By: Pat Donghia
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; January 29, 2025 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (10-0, 4-0 B1G) welcomes two Big Ten foes to Happy Valley next weekend. Penn State hosts Michigan (5-4, 2-4 B1G) on Friday, Feb. 7, at 6 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center. Two days laster, the Nittany Lions host Maryland (*8-7, 3-2 B1G) on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 1 p.m. in Rec Hall. The Michigan dual is a B1G Network national telecast. All rankings listed are InterMat/InterMat TPI. *Maryland hosts Rutgers on Friday, Feb. 7.
The Nittany Lions are coming off a resounding 30-8 win over Iowa last Friday in front of a BJC sell-out crowd of 15,998 (tying PSU and the NCAA’s all-time record for indoor dual attendance, both of which are held by Penn State as well). Penn State won eight of ten bouts against Iowa for the second straight year.
Penn State’s line-up features ten ranked wrestlers. True freshman Luke Lilledahl is 11-1 and ranked No. 7 at 125. Sophomore Braeden Davis is 7-2 and No. 7 at 133. Sergio+ Beau Bartlett is 13-0 and No. 3 at 141. Sophomore Shayne Van Ness is 12-1 and No. 3 at 149. Tyler Kasak is 12-0 and No. 1 at 157. Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink is 14-0 and No. 1 at 165. Junior Levi Haines is 12-1 and No. 2 at 174. Graduate Carter Starocci is 13-0 and No. 1 at 184. Redshirt freshman Josh Barr is 10-1 and No. 4 at 197. Senior+ Greg Kerkvliet is 13-0 and No. 2 at 285.
Michigan is coming off a tough loss to Ohio State on Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines have seven ranked wrestlers. Sergio Lemley is No. 12 at 141. Chase Saldate is No. 14 at 157. Beau Mantanona is No. 10 at 165. Joseph Walker is No. 29 at 174. Jaden Bullock is No. 24 at 184. Jacob Cardenas is No. 2 at 197. Josh Heindselman is No. 8 at 285. Penn State leads the all-timer series with Michigan 36-24, including the last 13 straight. Penn State won 29-7 at Michigan last season on Jan. 19, 2024. The Lions won the last meeting in State College, 30-8 on Jan. 20, 2023, also in the BJC.
Maryland is coming off a home loss to Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 2, in College Park, Md. The Terrapins have five ranked grapplers. Braxton Brown is No. 11 at 133. Kal Miller is No. 32 at 149. Ethen Miller is No. 6 at 157. Jaxon Smith is No. 11 at 184. Seth Nevills is No. 12 at 285. Penn State leads the all-time series with Maryland 47-1-2, including the last 31. Penn State won 42-6 last year at Maryland on Jan. 28, 2024. The Lions won the last meeting at home as well, 44-3 on Feb. 12, 2023.
Penn State closes out the Big Ten portion of its dual schedule on the road next weekend. The Nittany Lions are at Ohio State on Friday, Feb. 14, at 7 p.m. Two days later, Penn State visits Illinois on Sunday, Feb. 16, at 2 p.m. Eastern (1 p.m. local).
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 (10-0, 4-0 B1G)
125 #7 Luke Lilledahl Fr. Weldon Spring, Mo./Wyoming Seminary 11-1
133 #7 Braeden Davis So. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 7-2
141 #3 Beau Bartlett Sr.+ Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary 13-0
149 #3 Shayne Van Ness So. Somerville, N.J./Blair Academy 12-1
157 #1 Tyler Kasak So. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 12-0
165 #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink So. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 14-0
174 #2 Levi Haines Jr. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 12-1
184 #1 Carter Starocci Gr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 13-0
197 #4 Josh Barr R-Fr. Davison, Mich./Davison 10-1
285 #2 Greg Kerkvliet Sr.+ Inver Grove Heights, Min../Simley 13-0
12 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (5-4, 2-4 B1G)
125 Wilfried Tanefeu Jr. Bismark, N.D./Bismark 7-7
133 Nolan Wertanen So. St. Joseph, Mich./St. Joseph 5-11
141 #12 Sergio Lemley So. Chesterton, Ind./Mount Carmel (Ill.) 6-3
149 Dylan Gilcher Fr. West Bloomfield, Mich./Central Catholic 8-5
157 #14 Chase Saldate Gr. Gilroy, Calif./Gilroy 9-6
165 #10 Beau Mantanona Fr. Bermuda Dunes, Calif./Palm Desert 9-2
174 #29 Joseph Walker Sr. Mishawaka, Ind./Mishawaka 11-5
184 #24 Jaden Bullock Sr. Chesapeak, Va./Oscar Smith 9-10
197 #2 Jacob Cardenas Gr. Kearny, N.J./Bergen Catholic 14-0
285 #8 Josh Heindselman Gr. Piedmont, Okla./Piedmont 17-1
MARYLAND TERRAPINS (*8-7, 3-2 B1G)
125 Tyler Garvin Fr. Rising Sun, Md./Rising Sun 4-14
133 #11 Braxton Brown Jr. Allen, Texas/Allen 16-2
141 Dario Lemus Fr. Clovis, Calif./Clovis 7-10
149 #32 Kal Miller Jr. Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill 14-5
157 #6 Ethen Miller Jr. Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill 17-0
165 Alex Uryniak Fr. North Hunterdon, N.J./St. Benedict’s 2-9
174 Branson John Fr. Clovis, Calif./Buchanan 9-12
184 #11 Jaxon Smith Jr. Cartersville, Ga./Woodland 14-4
197 Chase Mielnik Sr. Downingtown, Pa./West 10-12
285 #12 Seth Nevills Gr. Clovis, Calif./Clovis 13-3
Individual rankings listed are InterMat as of 2-4-25 // Team ranking InterMat TPI
- Maryland hosts Rutgers on Friday, Feb. 7
