By: Pat Donghia

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; January 15, 2025 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (7-0, 1-0 B1G) treks to Lincoln, Neb., to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-1, 1-0 B1G) in a Big Ten road dual on Friday, Jan. 17. The action is set for 9 p.m. Eastern (8 p.m. local) in the B1G Network national telecast.

The Nittany Lions are coming off a thorough 55-0 shutout win over Michigan State in their Big Ten opener last Friday. Penn State tied its all-time margin of victory record with the effort, which included six pins, three tech falls and a major.

Penn State’s line-up features ten ranked wrestlers. True freshman Luke Lilledahl is ranked No. 12 at 125. Sophomore Braeden Davis is ranked No. 5 at 133. Senior+ Beau Bartlett is ranked No. 3 at 141. Sophomore Shayne Van Ness is ranked No. 2 at 149. Sophomore Tyler Kasak is ranked No. 3 at 157. Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink is ranked No. 1 at 165. Junior Levi Haines is ranked No. 2 at 174. Graduate Carter Starocci is ranked No. 1 at 184. Josh Barr is ranked No. 4 at 197. Senior+ Greg Kerkvliet is ranked No. 2 at 285.

Nebraska is coming off an impressive 21-13 win over Minnesota last Saturday, a victory that improved the Huskers to 6-1 overall, 1-0 in the conference. The Cornhuskers line-up features ten ranked wrestlers. Caleb Smith is No. 6 at 125. Jacob Van Dee is No. 16 at 1133. Brock Hardy is No. 6 at 141. Ridge Lovett is No. 4 at 149. Antrell Taylor is No. 5 at 157. Bubba Wilson is No. 7 at 165, with Christopher Minto, who is 13-1, having wrestled recently at that weight. Lenny Pinto is No. 15 at 174. Silas Allred is No. 17 at 184. Camden McDaniel is No. 22 at 197. Harley Andrews is No. 24 at 285. Penn State leads the all-time series with Nebraska 12-7-1. The Nittany Lions have won eight straight, including a 22-13 win last year on Feb. 18, 2024, in Rec Hall. Penn State won the last meeting in Lincoln, 20-18, on Jan. 24, 2020.

Penn State continues Big Ten road action next weekend, visiting Rutgers on Friday, Jan. 24, for another B1G Network national telecast set for 8 p.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 (7-0, 1-0 B1G)

125 #12 Luke Lilledahl Fr. Weldon Spring, Mo./Wyoming Seminary 9-0
133 #5 Braeden Davis So. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 6-1
141 #3 Beau Bartlett Sr.+ Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary 10-0
149 #2 Shayne Van Ness So. Somerville, N.J./Blair Academy 10-0
157 #3 Tyler Kasak So. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 9-0
Alex Facundo So. Essexville, Mich./Davison 5-0
165 #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink So. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 11-0
174 #2 Levi Haines Jr. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 9-1
184 #1 Carter Starocci Gr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 10-0
197 #4 Josh Barr R-Fr. Davison, Mich./Davison 8-0
Lucas Cochran Jr. Perry, Utah/Box Elder 4-0
285 #2 Greg Kerkvliet Sr.+ Inver Grove Heights, Min../Simley 10-0

4 NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (6-1, 1-0 B1G)

125 #6 Caleb Smith Gr. High Point, N.C./SW Guilford 12-3
133 #16 Jacob Van Dee So. Union City, Pa./Cathedral Prep 7-5
141 #6 Brock Hardy Jr. Brigham City, Utah/Box Elder 13-2
149 #4 Ridge Lovett Sr. Post Falls, Idaho/Post Falls 10-1
157 #5 Antrell Taylor So. Millard, Neb./Millard South 14-1
165 Christopher Minto Fr. Cape Coral, Fla./Mariner 13-1 OR #7 Bubba Wilson Sr. Manhattan, Kan./Manhattan 10-3
174 #15 Lenny Pinto Jr. Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg 13-3
184 #17 Silas Allred Jr. Anderson, Ind./Shenadoah 11-2
197 #22 Camden McDaniel Fr. Circleville, Ohio/Teays Valley 12-6
285 #24 Harley Andrews So. Tuttle, Okla./Tuttle 8-7