Penn State Wrestling: What to Know About the Nittany Lions' 2024-25 Season

Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions seek their fourth consecutive NCAA Wrestling team title.

Penn State wrestler Carter Starocci and coach Cael Sanderson celebrate after winning the 2024 NCAA team wrestling title. / Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Penn State wrestling hasn't even begun pursuing its fourth consecutive national championship, and head coach Cael Sanderson already is big-picturing the future beyond this season.

“We have a strong team, we’re happy with where we’re at. We still as coaches believe our best years are ahead of us, our best years are still ahead for Penn State wrestling,” Sanderson said this week. "That’s our job, that’s what we’re excited about. But yeah, we’re really excited about the group of student-athletes we have in the program right now.”

Before looking too far into the future, it's best to savor the 2024-25 Penn State wrestling season, which could raise even more banners than last year. The Nittany Lions return three NCAA individual champions, eight All-Americans (one from 2023) and a roster that went a combined 190-16 last season. The lineup intrigue ranges from a potential five-time NCAA champion to the potential return of two standout wrestlers to the debut of a championship-contending freshman.

Here's a look at the 2024-25 Penn State wrestling team and how it might dominate college wrestling even more this season.

Who's back for Penn State wrestling?

The Nittany Lions return NCAA champions Carter Starocci, Levi Haines and Greg Kerkvliet, two of whom will wrestle at different weight classes. Starocci, a four-time champion at 174 pounds, is moving up one weight class to 184. He seeks to become the first wrestler in NCAA Division I history to win five individual titles. Haines, who went 48-2 over two seasons at 157, is taking Starocci's spot at 174. Heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet returns to defend his NCAA title in a weight class that got more interesting with two-time NCAA champ Gable Steveson's return to Minnesota

NCAA runnersup Beau Bartlett (141) and Mitchell Mesenbrink (165) have solifidied their lineup spots. Meanwhile, Shayne Van Ness, who placed third at the 2023 NCAA Tournament at 149, returns to reclaim his spot. Van Ness began last season with a 3-0 record but ultimately took a medical redshirt. Then-freshman Tyler Kasak took over, making a run to third at NCAAs.

RELATED: A look at Penn State wrestling's 2024-25 schedule

What's new with Penn State's wrestling lineup?

Braeden Davis, who won the Big Ten title at 125 as a freshman, moves up a weight class to 133. Kasak is at 157, where he could duel with sophomore Alex Facundo, who took an Olympic redshirt last season. Facundo qualified for nationals in 2023.

At 197, the weight class where Aaron Brooks became a four-time NCAA champion and won the Hodge Trophy last season, Josh Barr is the lead candidate. Barr went 14-0 as a true freshman wrestling unattached at 184 and claimed silver at the 2024 U20 World Championships. Junior Lucas Cochran is a contender at 197 as well.

True freshman Luke Lilledahl is expected to step in at 125 after winning a U20 world freestyle title in September. Lilledahl won Team USA's only gold medal at the U20 worlds and also won a U20 Pan American Championships title.

Where are the Nittany Lions ranked nationally?

Penn State begins the 2024-25 campaign as the across-the-board favorite to win a fourth consecutive NCAA team title. InterMat ranks Penn State atop its tournament and dual-meet rankings, and nine Nittany Lions appear in the individual rankings:

• 133: Braeden Davis (No. 7)

• 141: Beau Bartlett (No. 3)

• 149: Shayne Van Ness (No. 2)

• 157: Tyler Kasak (No. 5)

• 165: Mitchell Mesenbrink (No. 1)

• 174: Levi Haines (No. 2)

• 184: Carter Starocci (No. 1)

• 197: Josh Barr (No. 23)

• 285: Greg Kerkvliet (No. 1)

What is Cael Sanderson's record at Penn State?

Sanderson begins his 16th season at Penn State with a career record of 203-16-2 with the program. The Nittany Lions have won 11 NCAA team titles and eight Big Ten tournament titles under Sanderson. Penn State also has won 56 consecutive dual matches dating to 2020, the second-longest streak in program history. Penn State won 60 consecutive matches from 2015-19.

Last year the Nittany Lions set the NCAA Tournament scoring record with 172.5 team points and became the first to win the even by 100 points. Sanderson won his 11th NCAA team title, tying Oklahoma State’s E.C. Gallagher for the second-most among Division I coaches. Sanderson’s next milestone is 15, the number of titles Dan Gable won at Iowa.

Interesting stats about Penn State wrestling

Penn State's communications department has compiled a list of stats that underscore Penn State wrestling's dominance since 2011, the first year it won an NCAA title under Sanderson.

• Most individial titles: Penn State, 38, Cornell 14, Oklahoma State 10, Ohio State 10, Iowa 7

• 
  Penn State's NCAA finals record since 2011: 38-18 (a .679 winning percentage)

• Penn State's NCAA semifinals record since 2011: 56-8 (an .875 winning percentage)

• Teams that have won at least one NCAA individual title at each weight class in the last 10 years: One (Penn State)

Teams that have crowned two four-time NCAA champions at the same tournament: One (Penn State in 2024 with Brooks and Starocci)

How to watch Penn State wrestling this season

Penn State opens the regular season Sunday against Drexel at Rec Hall. The match begins at 1 p.m. ET and will be streamed on BIG+. Several other matches have been scheduled for Big Ten Network:

• Jan. 10: Penn State vs. Michigan State at Rec Hall (8 p.m. ET)

• Jan. 31: Penn State vs. Iowa at Bryce Jordan Center (7 p.m. ET)

• Feb. 7: Penn State vs. Michigan at Bryce Jordan Center (6 p.m. ET)

Other broadcast dates are TBA.

When and where are the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships?

Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center will host the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships March 20-22. The event returns to Philadelphia for the first time since 2011, when Sanderson won his first NCAA title as Penn State's head coach.

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