take place on Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois. The Nittany Lions, currently leading the team standings, will have multiple wrestlers competing for individual conference titles.
Out of nine Penn State wrestlers who competed in the semifinals, six secured their spots in the championship matches: Luke Lilledahl (125 lbs), Tyler Kasak (157 lbs), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165 lbs), Levi Haines (174 lbs), Carter Starocci (184 lbs), and Greg Kerkvliet (285 lbs). The team leads the competition with 136 points, followed by Nebraska with 118.5 and Iowa with 98.
While several wrestlers found success, others suffered setbacks. Beau Bartlett (141 lbs), Shayne Van Ness (149 lbs), and Josh Barr (197 lbs) were all defeated in the semifinals and will now compete in the wrestle-back rounds for a shot at third place. Additionally, Braeden Davis (133 lbs) rebounded from a Friday loss with strong performances on Saturday and will also compete for a third-place finish.
All 10 Penn State wrestlers have secured spots in the upcoming NCAA Championships, which will be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia later this month.
Big Ten Finals Matchups
- 125 lbs: Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) vs. Caleb Smith (Nebraska)
- 157 lbs: Tyler Kasak (Penn State) vs. Brandon Cannon (Ohio State)
- 165 lbs: Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) vs. Michael Caliendo (Iowa)
- 174 lbs: Levi Haines (Penn State) vs. Lenny Pinto (Nebraska)
- 184 lbs: Carter Starocci (Penn State) vs. Max McEnelly (Minnesota)
- 285 lbs: Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) vs. Gable Steveson (Minnesota)
Penn State wrestlers are favored to win at 157, 165, 174, and 184 pounds. However, Luke Lilledahl (125) and Greg Kerkvliet (285) enter their finals as underdogs against Nebraska’s Caleb Smith and Minnesota’s Gable Steveson, respectively.
The heavyweight bout between Kerkvliet and Steveson is expected to be the highlight of the event. Steveson, a two-time NCAA Champion and three-time Big Ten champion, enters the match with a dominant 64-match winning streak. Meanwhile, Kerkvliet has been on a 38-match winning streak over the past two seasons, setting up a high-stakes showdown.
The championship, third-place, and fifth-place matches will begin Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
Leave a Reply