Early Line-up Look: Penn State Nittany Lions
Early Line-up Look: Penn State Nittany Lions
An early breakdown of the Penn State Nittany Lions for the upcoming 2023-24 NCAA season.
Overview
Head coach: Cael Sanderson
Assistants: Cody Sanderson, Casey Cunningham, Jimmy Kennedy
2023 NCAA tournament finish: 1st
2023 NCAA tournament points: 137.5
2023 NCAA tournament record: 37-9
2023 Big Ten tournament finish: 1st
2023 dual record: 16-0 (8-0)
Returning national qualifiers: (10) Robbie Howard, Aaron Nagao, Beau Bartlett, Shayne Van Ness, Levi Haines, Alex Facundo, Carter Starocci, Bernie Truax, Aaron Brooks, Greg Kerkvliet
Returning All-Americans: (8) Aaron Nagao, Beau Bartlett, Shayne Van Ness, Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, Bernie Truax, Aaron Brooks, Greg Kerkvliet
Returning NCAA champions: Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks
Last NCAA champions: Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks (2023)
Highest NCAA team finish: 1st (1953, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)
Highest NCAA team finish under Sanderson: 1st (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023)
Most place winners under Sanderson: 8 (2018, 2023)
Click here for other early line-up looks
Summary
Penn State had a balanced team performance at the 2023 NCAA Championships highlighted by two NCAA champions, five finalists, seven top-three finishers, and eight All-Americans. The Nittany Lions lose NCAA champions Roman Bravo-Young and Max Dean to graduation but they picked up three key transfers in the off-season.
Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) and Bernie Truax (Cal Poly) enter Penn State’s powerful line-up following successful stints at previous schools, while Mitchell Mesenbrink saw limited action at Cal Baptist before entering the transfer portal.
Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks are heavy favorites to win their fourth NCAA titles next season, which would make them the sixth and seventh in history. Levi Haines (157) and Greg Kerkvliet (285) placed second at the 2023 NCAA tournament but will be ranked first to start the season. Penn State could have eight wrestlers ranked in the top three to start the season if Truax is at 184 and Brooks is at 197.
Penn State’s Projected 2023-24 Line-up
125: Robbie Howard, SO (NQ)
133: Aaron Nagao, SO (AA)
141: Beau Bartlett, JR (AA)
149: Shayne Van Ness, SO (AA)
157: Levi Haines, SO (AA)
165: Mitchell Mesenbrink, FR
174: Carter Starocci, JR (NC)
184: Bernie Truax, SR (AA)
197: Aaron Brooks, SR (NC)
285: Greg Kerkvliet, JR (AA)
125: Robbie Howard, SO
Howard returns following a two-year absence due to injuries. He finished the 2020-21 season 7-6 with a 2-2 record at the NCAA Championships. Penn State didn’t send a 125-pounder to nationals last season, so Howard will be a welcome addition.
133: Aaron Nagao, SO
2023 record: 23-6
2023 NCAA tournament record: 5-2 (5th)
Nagao is a fresh face after five years of Roman Bravo-Young. The Minnesota transfer has big shoes to fill but is capable of picking up where Bravo-Young left off. Nagao fell to Bravo-Young twice last season, including a 4-1 quarterfinal setback at NCAAs. The La Habra, California, native eventually finished fifth after falling to three-time national finalist Daton Fix in the consolation semifinals. This is still a tough weight but Nagao is good enough to finish in the top three.
141: Beau Bartlett, JR
2023 record: 27-3
2023 NCAA tournament record: 5-1 (3rd)
Beau Bartlett’s record at 141 pounds: 27-3 (one season)
Beau Bartlett’s record at 149 pounds: 23-13 (two seasons)
That sums up Bartlett’s breakout 2023 campaign. The Nittany Lion star finished third at the NCAA Championships following a 6-2 semifinal loss to eventual champion Andrew Alirez of Northern Colorado. The Tempe, Arizona, native recently finished fourth at the US Open and took former teammate Nick Lee to the brink in a 10-10 match where Bartlett had his hand raised.
