By: Pat Donghia
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, has announced its 2024-25 schedule. Penn State will have seven home duals this season, including two in the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions will also host the NWCA All-Star Classic once again in Rec Hall. Please note that all dates and times are subject to change.
The season begins with a big opening weekend in Rec Hall. The venerable building will once again be the site of the NWCA All-Star Classic exhibition. The event, which is not an official NCAA event or part of Penn State’s season ticket package, is set for Saturday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m. Tickets for the event can be purchased at https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0200612BD69D5222 . Penn State’s official NCAA schedule then begins the next day with a home dual in Rec Hall when the Nittany Lions host Drexel at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17.
Penn State heads to West Point, N.Y., the next weekend for the Black Knight Invitational at Army West Point. The one day event takes place on Sunday, Nov. 24, and runs all-day. Penn State visits Lehigh on Sunday, Dec. 8, for a 2 p.m. dual with the Mountain Hawks. The next weekend, Penn State welcomes the Wyoming Cowboys to Rec Hall for a 1 p.m. dual meet on Sunday, Dec. 15. Penn State closes out the first semester schedule a week later, travelling to Nashville, Tenn., for the Journeymen Collegiate Duals on Sunday, Dec. 22. Penn State will wrestle three dual meets on that day, taking on Binghamton, Arkansas-Little Rock and Missouri.
The Big Ten season begins on Friday, Jan. 10, when Penn State hosts Michigan State in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions trek to Nebraska the following Friday, Jan. 17, for a dual meet in Lincoln. Penn State heads east to visit Rutgers on Friday, Jan. 24, for a second straight road dual.
The Nittany Lions will host Iowa on Friday, Jan. 31, in the first of two BJC Duals during the 2024-25 campaign. A week later, Penn State hosts Michigan on Friday, Feb. 7, in the second BJC Dual of the year. Penn State then hosts Maryland two days later on Sunday, Feb. 9, in Rec Hall.
The Nittany Lions hit the road for their final Big Ten weekend, visiting Ohio State on Friday, Feb. 14, and Illinois on Sunday, Feb. 16. Penn State closes out the dual meet portion of its schedule by hosting American University on Friday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. Note that all Big Ten dual meet times will be announced when the Big Ten Network reveals its national broadcast schedule.
The post-season begins on March 8-9 with the 2025 Big Ten Championships at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. The 2025 NCAA Championships will take place on Thursday through Saturday, March 20-22, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pa.
Penn State has won then of 11 of 13 NCAA team championships (no tournament in 2020). The Nittany Lions have won 12 NCAA titles overall with 11 coming under Sanderson (third most in history). Penn State won four-straight titles in 2011, ’12, ’13 and ’14 and again in 2006, ’17, ’18 and ’19. The Nittany Lions have now won three straight again, 2022, ’23, ‘24. Penn State also owns a championship from 1953. Sanderson’s 15-year head coaching ledger for team finishes at NCAAs since arriving at Penn State is as follows: 2010 (9th), 2011 (1st), 2012 (1st), 2013 (1st), 2014 (1st), 2015 (6th), 2016 (1st), 2017 (1st), 2018 (1st), 2019 (1st), 2020 (no tourn.), 2021 (2nd), 2022 (1st), 2023 (1st), 2024 (1st).
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.
