By: Pat Donghia
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Penn State Nittany Lion wrestler Shayne Van Ness has been named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for the week ending Nov. 12, 2023. Van Ness becomes Penn State’s first conference honoree of the season. He shares this week’s honor with Wisconsin’s Dean Hamiti.
Van Ness, a sophomore, was dominating in Penn State’s first action of the 2023-24 season. Ranked No. 2 in the country at 149, he rolled to a 3-0 record, all by pin, and all in the first period. Van Ness pinned Army West Point’s Eddie Hummel at 2:06 in his first bout and followed that up by pinning Bloomsburg’s Cade Balestrini at the 2:58 mark. He notched a third straight first period fall in his final bout, a fall at 1:30 over Lehigh’s Kelvin Griffin. Van Ness wrestled a total of 6:34 minutes (of a possible 21:00). Van Ness is 3-0 on the young season. The Nittany Lions had 20 wrestlers compete at their opening event and Van Ness was one of 11 to go unbeaten. Penn State is ranked No. 1 nationally by InterMat (TPI).
Penn State is 0-0 in dual meets overall, 0-0 B1G. The Nittany Lions will return to action at the Black Knight Invite, hosted by Army West Point, on Sunday, Nov. 19. In addition to the team travelling to West Point, N.Y., six Nittany Lions will take part in the NWCA All-Star Classic Exhibition on Tuesday, Nov. 21, in Rec Hall. The event is not a collegiate event, does not count on wrestlers’ records or RPI and is not part of Penn State’s season ticket package. The all-star meet begins at 7 p.m. and Penn Staters Van Ness (149), Levi Haines (157), Carter Starocci (174), Bernie Truax (184), Aaron Brooks (197) and Greg Kerkvliet (285) are set to compete.
The 2023-24 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via X/twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
