What to Watch From Penn State at the NCAA Wrestling Championships

The Nittany Lions have dominated NCAAs since 2011. Will that continue?

No team has been better at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships since 2011 than Penn State. The Lions have won 80 percent of the NCAA team titles and 27 percent of the individual championships contested in those 10 tournaments (with 2020's being canceled).

Penn State returns to the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships once again as the favorite, even though the team placed second to Michigan at the Big Ten tournament.  The Lions qualified nine wrestlers and field four No. 1 seeds for the three-day tournament, scheduled for March 17-19 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Four Nittany Lions (Roman Bravo-Young, Nick Lee, Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks) seek to defend their national championships, while top-seeded Max Dean, a finalist at Cornell in 2019, wrestles for his first title at 194 pounds.

Further, eight Lions are returning to the NCAAs (Beau Bartlett is making his first appearance), and all eight have winning records at nationals.

"We have a lot to be proud of and grateful for," said head coach Cael Sanderson, who seeks to win his ninth NCAA team title in 13 seasons at Penn State. "We'll be the same team we have been all year. We'll go and have a good time."

Ready for nationals? Here's a look at what to watch from Penn State at the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships.

Five Things to Watch From Penn State

Joseph Cress/Iowa City-Press Citizen

The favorites: Roman Bravo-Young (133), Nick Lee (141) and Carter Starocci (174) are favored to defend their NCAA titles. The wrestlers bring a combined record of 52-0 to nationals and should see some rematches. Bravo-Young likely will have to go through Iowa's Austin DeSanto and Oklahoma State's Daton Fix to win. Lee would be looking forward to a finals rematch with Iowa's Jaydin Eierman, who forfeited to Lee in the Big Ten final. For Starocci, a newcomer could enter the mix: The No. 2 seed is Virginia Tech's Mekhi Lewis, a 2019 national champ.

Aaron Brooks' path to his second title: The defending national champ at 184 fell in sudden victory to Michigan's Myles Amine in the Big Ten final, his first loss since the 2019-20 season. To get a championship rematch with Amine, Brooks likely will have to defeat North Carolina State's Trent Hidlay, whom Brooks decisioned 3-2 in the 2021 final. Since the loss, teammate Nick Lee said, "He's been regular, happy Aaron Brooks. He's just a blessing to have around. There's been no change in that guy. He's rock solid."

Max Dean's return to NCAAs: Dean last competed at nationals in 2019, when he finished as the runner-up at 184. Dean redshirted the following year and then didn't compete in 2020-21, when Cornell canceled its season. But Dean looks better than ever, having won the Big Ten title and the NCAA top seed at 197 pounds. Dean also has moved on from his 3-2 loss to Michigan's Cameron Caffey in January.

Does Brady Berge surprise the field?: Sanderson wasn't thrilled that Berge was seeded 16th at 157 after placing third at the Big Ten tournament. Berge could generate some valuable team points if he makes another run.

How high can Greg Kerkliet fly? The heavyweight drew the fourth seed, meaning his tournament includes a potential semifinal bout with defending NCAA and Olympic champion Gable Steveson of Minnesota. Again, Kerkvliet could deliver vital team points even after a potential loss to Steveson.

Penn State's NCAA Championships History

Joseph Cress/Iowa Press-Citizen

A look at Penn State by the numbers at the NCAA Wrestling Championships:

70-15: Penn State's combined record against NCAA qualifiers in their respective weight classes at nationals

6: Wrestlers seeded among the top 4 at NCAAs

69: All-Americans Sanderson has coached at Penn State

27: Individual titles since 2011. Cornell and Oklahoma State are second with 10 each

40: Finalists since 2011

40-4: Semifinalists record since 2011

27-13: Championship record since 2011

.800: Batting average in the team-title race since 2011

Penn State's NCAA Championships Lineup

Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen

Drew Hildebrandt

• Weight class: 125
• Seed: 16
• Record: 9-3
• Record vs. NCAA field this year: 2-3
• Career record at NCAAs: 5-4

Roman Bravo-Young

• Weight class: 133
  
• Seed: 1
  
• Record: 17-0
  
• Record vs. NCAA field this year: 10-0
  
• Career record at NCAAs: 9-3
  

Nick Lee

• Weight class: 141
  
• Seed: 1
  
• Record: 17-0
  
• Record vs. NCAA field this year: 9-0
  
• Career record at NCAAs: 15-4
  

Beau Bartlett

• Weight class: 149
  
• Seed: 13
  
• Record: 14-8
  
• Record vs. NCAA field this year: 5-7
  
• Career record at NCAAs: First appearance
  

Brady Berge

• Weight class: 157
  
• Seed: 16
  
• Record: 9-2
  
• Record vs. NCAA field this year: 4-1
  
• Career record at NCAAs: 4-3

Carter Starocci

• Weight class: 174
  
• Seed: 1
  
• Record: 18-0
  
• Record vs. NCAA field this year: 9-0
  
• Career record at NCAAs: 5-0
  

Aaron Brooks

• Weight class: 184
  
• Seed: 2
  
• Record: 16-1
  
• Record vs. NCAA field this year: 11-1
  
• Career record at NCAAs: 5-0
  

Max Dean

• Weight class: 197
  
• Seed: 1
  
• Record: 18-1
  
• Record vs. NCAA field this year: 11-1
  
• Career record at NCAAs: 7-4
  

Greg Kerkvliet

• Weight class: 285
  
• Seed: 4
  
• Record: 18-2
  
• Record vs. NCAA field this year: 9-2
  
• Career record at NCAAs: 4-2

How to Watch the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships

Rick Osentoski/USA Today Sports

Here's the schedule and broadcast information for the NCAA Wrestling Championships. All times are EST.

Thursday, March 17

• Noon: Session 1 (ESPNU)
• 7 p.m.: Session 2 (ESPN2)

Friday, March 18

• 11 a.m.: Session 3 (ESPNU)
• 8 pm.: Session 4 Semifinals (ESPN)

Saturday, March 19

• 11 a.m.: Session 5 (ESPN2)
• 7 p.m.: Session 6 Finals (ESPN)
  

Read more

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Penn State completes another undefeated regular season under Cael Sanderson

AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.