By: Pat Donghia

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (12-0, 8-0 B1G) shut out visiting Edinboro (2-12) 55-0 in the dual meet finale for Penn State. The shut-out win allowed head coach Cael Sanderson’s squad to close out the regular season with a 12-0 overall record.

The Nittany Lions, who recently wrapped up their 10th Big Ten Regular Season Championship, won all ten bouts, with no match-up reaching the third period.

The dual meet began at 125. True freshman Braeden Davis, ranked No. 8 at 125, rolled to a 19-3 tech fall over Caleb Edwards at the 4:02 mark off four takedowns and a final four-point near fall. Sophomore Aaron Nagao, ranked No. 11 at 133, followed that up with a tech fall of his own. Nagao used three three-point turns and a series of takedowns to notch an 18-3 tech over Eamonn Jimenez at 3:33, giving Penn State a 10-0 lead. Senior Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 1 at 141, picked up Penn State’s first pin of the dual meet. Bartlett opened up a big lead over Jacob Brenneman and then finished off the bout by pinning the Scot at the 4:11 mark of the second period.

True freshman Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 9 at 149, followed that pin up with a fall of his own. Kasak opened up a big lead over Colin Roberts and finished off his fall early in the second period, getting the pin at the 3:20 mark. Sophomore Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 157, capped off the first half with Penn State’s third straight pin. Haines led 13-2 midway through the second period when he took Jaquay down, rolled him over to his back and finished off the half with a fall at the 4:38 mark. Penn State led 28-0 at intermission.

Freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 6 at 165, received a forfeit victory at 165 to put Penn State up 34-0. Senior Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 174, blazed through six takedown and finished off his bout with a nearfall to post a 22-5 tech fall at the 2:45 mark of the first period. Starocci’s win put Penn State up 39-0.

Graduate Bernie Truax, ranked No. 6 at 184, notched another Penn State bonus win against Brody Evans. Truax rolled up a handful of takedowns and a couple four-point turns, finishing off the 21-3 tech fall at the 5:00 mark to put Penn State up 44-0. Senior+ Aaron Brooks, ranked No. 1 at 197, continued Penn State’s tech fall barrage, posting a 19-4 tech over Jack Kilner at the 3:55 mark. Brooks tallied six takedowns in the win. Senior Greg Kerkvliet, ranked No. 1 at 285, capped off the lopsided dual meet win with by locking up a cradle and pinning Nick Lodato at 1:27 in the first period. Kerkvliet’s fall, Penn State’s fourth of the dual, gave Penn State the 55-0 shutout win.

Penn State picked up 25 bonus points off four pins (Bartlett, Kasak, Haines, Kerkvliet), five tech falls (Davis, Nagao, Starocci, Truax, Brooks) and a forfeit win (Mesenbrink).

Penn State closes out the dual season at 12-0, 8-0 B1G. Edinboro falls to 2-12. The Nittany Lions will now prepare for the 2024 Big Ten Championships on March 9-10 at the University of Maryland. The two-day event begins on Saturday, March 9, with session 1 at 10 a.m. and session 2 at 5:00 p.m. Sunday’s sessions 3 and 4 begin at 12 p.m. with the Big Ten finals slated for 4:30 p.m. The entire tournament will be featured on B1G+ and/or the B1G Network.

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/twitter 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 55, Edinboro 0

February 25, 2024 – Rec Hall – University Park, Pa.

125: #8 Braeden Davis PSU tech fall Caleb Edwards EU, 19-3 (TF; 4:02) 5-0
133: #11 Aaron Nagao PSU tech fall Eamonn Jimenez EU, 18-3 (TF; 3:33) 10-0
141: #1 Beau Bartlett PSU pinned Jacob Brenneman EU, WBF (4:11) 16-0
149: #9 Tyler Kasak PSU pinned Colin Roberts EU, WBF (3:20) 22-0
157: #1 Levi Haines PSU pinned Gannon Jaquay EU, WBF (4:38) 28-0
165: #6 Mitchell Mesenbrink PSU win by forfeit 34-0
174: #1 Carter Starocci PSU tech fall Brody Evans EU, 22-5 (TF; 2:45) 39-0
184: #6 Bernie Truax PSU tech fall Brody Evans EU, 21-3 (TF; 5:00) 44-0
197: #1 Aaron Brooks PSU tech fall Jack Kilner EU, 19-4 (TF; 3:55) 49-0
285: #1 Greg Kerkvliet PSU pinned Nick Lodato EU, WBF 1:27) 55-0
Attendance: 6,389 (Penn State has wrestled in front of 81 sellouts in its last 84 home events, including 72-straight in Rec Hall and 9 of 12 in the BJC).
Records: Penn State (12-0, 8-0 B1G; Edinboro (2-12)
Up Next for Penn State: 2024 Big Ten Championship, March 9-10, College Park, Md.

