By: Pat Donghia
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State (8-0, 5-0 B1G) visits Iowa (10-1, 5-1 B1G) on Friday, Feb. 9, for its final road dual of the season. The Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes tangle at 9 p.m. Eastern (8 p.m. local) in a B1G Network national telecast. Three days later, Penn State welcomes Rutgers (10-4, 3-3 B1G) to the Bryce Jordan Center on Monday, Feb. 12. The 2024 BJC Dual begins at 7 p.m. and is also a B1G Network national telecast.
Penn State, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, is coming off a 28-9 win over Ohio State on Friday, Feb. 2. The Nittany Lions won eight of ten bouts in the dual meet victory and gave up only three takedowns. Penn State improved to 8-0 overall, 5-0 in the Big Ten, with the home win.
The Nittany Lions line-up features five grad/seniors and five underclassmen. Senior Beau Bartlett is 14-0 at 141, senior Carter Starocci is 9-0 at 174, graduate Bernie Truax is 8-2 at 184, senior+ Aaron Brooks is 10- at 197 and senior Greg Kerkvliet is 9-0 at 285. Sophomore Aaron Nagao is 8-3 at 133, sophomore Levi Haines is 11-0 at 157, redshirt freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink is 15-0 at 165, true freshman Braeden Davis is 14-0 at 125 and true freshman Tyler Kasak is 11-1 at 149.
Iowa enters Friday’s dual 10-1 overall, 5-1 in Big Ten action, after a tough road loss at Michigan on Feb. 2. The Hawkeyes have been led by senior Real Woods, who is 12-1 at 141; graduate Jared Franek, who is 18-2 at 157; sophomore Michael Caliendo, who is 19-1 at 165; sophomore Drake Ayala, who is 17-3 at 125; senior Zach Glazier, who is 19-0 at 197; and a host of veteran wrestlers as well. Iowa leads the all-time series 28-12-2 but Penn State has won the last two meetings and four of the last five. The Nittany Lions won the last meeting, 23-14 on Jan. 27, 2023, in the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State won the last meeting in Carver Hawkeye Arena 19-13 on Jan. 28, 2022.
Rutgers will enter Monday’s dual meet 10-4 overall, 3-3 in conference action. The Knights dropped a home dual to Ohio State on Feb. 4 in their last outing. Rutgers has been led by graduate Yara Slavikouski, who is 14-2 at 285; junior Dylan Shawver, who is 18-5 at 133; and senior Jackson Turley, who is 9-3 at 174.. Penn State leads the all-time series with RU 23-0, including a 33-8 win at Rutgers last year on Feb. 10, 2023.
The Nittany Lions will host Nebraska in its next outing. Penn State welcomes Nebraska to Rec Hall on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 4 p.m. in another B1G Network 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.
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (8-0, 5-0 B1G)
125 #2 Braeden Davis Fr. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 14-0
133 #6 Aaron Nagao So. La Habra, Calif./Esperanza 8-3
141 #1 Beau Bartlett Sr. Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) 14-0
149 #10 Tyler Kasak Fr. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 11-1
157 #1 Levi Haines So. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 11-0
165 #7 Mitchell Mesenbrink Fr. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 15-0
174 #1 Carter Starocci Sr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 9-0
184 #6 Bernie Truax Gr. Oceanside, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista 8-2
197 #1 Aaron Brooks Sr.+ Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown 10-0
285 #1 Greg Kerkvliet Sr. Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley 9-0
IOWA HAWKEYES (10-1, 5-1 B1G)
125 #7 Drake Ayala So. Fort Dodge, Iowa/Fort Dodge 17-3
133 #20 Cullan Schriever Jr. Mason City, Iowa/Mason City 8-2
141 #2 Real Woods Sr. Albuquerque, N.M./Montini Catholic 12-1
149 #12 Caleb Rathjen So. Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny 12-3
157 #5 Jared Franek Gr. Harwood, N.D./West Fargo 18-2
165 #6 Michael Caliendo So. Geneva, Ill./Batavia 19-1
174 #7 Patrick Kennedy Jr. Kasson-Mantorville, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville 10-3
184 Aidan Riggins Fr. Janesville, Iowa/Waverly-Shell 11-10
197 #11 Zach Glazier Sr. Albert Lea, Minn./Albert Lea 19-0
285 Ben Kueter Fr. Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa City 2-0
#29 Bradley Hill Fr. Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf 15-5
RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS (10-4, 3-3 B1G)
125 #19 Dean Peterson Jr. Barnegat, N.J./Saint John Vianney 9-4
133 #10 Dylan Shawver Jr. Lorain, Ohio/Elyria 18-5
141 #19 Mitch Moore Gr. St. Paris, Ohio/Graham 11-3
149 #26 Michael Cetta Jr. Wyckoff, N.J./St. Joseph (Montvale) 12-5
157 Andrew Clark Jr. Collingswood, N.J./Collingswood 6-4
AJ DeSantis Jr. Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional 5-10
165 Anthony White Jr. South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield 9-10
Luke Gayer So. Anaheim, Calif./Calvary Baptist 9-9
174 #13 Jackson Turley Sr. Chester, Va./St. Christopher’s 9-3
184 #19 Brian Soldano So. Wantage, N.J./High Point 11-7
197 #22 John Poznanski Jr. Colonia, N.J./Colonia 12-2
285 #8 Yara Slavikouski Gr. Rechitsa, Belarus/Northfield Mount Hermon 14-2
Individual Rankings listed are InterMat and Team Rankings are
Intermat Tournament Power Index (as of 2/6/24)
THIS WEEK
Penn State (8-0, 5-0 B1G) visits Iowa (10-1, 5-1 B1G) on Friday, Feb. 9. The Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes meet at 9 p.m. Eastern (8 p.m. local) in a B1G Network national telecast. Three days later, Penn State welcomes Rutgers (10-4, 3-3 B1G) to the Bryce Jordan Center on Monday, Feb. 12. The 2024 BJC Dual will begin at 7 p.m. and is also a B1G Network national telecast.
UP NEXT
Penn State hosts Nebraska on Sunday, Feb. 18. The dual is set for 4 p.m. in Rec Hall and is a B1G Network national telecast.
ON THE AIR
TV – B1G Network
Radio online – Free all year via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com
Live Web Video – none
