Penn State wrestling sends 7 into Big Ten semifinals, tied for team lead with Iowa
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Big Ten Wrestling Championships
Penn State won its first team title since 2019 during the March 4-5 Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Read all of our coverage below.
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The first session of the Big Ten wrestling championships came to a close on Saturday afternoon, and Penn State sent seven into the semifinals — the most of all the Big Ten schools.
Three other wrestlers remained alive in the consolation bracket.
When it comes to the team race, the Nittany Lions are tied with Iowa at 63.5 points. However, the Hawkeyes only have six semifinalists.
When things get back underway on Saturday evening, two of the semifinal matchups will put Penn State against Iowa wrestlers.
Here’s a recap of Saturday morning’s matches.
125 pounds: Gary Steen
Record after session: 0-1
Current round: Consolation Second Round
Recap: The day didn’t start off very well for the Nittany Lions as Steen took on Maryland’s Braxton Brown.
Brown fired off a takedown five seconds into the bout and put Steen to his back. Brown collected four nearfall points midway through the period to lead 6-0 after one.
In the second period, Steen had a third caution called against him as he tried to anticipate the official’s whistle. Brown got a point for that third caution, and added a reversal late to hold a 9-0 lead going to the final period.
Brown got a takedown, two more nearfall and added a riding time point for a 14-0 major decision.
Steen takes on Michigan’s Jack Medley in the consolation second round later.
133 pounds: Roman Bravo-Young
Record after session: 1-0
Current round: Semifinals
Recap: RBY had no problems in his quarterfinals match with Iowa’s Brody Teske.
The two-time Big Ten champ had an early takedown in the first period, and rode Teske out for the remainder. After giving Teske an escape to open the second period, RBY took him down again locked up a cradle and collected two sets of nearfall points.
He led 8-1 after two. In the third period, RBY had two takedowns and collected a riding time point thanks to 5:06 in riding time for a 13-2 major decision.
He’ll take on Michigan’s Dylan Ragusin for a spot in the finals tonight.
141 pounds: Beau Bartlett
Record after session: 1-0
Current round: Semifinals
Recap: Bartlett faced Michigan’s Cole Mattin in the quarterfinals, and not a whole lot went on in the first period.
Bartlett’s escape and a stall point from Mattin gave him a 2-0 to start the third period. In the third period, Mattin collected an escape, but Bartlett tacked on a takedown. The Nittany Lion added riding time for a 4-2 win.
Bartlett will face Nebraska’s Brock Hardy in the semifinals.
149 pounds: Shayne Van Ness
Record after session: 1-1
Current round: Consolation Second Round
Recap: Van Ness opened his day by breezing past Illinois’ Jake Harrier to the tune of a 16-4 major decision.
He took on Iowa’s Max Murin in the quarterfinals, and Murin scored first with a late takedown in the first period. Van Ness escaped to trail 2-1 after one period.
Van Ness’ escape in the second period was the lone point, making it 2-2 to start the third. Murin had an escape in the third period, and got defensive from there. He added a riding time point to edge Van Ness, 4-2.
Van Ness takes on Purdue’s Jaden Reynolds in the consolation bracket.
157 pounds: Levi Haines
Record after session: 1-0
Current round: Semifinals
Recap: The true freshman made quite the impression in his first Big Ten tournament.
He recorded a takedown with just over one minute remaining in the first period against Indiana’s Derek Gilcher. Haines hit a duck under into a single-leg takedown that Gilcher attempted to fight off, but to no avail.
Haines’ escape was the lone point in the second period, which gave him a 3-0 lead to start the third period. Gilcher started from the bottom, but Haines made him pay by putting him on his back for two nearfall points. Haines had 2:57 in riding time for a 6-0 shutout of Gilcher.
He now faces Purdue’s Kendall Coleman.
165 pounds: Alex Facundo
Record after session: 1-1
Current round: Consolation Second Round
Recap: Facundo had an up and down first session.
He opened his first conference tournament by breezing past Purdue’s Stoney Buell, 7-2. In the quarterfinals, Facundo took on Ohio State’s Carson Kharchla, who he beat earlier this year, 4-1.
But Kharchla got some revenge on Saturday afternoon.
The Buckeyes wrestler used a first period takedown with 45 seconds remaining hold up in a 3-1 win. The pair traded escapes in the second and third periods, and Facundo had several shot attempts late, but couldn’t convert.