DUAL MEET BOUT-BY-BOUT:

125: True freshman Braeden Davis, ranked No. 8 at 125, took on junior Caleb Edwards. Davis notched the dual’s first takedown with a high single at the 2:24 mark and went to work on top, looking for a tilt. Davis forced a stall and Edwards escaped to a 3-1 score. Davis quickly scored again, using a low shot for a takedown and a 6-1 lead at 1:10. Davis worked the top position, picking up a stall point at :20 and nearly turning Edwards at the end. Leading 7-1, Davis chose down to start the second period. He quickly reversed Edwards, tacked on two quick takedowns and finished off the tech fall with a four-point turn at the 4:02 mark, winning 19-3.

133: Sophomore Aaron Nagao, ranked No. 11 at 133, met Eamonn Jimenez. Nagao took Jimenez down quickly and turned the Scot for three back points to open up a 6-0 lead. He cut Jimenez loose on a reset then took him down again with a fast shot to open up a 9-1 lead. Leading 9-2 after a Jimenez escape, Nagao countered a low Jimenez shot, worked his way into control and led 12-2 with a takedown of his own at the :40 mark. He worked Jimenez over for three more back points and led 15-2 after one.

141: Senior Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 1 at 141, faced Jacob Brenneman. Bartlett countered an early shot from Brenneman for a takedown at 2:49 and then worked his riding time up over 1:00. Bartlett cut Brenneman loose on a reset and went back to work on offense, leading 3-1. He used a fast low single for a second takedown and led 6-1 at 1:20. Bartlett added a third takedown to lead 9-2 after one. Bartlett chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 10-2 lead. He fought off a Brenneman shot at 1:40 and slid around the Scott for a takedown and cut at 1:00. He then blazed through a fast takedown, took Brenneman to his back and finished off the pin at the 4:11 mark.

149: True freshman Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 9 at 149, battled Colin Roberts. Kasak picked up the bout’s first takedown at the 2:026 mark, opening up a 3-0 lead on the edge of the mat. Kasak cut Roberts loose on a reset and immediately turned a low single into a second takedown and a 6-1 lead. Kasak went to work on top, looking for a tilt to back points. After a neutral restart, Kasak picked up his third takedown at :45 to open up a 9-2 lead. The Nittany Lion freshman finished the period on top and led 9-2 with 1:48 in time. Roberts chose down to start the second period and Kasak cut the Scott loose. He moved in quick for a takedown and quickly turned Roberts to his back. Kasak finished off the pin at the 3:20 mark.

157: Sophomore Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 157, met Gannon Jaquay. Haines took Jaquay down quickly to open up a 3-1 lead in the opening :30. The Lion sophomore used a high single for a second takedown and a 6-1 lead at 2:00 and went to work on top, looking for back points. Jaquay worked his way to his feet and an escape with 1:22 on the clock. Haines countered a high Jaquay single for a third takedown to lead 9-2. With his riding time well over 1:00, Haines turned the Scot for three back points and a 12-2 lead. Haines chose down to start the second and quickly escaped to a 13-2 lead. He took Jaquay down with a high shot center mat and led 16-2. Haines worked the Scot over to his back, taking some time to adjust his position and finishing off the pin at the 4:38 mark.

165: Freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 6 at 165, won by forfeit.

174: Senior Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 174, faced Joey Arnold. Starocci came out firing on offense, notching three takedown in the opening minute to lead 9-3. He continued to work on offense, used a high double for a fourth takedown and cut and led 12-4 before the period’s midway point. Starocci added a fifth takedown to lead 15-5. Starocci’s sixth takedown gave the Lion an 18-5 lead and the Nittany Lion then turned Arnold to his back for a final four-point turn to notch the 22-5 tech fall at the 2:45 mark.

184: Graduate Bernie Truax, ranked No. 6 at 184, met Brody Evans. Truax scored quickly, taking Evans down for a fast takedown and a 3-0 lead. Truax built up :54 in time before cutting Evans loose to a 3-1 score. Truax continued to press on offense, picking up a stall point for a 4-1 lead at 1:11. Truax turned a low single into a second takedown and a 7-1 lead with :50 on the clock. He then turned Evans to his back for a four-point near fall and led 11-1 after the opening period. Evans chose down to start the second period and escaped to an 11-2 score. Picked up another takedown to lead 14-3 after cutting Evans loose, moved through a shot for another score and led 13-7. He finished off the bout with a final four-point turn to post the 21-3 tech fall at the 5:00 mark.

197: Senior+ Aaron Brooks, ranked No. 1 at 197, battled Jack Kilner. Brooks took Kilner down quickly to lead 3-1 after cutting the Scot loose. He picked up his second takedown with a high double and then his third with a fast low shot on the Nittany Lion logo to open up a 9-2 lead with 1:00 left in the first period. Brooks finished the first period on top to lead 9-2 after the opening period. Brooks chose down to start the second period, quickly escaped, and took Kilner down to lead 13-3 after cutting the Scot loose. Brooks added another takedown and then finished off the tech fall with a final one, winning 19-4 at 3:55.

285: Senior Greg Kerkvliet, ranked No. 1 at 285, took on Nick Lodato. Kerkvliet took Lodato down quickly, opening up a 3-0 lead in the opening seconds. Lodato escaped to a 3-1 score and Kerkvliet went back to work on top. Kerkvliet took the Scot down and to his back, nearly pinning him but settling for four back points and a 10-1 lead. He quickly locked up a cradle and finished off the bout with a pin at the 1:27 mark.