Penn State wrestling helps Big Ten set record as one of 12 ranked teams in NWCA coaches poll

Editor’s note: The Centre Daily Times will publish weekly updates based on NWCA coaches team and InterMat individual rankings to give readers a glimpse into how Penn State wrestling fits into the bigger picture.

Penn State wrestling will begin its 2021 campaign as a top-two team with nine wrestlers ranked in their respective weight classes.

The Nittany Lions were ranked No. 2 in the country in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association’s weekly coaches poll, which was released Tuesday. They came in at the same spot — behind only Iowa — in the NWCA’s preseason poll.

The Big Ten as a whole made history with this week’s edition of the poll with 12 of its 14 schools ranked for the first time in its history. The conference previously had 11 schools in the top 25 in 17 instances.

All three of the top three schools are from the Big Ten, along with five of the top seven.

Iowa maintained its spot at No. 1, with Michigan just after Penn State at No. 3. Those three programs are joined by Nebraska (No. 6), Ohio State (No. 7), Minnesota (No. 14), Rutgers (No. 15), Purdue (No. 16), Wisconsin (No. 21), Northwestern (No. 22), Illinois (No. 24) and Michigan State (No. 25) as ranked teams in this weeks NWCA poll.

The Nittany Lions will take on seven of the 12 ranked schools this season in the Big Ten’s shortened schedule, beginning with the season-opening dual against No. 15 Rutgers Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Piscataway.

Of the nine Nittany Lions ranked as individuals, four are in the top five of their class and two of the other five are just outside at No. 6.

Two of the team’s veterans have found themselves in the top three of their weight class before they’ve taken the mat in a dual this season. Junior 133-pounder Roman Bravo-Young came in at No. 3 in his weight class while senior Nick Lee is the No. 2 wrestler at 141 pounds.

A duo of underclassmen make up the Nittany Lions’ other top-5 wrestlers in freshman 174-pounder Carter Starocci at No. 5 and sophomore 184-pounder Aaron Brooks at No. 3, while freshmen Joe Lee (165 pounds) and Greg Kerkvliet (heavyweight) are the two wrestlers at No. 6 at their respective weights.

The other three ranked Penn Staters are junior Jarod Verkleeren (No. 10, 149 pounds), junior Brady Berge (No. 11, 157 pounds) and freshman Michael Beard (No. 13, 197 pounds).

Bravo-Young and the elder Lee will both have an opportunity to bolster their rankings in ranked matchups when Penn State takes on Rutgers Saturday afternoon in Piscataway. Bravo-Young will take on No. 6 133-pounder Sammy Alvarez, a sophomore, after they met twice last season. The Nittany Lion junior won both matchups, one in the team dual (4-2 in sudden victory) and the other at the Big Ten Championships (5-2).

Lee will take on Sebastian Rivera, the No. 4 141-pounder. Rivera graduated from Northwestern and transferred to Rutgers in the offseason. He began his career at 125 pounds before moving up to 133 pounds last season and now 141 this season. He defeated Bravo-Young last season to take home the Big Ten title at 133.

The Nittany Lions will still be defending their title from the 2019 NCAA Wrestling Championships after last season’s postseason was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic.

NWCA Division I Coaches Poll

(Jan. 12, 2021)

Others Receiving Votes: Army West Point 27, Central Michigan 19, Virginia 19, Appalachian State 11, Wyoming 10, Hofstra 4, Campbell 2

Dropped Out: No. 21 Central Michigan (1-2), No. 24 Army West Point (0-0)

This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 12:51 PM.

Jon Sauber

Centre Daily Times

(814) 231-6461

Jon Sauber covers Penn State football and men’s basketball for the Centre Daily Times. He earned his B.A. in digital and print journalism from Penn State and his M.A. in sports journalism from IUPUI. His previous stops include jobs at The Indianapolis Star, the NCAA, and Rivals.