By: Pat Donghia

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; January 22, 2025 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (8-0, 2-0 B1G) visits the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (10-3, 2-1 B1G) on Friday, Jan. 24. The dual begins at 8 p.m. and is a B1G Network national telecast. All rankings listed are InterMat/InterMat Tournament Power Index (TPI).

The Nittany Lions are coming off a dominating 31-7 win at Nebraska last Friday night. The Nittany Lions rolled up eight wins, including three tech falls and a major, in front of a Nebraska wrestling record crowd of over 6,600 in the Devaney Center. Penn State improved to 8-0 overall with the win, 2-0 in Big Ten action.

Penn State’s line-up features ten ranked wrestlers. True freshman Luke Lilledahl is 10-0 and ranked No. 6 at 125. Sophomore Braeden Davis is 6-2 and ranked No. 7 at 133. Senior+ Beau Bartlett is 11-0 and ranked No. 3 at 141. Sophomore Shayne Van Ness is 10-1 and No. 4 at 149. Sophomore Tyler Kasak is 10-0 and No. 3 at 157. Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink is 12-0 and No. 1 at 165. Junior Levi Haines is 10-1 and No. 2 at 174. Graduate Carter Starocci is 11-0 and No. 1 at 184. Redshirt freshman Josh Barr is 9-0 and No. 4 at 197. Senior+ Greg Kerkvliet is 11-0 and ranked No. 2 at 285.

Rutgers is coming off a strong 31-7 win of its own, downing Wisconsin in Piscataway on Sunday. The win improved RU to 10-3 overall, 2-1 in Big Ten action. The Scarlet Knights feature a line-up that also has 10 ranked wrestlers in it. Dean Peterson is No. 19 at 125. Dylan Shawver is No. 9 at 133. Joseph Olivieri is No. 14 at 141. Andrew Clark is No. 20 at 149. Conner Harer is No. 31 at 157. Anthony White is No. 26 at 165. Jackson Turley is No. 22 at 174. Shane Cartagena-Walsh is No. 18 at 184. John Poznanski is No. 16 at 197. Yaraslau Slavikouski is No. 7 at 285. Penn State leads the all-time series with Rutgers 24-0, including a 35-3 win at Penn State last year on Feb. 12, 2024. Penn State won the last meeting at Rutgers as well, 33-8 on Feb. 10, 2023.

Penn State will return to action next week when it hosts Iowa on Friday, Jan. 31, in the Bryce Jordan Center. The dual, the first of two straight Friday night BJC Duals, is set for 7 p.m. and is a B1G Network national telecast.

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.

Individual rankings listed are InterMat as of 1-21-25 // Team ranking InterMat TPI

THIS WEEK
The Penn State Nittany Lions (8-0, 2-0 B1G) head to Piscataway, N.J., for a Big Ten road dual at Rutgers (10-3, 2-1 B1G). The dual is set for Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. and is a B1G Network national telecast.

UP NEXT
Penn State hosts Iowa on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. in the first of two straight BJC Duals.

ON THE AIR
Television – B1G Network
Streamed TV – Fox Sports App
Radio online – Free all year via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com

1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (8-0, 2-0 B1G)

125 #6 Luke Lilledahl Fr. Weldon Spring, Mo./Wyoming Seminary 10-0
133 #7 Braeden Davis So. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 6-2
141 #3 Beau Bartlett Sr.+ Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary 11-0
149 #4 Shayne Van Ness So. Somerville, N.J./Blair Academy 10-1
157 #3 Tyler Kasak So. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 10-0
165 #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink So. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 12-0
174 #2 Levi Haines Jr. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 10-1
184 #1 Carter Starocci Gr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 11-0
197 #4 Josh Barr R-Fr. Davison, Mich./Davison 9-0
285 #2 Greg Kerkvliet Sr.+ Inver Grove Heights, Min../Simley 11-0

25 RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (10-3, 2-1 B1G)

125 #19 Dean Peterson Sr. Barnegat, N.J./Saint John Vianney 14-3
133 #9 Dylan Shawver Sr. Lorain, Ohio/Elyria 14-3
141 #14 Joseph Olivieri Sr. East Hanover, N.J./Hanover Park 12-3
149 #20 Andrew Clark Sr. Collingswood, N.J./Collingswood 17-7
157 #31 Conner Harer Fr. Montgomery, Pa./Montgomery 12-5
165 #26 Anthony White Sr. South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield 12-5
174 #22 Jackson Turley Gr. Chester, Va./St. Christopher’s 12-5
184 #18 Shane Cartagena-Walsh So. Ocean Township, N.J./Ocean 17-5
197 #16 John Poznanski Sr. Colonia, N.J./Colonia 11-4
285 #7 Yaraslau Slavikouski Gr. Rechitsa, Belarus/Northfield Mt. Hermon 12-3

Individual rankings listed are InterMat as of 1-21-25 // Team ranking InterMat TPI