Facundo will now face Indiana’s Nick South.
174 pounds: Carter Starocci
Record after session: 1-0
Current round: Semifinals
Recap: The reigning Big Ten champion showed no signs of giving up his crown against Northwestern’s Troy Fisher.
Starocci used four takedowns and added riding time to collect a 10-2 major decision. The champ had two takedowns in the first period with ease. He added a takedown a piece in the second and third period, and 2:03 of riding time gave him another point.
He’ll get Minnesota’s Bailee O’Reilly in the semifinals. O’Reilly topped Illionis’ Edmond Ruth, who is the younger brother of Penn State great Ed Ruth.
184 pounds: Aaron Brooks
Record after session: 1-0
Current round: Semifinals
Recap: Brooks hasn’t seen the mat competitively since Feb. 10, nearly a whole month. But that didn’t seem to matter against Rutgers’ Brian Soldano in their quarterfinals match.
Brooks rattled off three first period takedowns to race out to a 6-2 lead. His reversal in the second period captured the lone points.
In the third period, he poured it on Soldano. Brooks secured a takedown right away, and tilted Soldano to his back for two sets of nearfall points. The champ racked up an 18-2 technical fall in 5:57.
Brooks takes on Michigan’s Matt Finesilver in the semifinals.
197 pounds: Max Dean
Record after session: 1-0
Current round: Semifinals
Recap: There wasn’t a ton of action in Dean’s quarterfinals match with Minnesota’s Michial Foy.
Neither wrestler scored in the first period, and Dean rode Foy for the entire second period.
In the third period, Dean earned an escape with 1:05 left, and he had riding time built up to collect a 2-0 win.
The NCAA champ faces Iowa’s Jacob Warner in the semifinals in a rematch of last year’s NCAA final.
285 pounds: Greg Kerkvliet
Record after session: 1-0
Current round: Semifinals
Recap: Kerkvliet has a recurring theme when he faces Ohio State’s Tate Orndorff. The Nittany Lion tallied a 9-0 major decision in the dual earlier this year.
On Saturday, Kerkvliet recorded nine points again, but Orndorff was able to get one.
Kerkvliet had a takedown in each period. He had a reversal in the second period, that Orndorff escaped from. In the end, Kerkvliet had 5:55 in riding time to secure the 9-1 win.
He gets to face Iowa’s Tony Cassioppi in the semifinals.
Big Ten Championships
Saturday at Ann Arbor, Mich.
Team key: Illinois (Ill.), Indiana (Ind.), Iowa (I), Maryland (M), Michigan (Mich.), Michigan State (MSU), Minnesota (Minn.), Nebraska (N), Northwestern (NW), Ohio State (OSU), Penn State (PSU), Purdue (P), Rutgers (R), Wisconsin (W)
Team scores: T1. Iowa 63.5, T1. Penn State 63.5, 3. Minnesota 52, 4. Ohio State 45.5, 5. Nebraska 45, 6. Michigan 43, 7. Northwestern 25, 8. Wisconsin 23, 9. Indiana 18, T10. Michigan State 16.5
Quarterfinals
133: Roman Bravo-Young, PSU, major dec. Brody Teske, I, 13-2; 141: Beau Bartlett, PSU, dec. Cole Mattin, Mich., 4-2; 149: Max Murin, I, dec. Shayne Van Ness, PSU, 4-2; 157: Levi Haines, PSU, dec. Derek Gilcher, Ind., 6-0; 165: Carson Kharchla, OSU, dec. Alex Facundo, PSU, 3-1; 174: Carter Starocci, PSU, major dec. Troy Fisher, NW, 10-2; 184: Aaron Brooks, PSU, tech. fall Brian Soldano, R, 18-2 (5:57); 197: Max Dean, PSU, dec. Michial Foy, Minn., 2-0; 285: Greg Kerkvliet, PSU, major dec. Tate Orndorff, OSU, 9-1
First Round
125: Braxton Brown, M, major dec. Steen, PSU, 14-0; 149: Van Ness, PSU, major dec. Jake Harrier, Ill., 16-4; 165: Facundo, PSU, dec. Stoney Buell, P, 7-2
This story was originally published March 4, 2023 at 3:08 PM.
