By: Pat Donghia
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Five Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers took part in the 2023 National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic on Tuesday. The exhibition, which is not an official NCAA event and does not count on the competitors’ official records, was held in Penn State’s Rec Hall. All-rankings listed are InterMat.
The All-Star Classic featured a line-up of 10 collegiate bouts featuring 20 of the nation’s top wrestlers from around the country, as well as four women’s freestyle showcases. For Penn State, All-Americans Shayne Van Ness, Carter Starocci, Bernie Truax, Aaron Brooks and Greg Kerkvliet too part. A total of four exhibition matches took place, including four women’s freestyle bouts and ten men’s collegiate matches.
Van Ness, ranked No. 2 at 149, met No. 3 Kyle Parco of Arizona State. The duo battled evenly for the opening minute with Van Ness staying on attack. Van Ness shot Parco out of bounds as the clock hit 1:05 and forced a reset in the middle of the mat. The Lion sophomore almost hit a throw in the waning seconds of the first period, but Parco fought off the effort and the bout moved to the second period tied 0-0. Van Ness chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. He continued to shoot and force Parco backwards as the clock moved to the 1:00 mark in the second. Parco took a shot off a reset, but Van Ness fought off the effort and kept action neutral. Van Ness turned a scramble into a throw as the period ended for a takedown and a 4-0 lead after two. Parco chose down to start the third period and Van Ness controlled the action deep into the period. He worked his riding time edge over 1:00 and then maintained control as the clock hit :30. Parco managed a late escape, but Van Ness rolled to a 5-1 win with 1:39 in riding time.
Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 174, met No. 3 Mekhi Lewis of Virginia Tech. Starocci moved in on a high single at the 2:15 mark and fought for a takedown but Lewis battled through the shot and kept action neutral at 1:30. Starocci continued to shoot Lewis off the mat, working a single leg but the Hokie was able to escape out of bounds to keep the bout tied 0-0. Starocci forced a first stall at :25. Starocci nearly finished off a takedown as the clock hit 0:00 but the bout moved to the second in a scoreless tie. Lewis chose down to start the second period and Starocci put together a strong ride. He dominated action on top, forcing the Hokie flat, working the clock down below 1:00. He picked up a point on a second stall to lead 1-0 at 0:50. Starocci then turned Lewis for a four-point nearfall and finished the period on top to lead 5-0 after two. He chose down to start the third and quickly escaped to a 6-0 lead. Starocci’s offensive pressure forced Lewis to work the out-of-bounds circle as the clock hit the 1:00 mark. He tacked on another stall point and then roared through a takedown as the period ended. Starocci picked up 1:54 in riding time to roll to an 11-0 major decision.
Truax, ranked No. 2 at 184, took on No. 1 Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa. Truax quickly took a low single and gained control of Keckeisen on the edge of the mat, finishing off the takedown for a quick 3-1 lead. Keckeisen got in deep on two singles, but Truax was able to work his way out of trouble to hold on to his 3-1 lead as the clock hit the 1:10 mark. The duo finished the period on their feet and the bout moved to the second stanza with Truax leading 3-1. Keckeisen chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 3-2 score. Truax worked low shots while Keckeisen countered the action to the second stanza’s midway point. Keckeisen worked a low shot into action on the outside circle and Truax was able to fight off the action, but he was called for a first stall warning in the process. Truax led 3-2 after two and chose down to start the third period. He quickly escaped to a 4-2 score and action continued in neutral. Keckeisen forced a second stall to cut the Truax lead to 4-3 at :40. Truax was called for another takedown and Keckeisen hit a late takedown to post the come-from-behind 7-4 win over the new Nittany Lion.
Brooks, ranked No. 1 at 197, met No. 3 Tanner Sloan of South Dakota State. The duo battled evenly for the first minute-plus with neither wrestler finding an advantage. Brooks worked the middle of the mat and connected on a low shot, turning it into a takedown and a 3-0 lead at the :44 mark. Brooks controlled the action for the remainder of the period and carried the 3-0 lead into the second stanza. Leading by three, Brooks chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-0 lead. Brooks continued to dominate action on his feet, shooting quickly into a second takedown and a 7-0 lead. Sloan was able to escape at the :25 mark but Brooks kept moving in on offense, notching another takedown to lead 10-1 after two periods. Sloan chose down to start the third and Brooks, already with over 1:00 in riding time, cut him loose to a 10-2 score at 1:40. Sloan slid down to a low shot as the bout ended and Brooks fought it off to kill the clock. Brooks added 1:31 in riding time to post the convincing 11-2 major decision.
Kerkvliet, ranked No. 1 at 285, took on No. 2 Wyatt Hendrickson of Air Force. Kerkvliet struck quickly, working his way into control for a takedown and then throwing Hendrickson for a four-point nearfall. Hendrickson chose down after Hendrickson took injury timeout and quickly escaped to an 8-0 lead with less than 1:00 gone in the bout. Kerkvliet bulled his way through another low double for a takedown and an 11-0 lead at the :55 mark. Hendrickson was able to escape before the period ended and Kerkvliet led 11-1 with :53 in riding time after one. Kerkvliet chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 12-1 lead. He quickly took Hendrickson down again to up his lead to 15-1 with 1:30 still on the clock. Hendrickson escaped to a 15-2 score, but Kerkvliet quickly ended the match, taking the Falcon down one final time for an 18-2 technical fall at the 4:48 mark.
Penn State is 0-0 in dual meets overall, 0-0 B1G. The Nittany Lion regular season continues on Sunday, Dec. 3, when Penn State hosts Lehigh for its dual meet opener. The Nittany Lions and Mountain Hawks tangle in Rec Hall at 2 p.m. in a Big Ten Network national telecast.
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.
149: #2 Shayne Van Ness PSU dec. #3 Kyle Parco ASU, 5-1
174: #1 Carter Starocci PSU maj. dec. #3 Mekhi Lewis VT, 11-0
184: #1 Parker Keckeisen UNI dec. #2 Bernie Truax PSU, 7-4
197: #1 Aaron Brooks PSU maj. dec. #3 Tanner Sloan SDSU, 11-2
285: #1 Greg Kerkvliet PSU tech. fall #2 Wyatt Hendrickson USAF, 18-2 (TF; 4:48)
Records: Penn State (0-0, 0-0 B1G)
Up Next for Penn State: home vs. #20 Lehigh, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2 p.m. in Rec Hall