Most of the best wrestlers return in 2024, including Alirez and national finalist Real Woods of Iowa. Moving up another spot or two will be difficult but completely possible given the way Bartlett is progressing.
Beau Bartlett won his third-place match over Lachlan McNeil at the 2023 NCAA Championships
149: Shayne Van Ness, SO
2023 record: 24-7
2023 NCAA tournament record: 5-1 (3rd)
Van Ness saved the best for last in 2023. He entered the NCAA Championships seeded 12th and finished third. His only loss at the tournament was an 8-3 semifinal setback to Cornell’s four-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis. His sophomore campaign won’t get any easier. National finalist Ridge Lovett of Nebraska returns after a redshirt year. Iowa State’s Paniro Johnson and Wisconsin’s Austin Gomez didn’t place at nationals but each handed Van Ness a loss during the season.
157: Levi Haines, SO
2023 record: 27-2
2023 NCAA tournament record: 4-1 (2nd)
Haines lost in sudden victory to Vinny Zerban on November 13, 2022, and didn’t lose again until the 6-2 setback to North Carolina senior Austin O’Connor on March 18, 2023. The Arendtsville, Pennsylvania, native was a bright spot in the line-up throughout the entire season and will be favored to win an NCAA title in 2024.
165: Mitchell Mesenbrink
2023 record: 2-0
This is where things get interesting. Mesenbrink is the predicted starter even though Alex Facundo was in the line-up last season. Facundo finished 19-6 but went 0-2 at the NCAA Championships.
Penn State has a couple of options here. Facundo might take an Olympic redshirt, which means Mesenbrink could take the 165-pound spot. Mesenbrink competed in two duals last season but earned a silver medal at the 2022 U20 World Championships and recently won the U20 National Championships.
Starocci has publicly stated his desire to win the 2024 Olympics, which would leave a hole in the line-up at 174 pounds if he doesn’t return. Mesenbrink and Facundo could go up or down depending on what Starocci does. Either way, Penn State has three quality options between two weights.
174: Carter Starocci, JR
2023 record: 24-0
2023 NCAA tournament record: 5-0 (1st)
Starocci is a three-time NCAA champion who is undefeated over the past two seasons. His return to Penn State is yet to be determined, but he will be the favorite to win his fourth title. His 24 team points at the 2023 NCAA Championships were the most of anyone at the tournament.
Carter Starocci pinned Mikey Labriola during the 2023 NCAA Championship finals
184: Bernie Truax, SR
2023 record: 18-3
2023 NCAA tournament record: 5-2 (4th)
Truax enters the line-up following three straight fourth-place national finishes for Cal Poly. The man of many weights began his career at 149, qualified for the 2020 Covid-cancelled nationals at 165, then competed at 174, 184, and 197 in the subsequent three seasons. He is expected to move down to 184 since three-time NCAA champion Aaron Brooks is expected to move up.
197: Aaron Brooks, SR
2023 record: 17-1
2023 NCAA tournament record: 5-0 (1st)
Three NCAA titles and a career record of 77-3 say everything you need to know about Brooks. He is likely moving up to 197 after three seasons at 184 pounds. Brooks will face former Penn State superstar David Taylor at Final X on June 10 for the 86-kilogram spot on the freestyle World team.
Aaron Brooks defeated Trent Hidlay during the semifinals of the 2023 NCAA Championships
285: Greg Kerkvliet, JR
2023 record: 19-3
2023 NCAA tournament record: 4-1 (2nd)
Kerkvliet has placed seventh, fourth, and second at the NCAA Championships in the deepest heavyweight field in college wrestling history. The former Cadet World champion lost three times to Michigan’s Mason Parris last season, including the NCAA tournament finals. The 285-pound field is still deep, but Parris graduated and there’s no indication of a return from Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson. This could be Kerkvliet’s year.