How to watch, listen to Penn State wrestling vs. Arizona State

For the first time this season, Penn State wrestling will be broadcast on national television, as the Nittany Lions’ 6 p.m. Friday dual with Arizona State is set to air on ESPN2.

“I think that’s great. Any national exposure like that is great for the sport, and I think we’re seeing more and more of that in wrestling, which I think is a good sign,” Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said Tuesday.

With a Lehigh team depleted by injuries, No. 15 Arizona State will be Penn State’s toughest test yet, as it brings five InterMat-ranked wrestlers to Rec Hall for four ranked head-to-head matchups.

The obvious headliner Friday evening will be the rematch of the 174-pound NCAA final between Arizona State’s No. 1 Zahid Valencia and Penn State’s No. 2 Mark Hall. Penn State’s No. 1-ranked Vincenzo Joseph will also take on his former Young Guns teammate, No. 5 Josh Shields, at 165 pounds in what will likely prove to be Joseph’s toughest match so far of the season.

When asked about the possibility of starting the dual off at 184 pounds, to save the top-two matches for last, Sanderson laughed and said: “That’s way too much thinking for me.”

However, he did acknowledge the appeal that ending with Joseph vs. Shields and Hall vs. Valencia would have for a national TV broadcast.

“They’re using that more and more with wrestling, you got a buildup and then a finale, but there’s going to be great matches up and down the lineup,” Sanderson said. “Mark Hall and Valencia is obviously a rematch of the national final, so that’s a big one, but we’re a team, so we’re not going to focus on one match.”

Penn State vs. Arizona State match info

When: 6 p.m. Friday

Where: Rec Hall, Penn State

How to watch: On television on ESPN2, online at ESPN3

How to listen: On the radio at State College’s ESPN Radio 1450, or online on LionVision (play-by-play by Jeff Byers)

How to follow: Live scoring at trackwrestling.com, and on Twitter @pennstateWREST, @byncobler and @lmuth1259

This story was originally published December 13, 2018 at 2:11 PM.