By: Pat Donghia
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestlers (4-0, 1-0 B1G) continue Big Ten action this weekend with two road duals. Head coach Cael Sanderson and company are at No. 5 Michigan (4-1, 2-0 B1G) on Friday, Jan. 19, at 6 p.m. in a Big Ten Network national telecast. Penn State then visits Michigan State (*7-1, 0-1 B1G) on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. *Michigan State hosts Rutgers Friday night while Penn State is at Michigan.
Penn State is coming off a 46-0 shutout win over Indiana in its Big Ten opener last Sunday. The Nittany Lions picked up four wins from freshmen and tallied a total of five technical falls, all while not surrendering a takedown and owning a 35-0 takedown edge. The win improved Penn State to 4-0 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten action.
The Nittany Lion line-up features ten wrestlers ranked by InterMat. True freshman Braeden Davis is 10-0 and ranked No. 14 at 125. Sophomore Aaron Nagao is 7-1 and No. 4 at 133. Senior Beau Bartlett is 10-0 and No. 2 at 141. True freshman Tyler Kasak is 6-1 and No. 12 at 149. Sophomore Levi Haines is 7-0 and No. 1 at 157. Freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink is 11-0 and No. 9 at 165. Senior Carter Starocci is 7-0 and No. 1 at 174. Graduate Bernie Truax is 5-1 and No. 5 at 184. Senior+ Aaron Brooks is 6-0 and No. 1 at 197. Senior Greg Kerkvliet is 8-0 and No. 1 at 285.
Michigan enters the weekend with a 4-1 overall record, 2-0 in the Big Ten, and ranked No. 5 nationally. The Wolverines are coming off dual wins at Maryland (38-3) on Friday and at home over Michigan State on Sunday (29-12). Michigan also has ten wrestlers ranked by InterMat. Michael DeAugustino is No. 5 at 125, Dylan Ragusin is No. 6 at 133, Sergio Lemley is No. 25 at 141, Austin Gomez is No. 6 at 149, Will Lewan is No. 9 at 157, Cameron Amine is No. 7 at 165, Shane Griffith is No. 4 at 174, Jaden Bullock is No. 15 at 184, Bobby Striggow is No. 32 at 197 and Lucas Davison is No. 4 at 285. Penn State leads the all-time series with UM 35-24, including the last 12. The Nittany Lions downed the Wolverines in the last meeting, a 30-8 victory on Jan. 20, 2023, in the BJC.
Michigan State enters the weekend 7-1 overall, 0-1 in the Big Ten, after last weekend’s 29-12 road loss at Michigan on Sunday. The Spartans feature a line-up with five ranked grapplers. Jordan Hamdan is No. 33 at 141, Chase Saldate is No. 21 at 157, Caleb Fish is No. 10 at 165, Layne Malczewski is No. 22 at 184 and Kael Wisler is No. 29 at 197. Penn State leads the all-time series with the Spartans 24-9, including the last 15. Penn State won 34-6 in the last battle between the two teams, a 34-6 win on Jan. 22, 2023, in Rec Hall.
Penn State continues Big Ten action next weekend, visiting Maryland on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 12 p.m. The dual will also be a Big Ten Network national telecast.
All rankings listed are InterMat individual/InterMat TPI. 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 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 (4-0, 1-0 B1G)
125 #14 Braeden Davis Fr. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 10-0
133 #4 Aaron Nagao So. La Habra, Calif./Esperanza 7-1
141 #2 Beau Bartlett Sr. Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) 10-0
149 #12 Tyler Kasak Fr. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 6-1
157 #1 Levi Haines So. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 7-0
165 #9 Mitchell Mesenbrink Fr. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 11-0
174 #1 Carter Starocci Sr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 7-0
184 #5 Bernie Truax Gr. Oceanside, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista 5-1
197 #1 Aaron Brooks Sr.+ Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown 6-0
285 #1 Greg Kerkvliet Sr. Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley 6-0
5 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES (4-1, 2-0 B1G)
125 #5 Michael DeAugustino Gr. Palm Coast, Fla./Flagler Palm Coast 6-1
133 #6 Dylan Ragusin Jr. Elk Village, Ill./Montini Catholic 16-0
141 #25 Sergio Lemley Fr. Chesterton, Ind./Mount Carmel 11-3
149 #6 Austin Gomez Gr. Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North 3-0
157 #9 Will Lewan Gr. Chicago, Ill./Montini Catholic 5-3
165 #7 Cameron Amine Sr. Brighton, Mich./Detroit Central Catholic 7-3
174 #4 Shane Griffith Gr. Westwood, N.J./Bergen Catholic 8-2
184 #15 Jaden Bullock Jr. Chesapeake, Va./Oscar Smith 12-5
197 #32 Bobby Striggow Gr. Orono, Minn./Orono 5-5
285 #4 Lucas Davison Gr. Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton 9-1
MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (*7-1, 0-1 B1G)
125 Tristan Lujan Jr. Selma, Calif./Selma 12-7
133 Andy Hampton So. Rochester, Mich./Stoney Creek 4-13
141 #33 Jordan Hamdan Sr. Hudson, Mich./Hudson 14-5
149 Braden Stauffenberg Fr. Yorkville, Ill./Aurora Christian 6-11
157 #21 Chase Saldate Sr. Gilroy, Calif./Gilroy 15-3
165 #10 Caleb Fish Sr. Eaton Rapids, Mich./Eaton Rapids 17-4
174 Marty Larkin Jr. Orland Park, Ill./St. Rita 9-9
DJ Shannon Sr. Madison, Ill./Christian Brothers 9-10
184 #22 Layne Malczewski Gr. Macomb, Mich./Dakota 5-4
197 #29 Kael Wisler Fr. New Boston, Mich./Huron 22-8
285 Josh Terrill Fr. Holt, Mich./Holt 23-7
Individual Rankings listed are InterMat and Team Rankings are
Intermat Tournament Power Index (as of 1/16/24)
- Michigan State hosts Rutgers on Friday, 1/19/24, post-press
THIS WEEK
1 Penn State (4-0, 1-0 B1G) continues Big Ten action this weekend. The Lions are at #5 Michigan (4-1, 2-0 B1G) on Friday, Jan. 19, for a 6 p.m. B1G Network national telecast; and at Michigan State (*7-1, 0-1 B1G) on Sunday, Jan. 21, at 1 p.m. *Michigan State hosts Rutgers Friday night, post-press.
UP NEXT
Penn State visits Maryland in its next action, taking on the Terrapins in College Park, Md., on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 12 p.m. The dual is a Big Ten Network national telecast.
ON THE AIR
TV – Michigan B1G Network/Michigan State B1G+
Radio online – Free all year via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com
Live Web Video – Michigan State B1G+
