UNIVERSITY PARK — Penn State once again validated the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s decision to hold its NWCA All-Star Classic in Rec Hall.

Five Nittany Lions competed and four won Saturday night. And, for the second year in a row, Carter Starocci sent the partisan crowd, estimated in excess of 5,000, home happy.

In addition to Starocci, who wrestled at 184 pounds, 149-pounder Shayne Van Ness, 157-pounder Tyler Kasak and 174-pounder Levi Haines all won. Beau Bartlett, in a rematch of the 2024 NCAA 141-pound final, lost to Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez.

Starocci, the four-time NCAA champion, was paired with Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen, the reigning 184-pound champion, himself a four-time All-American.

Their match, which was the final of 16 bouts, kept the crowd in its seats and delivered on its promise as the Nittany Lion scored a takedown in the sudden victory period for a 4-1 win.

“Obviously, you don’t want matches to go to overtime, but he’s a tough, strong kid,” Starocci said. “He’s a guy who’s probably looking forward to that matchup again, if it happens. My job is to make sure I’m also ready.”

After a scoreless first period, Starocci quickly escaped at the start of the second. In the latter stages of the second, Keckeisen dropped in on a single and a scramble ensued. Starocci was able to defend the shot and two went out of bounds with no score.

“Baseline defense wins championships. I’m always comfortable in every situation, that’s why I train, right? You put all of those countless hours in to make sure you’re ready for every situation.”

Keckeisen escaped in the third to tie the match and Starocci got in on a single at the edge of the mat. But, much like Starocci, Keckeisen was able to defend the shot and the match went into overtime.

With 27 seconds left in sudden victory, Starocci was able to convert on a shot for the win.

“I thought he would engage a little more and attack more than he did. I felt like he kept his distance and managed his base well,” Starocci said. “That’s just a user error on my end. I’ll make sure that I’m able to apply more pressure (next time).”

Haines, the two-time NCAA finalist and 2024 champion at 157, moved up to 174 and looked like his same dominant self. After a scoreless first, he scored seven points over the final two periods to blank South Dakota State’s Cade DeVos, 7-0.

Haines escaped and coaxed a stalling point to lead 2-0 at the end of two. In the third, he turned DeVos for a four-point near fall and tacked on a riding time point for the final score.

“It was an awesome atmosphere. It was fun to wrestle at a pretty cool event. Obviously, being in our own gym makes it really special. This area loves wrestling,” Haines said.

“I didn’t recognize much of a difference (wrestling at 174). If anything, I just have more energy. I can really go put that pace on guys, and really get after it.”

Van Ness, returning to the mat from a knee injury for the first time since last year’s all-star meet, looked dominant in a 16-4 major decision win over West Virginia’s Ty Watters. He jumped out to a 6-1 lead after the first, expanded it to 10-3 in the second and then tacked on six more in the third.

“I couldn’t stop smiling when I was walking out there. It’s so fun to be out there and see the people that I love out there supporting me. I would do it with no fans, but just seeing everyone there cheering for me makes it really special,” Van Ness said.

Kasak faced off with Ohio’s Peyton Kellar in a battle of 2024 All-Americans. Kasak wrestled back for a third-place finish after dropping his first bout. Kellar placed fifth.

Kasak opened the scoring in the first period by converting a single into a double for a takedown and 3-0 lead. Kellar would eventually escape and add another in the second as Kasak led 3-2 after two. Kasak, though, held 3:02 in riding time advantage.

In the third, Kasak chose bottom and Kellar held him there the entire period, riding with legs and trying to turn the Nittany Lion. Kasak wouldn’t be turned and his 1:02 in riding time added another point to his 4-2 win.

“I’m pumped. Honestly, this is kind of surreal. I feel like I’ve waited an eternity to get back on the mat,” Kasak said. “I’m excited to be here and compete.”

Mendez scored a takedown in the first period and made that stand up in his win over Bartlett.

Results from the NWCA All-Star Classic on Saturday at Rec Hall:

Women’s freestyle

110 pounds: Kendra Ryan, North Central, dec. Emma Baertlein, Southern Oregon, 4-2.

124 pounds: Amani Jones, North Central, pinned Maya Davis, 1:20.

131 pounds: Victoria Baez-Dilone, King, dec. Carolina Moreno, Southern Oregon, 6-2.

145 pounds: Jamilah McBryde, Life, pinned Aine Drury, King, :47.

160 pounds: Latifah McBryde, Life, pinned Chey Bowman, King, 3:48.

Men’s folkstyle

197: No. 1 (D2) Derek Blubaugh, Indianapolis vs. No. 1 (D3) Massoma Endene, Wartburg

197: No. 5 Stephen Little, Little Rock dec. No. 10 Zac Braunagel, Illinois, 2-1 TB.

285: No. 9 Taye Ghadiali, Campbell, dec. No. 3 Nick Feldman, Ohio State, 8-3.

125: No. 2 Jore Volk, Wyoming dec. No. 5 Tanner Jordan, South Dakota State, 8-2.

133: No. 3 Lucas Byrd, Illinois, dec. No. 2 Nasir Bailey, Little Rock, 1-0.

141: No. 2 Jesse Mendez, Ohio State, dec. No. 3 Beau Bartlett, Penn State, 4-1.

149: No. 2 Shayne Van Ness, Penn State maj. Dec. No. 3 Ty Watters, West Virginia, 16-4.

157: No. 5 Tyler Kasak, Penn State dec. No. 3 Peyten Kellar, Ohio, 4-2.

165: No. 3 Peyton Hall, West Virginia, pinned No. 7 Hunter Garvin, Stanford, 5:54.

174: No. 2 Levi Haines, Penn State dec. No. 3 Cade DeVos, South Dakota State, 7-0.

184: No. 1 Carter Starocci, Penn State, dec. No. 2 Parker Keckeisen, Northern Iowa, 4-1 SV.