By: Pat Donghia
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; November 13, 2024 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (0-0, 0-0 B1G) will open up the 2024-25 season this coming weekend in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions first official dual meet will be on Sunday, Nov. 17, when Drexel (0-2) visits Happy Valley for a 1 p.m. dual meet. The night before, select Nittany Lions will take part in the NWCA All-Star Classic Exhibition on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. The event is an exhibition, the results do not count as wins or losses for the athletes and it is not part of the Penn State Wrestling Season Ticket Package. All rankings listed are InterMat/Intermat Tournament Power Index (TPI).
The five Nittany Lions set to compete in the NFHCA All-Star Classic Exhibition on Saturday night are: No. 3 Beau Bartlett vs. No. 2 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State at 141; No. 2 Shayne Van Ness vs. No. 3 Ty Watters of West Virginia at 149; No. 5 Tyler Kasak vs. No. 3 Peyten Kellar of Ohio at 157; No. 2 Levi Haines vs. No. 3 Cade DeVos of South Dakota State at 174; and No. 1 Carter Starocci vs. No. 2 Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa at 184.
The next day, Penn State officially begins the 2024-25 season by hosting Drexel at 1 p.m. in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lion line-up heading into this weekend’s two events features nine ranked wrestlers. Braeden Davis is seventh at 133, Beau Bartlett is third at 141, Shayne Van Ness is second at 149, Tyler Kasak is fifth at 157, Mitchell Mesenbrink is first at 165, Levi Haines is second at 174, Carter Starocci is first at 184, Josh Barr is 23rd at 197 and Greg Kerkvliet is first at 285.
Drexel enters the weekend with an 0-2 mark after opening the season with two tough losses on Saturday, Nov. 9. The Dragons lost 29-9 to Navy and 33-0 to North Carolina. Kyle Waterman (133), Luke Nichter (157) and Dom Petracci (285) picked up wins for Drexel in the Navy dual. Penn State owns a 1-0 lead in the all-time series with the Dragons, having won the lone meeting 28-6 on Jan. 19, 2003, at Drexel.
Penn State will head to Army West Point next Sunday, Nov. 24, for the Black Knight Invitaitonal. Action begins in West Point, N.Y., at 10 a.m.
The 2024-25 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via X 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.
1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (0-0, 0-0 B1G)
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 Luke Lilledahl Fr. Weldon Spring, Mo./Wyoming Seminary 0-0
Kurt McHenry Sr.+ Leesburg, Va./St. Paul’s School 0-0
133 #7 Braeden Davis So. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 0-0
141 #3 Beau Bartlett Sr.* Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary 0-0
149 #2 Shayne Van Ness So. Somerville, N.J./Blair Academy 0-0
157 #5 Tyler Kasak So. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 0-0
Alex Facundo So. Essexville, Mich./Davison 0-0
165 #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink So. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 0-0
174 #2 Levi Haines Jr. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 0-0
184 #1 Carter Starocci Gr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 0-0
197 #23 Josh Barr R-Fr. Davison, Mich./Davison 0-0
Lucas Cochran Jr. Perry, Utah/Box Elder 0-0
285 #1 Greg Kerkvliet Sr.+ Inver Grove Heights, Min../Simley 0-0
DREXEL DRAGONS (0-2)
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 Desmond Pleasan Jr. Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway 0-2
133 Kyle Waterman Sr. Holland, Pa./Council Rock South 1-1
141 Jordan Soriano Jr. Westbury, N.Y./W.T. Clarke 0-2
149 Dom Findora So. Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown West 0-2
157 Luke Nichter Sr. Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg 1-1
165 Cody Walsh Sr. Cherry Hill, N.J./Camden Catholic 0-2
174 Dom D’Agostino So. Glenolden, Pa./Interboro 0-1
Jack Janda Jr. Haddon Township, N.J./Camden Catholic 0-1
184 Giuseppe Hoose Gr. Lakewood, N.Y./Southwestern Central 0-2
197 Ethan Wilson So. Washington Twp., N.J./Washington Twp. 0-2
285 Dom Petracci So. Newell, N.J./Washington Twp. 1-0
Tanner Updegraff Sr. Hershey, Pa./Hershey 0-1
Individual rankings listed are InterMat as of 11-12-24 // Team ranking InterMat TPI
NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC EXHIBITION (11-16 / Rec Hall)
This is event is an exhibition, results do not count as wins and losses, nor to the wrestler’s RPI.
WT NAME
141 Beau Bartlett vs. Jesse Mendez
149 Shayne Van Ness vs. Ty Watters
157 Tyler Kasak vs. Peyten Keller
174 Levi Haines vs. Cade DeVos
184 Carter Starocci vs. Parker Keckeisen
THIS WEEK
Penn State (0-0, 0-0 B1G) opens up the 2024-25 season by hosting Drexel (lkjlkj) on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 1 p.m. in Rec Hall. The night before, select Penn Staters will take part in the NWCA All-Star Classic Exhibition, also in Rec Hall, at 7 p.m. The NWCA does not count towards any wrestler’s win/loss record or RPI.
UP NEXT
The Nittany Lions will trek to Army West Point for the Black Knight Invitational on Sunday, Nov. 24. Action begins in West Point, N.Y. at 10 a.m.
ON THE AIR
Broadcast TV – none
Streamed TV – Rider (B1G+)
NWCA (Flo)
Radio online – Free all year via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com
