UNIVERSITY PARK – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (6-0, 0-0 B1G) will open up Big Ten action on Friday, Jan. 10, when it hosts Michigan State (2-1). The B1G Network national telecast is set for Rec Hall at 8 p.m. All rankings listed are InterMat/InterMat Tournament Power Index (TPI).

The Nittany Lions are coming off a dominant performance at the 2024 Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tenn. Penn State went 3-0 at the event on Sunday, Dec. 22. The Nittany Lions shutout Binghamton 52-0 and No. 15 Little Rock 44-0 (giving the team three straight shutouts including its 54-0 shutout of Wyoming on Dec. 12 in the Jordan Center). Penn State closed out the event with a 41-3 win over No. 8 Missouri. Penn State went 29-1 overall in the three dual meets.

Penn State’s line-up features ten ranked wrestlers. True freshman Luke Lilledahl is ranked No. 12 at 125. Sophomore Braeden Davis is No. 5 at 133. Senior+ Beau Bartlett is No. 3 at 141. Sophomore Shayne Van Ness is No. 2 at 149. Sophomore Tyler Kasak is No. 3 at 157. Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink is No. 1 at 165. Junior Levi Haines is No. 2 at 174. Graduate Carter Starocci is No. 1 at 184. Redshirt freshman Josh Barr is No. 4 at 197. Senior+ Greg Kerkvliet is No. 2 at 285.

Michigan State enters the new year with a 2-1 dual meet record. The Spartans last competed at Midlands on Dec. 29-30 in Evanston, Ill. Michigan State’s line-up features one ranked wrestler. Remy Cotton is currently ranked No. 25 at 197. Penn State leads the all-time series with the Spartans 25-9. The Nittany Lions have won 16 straight, including a 35-0 win at Michigan State last year on Jan. 21, 2024.

Penn State continues Big Ten dual meet action next weekend, visiting Nebraska on Friday, Jan. 17, for another B1G Network national telecast set for 9 p.m. Eastern.

The 2024-25 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via X at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.

#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (6-0, 0-0 B1G)

WT NAME EL HT/HS REC

125 #12 Luke Lilledahl Fr. Weldon Spring, Mo./Wyoming Seminary 8-0

133 #5 Braeden Davis So. Belleville, Mich./Dundee 5-1

141 #3 Beau Bartlett Sr.+ Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary 9-0

149 #2 Shayne Van Ness So. Somerville, N.J./Blair Academy 9-0

157 #3 Tyler Kasak So. Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic 8-0

Alex Facundo So. Essexville, Mich./Davison 5-0

165 #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink So. Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead 10-0

174 #2 Levi Haines Jr. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 8-1

184 #1 Carter Starocci Gr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 9-0

197 #4 Josh Barr R-Fr. Davison, Mich./Davison 7-0

Lucas Cochran Jr. Perry, Utah/Box Elder 4-0

285 #2 Greg Kerkvliet Sr.+ Inver Grove Heights, Min../Simley 9-0

MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (2-1)

WT NAME EL HT/HS

125 Caleb Weiand Fr. Macomb, Mich./Dakota 7-6

133 Tristan Lujan Sr. Selma, Calif./Selma 3-4

141 Evan Herriman Fr. Flint, Mich./Davidson 3-3

149 Jaden Crumpler Fr. Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls 4-7

157 Braden Stauffenberg So. Yorkville, Ill./Aurora Christian 3-7

165 Jay Nivison Gr. Davison, Mich./Davison 7-6

DJ Shannon Sr. Madison, Ill./Christian Brothers 3-3

174 Ceasar Garza So. Oakdale, Calif./Oakdale 9-6

184 Luke Daly Jr. Carbondale, Ill./Carbondale 10-6

197 #25 Remy Cotton Fr. Traverse City, Mich./Davidson 8-4

285 Max Vanadia Fr. Brecksville, Ohio/Brecksville 9-9

Individual rankings listed are InterMat as of 1-7-25 // Team ranking InterMat TPI

THIS WEEK

The Penn State Nittany Lions (6-0, 0-0 B1G) open up Big Ten action by hosting Michigan State (2-1, 0-0 B1G) on Friday, Jan. 10. The dual meet with the Spartans is a B1G Network national telecast and begins at 8 p.m. in Rec Hall.

UP NEXT

Penn State visits Nebraska on Friday, Jan. 17, for another B1G Network dual meet at 9 p.m. in Lincoln.

ON THE AIR

Television – B1G Network

Streamed TV – Fox Sports App

Radio online – Free all year via Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com

THREE LIONS WIN SCUFFLE TITLES, FIVE PLACE AT UTC

Penn State sent nine individuals to Chattanooga for the 2025 Southern Scuffle on Jan. 4-5 and three true freshmen won titles. Five Penn Staters placed overall. Zack Ryder went 5-0 with a pin and a tech to win the crown at 184. He beat #22 DJ Parker of Oklahoma 9-2 in the quarters and pinned #25 TJ Stewart of Virginia Tech in the semis on his way to the championship. Connor Mirasola went 5-0 with a pin, two techs and a major to win at 197, downing #30 Patrick Brophy of The Citadel 7-3 in the finals. Cole Mirasola went 4-0 with two techs and a major to win at 285. He downed #29 Connor Barkett of Duke in the quarters and majored #25 Lucas Stoddard of Army in the finals. Sophomore Connor Pierce went 4-1 to place second at 149 and senior+ Kurt McHenry went 6-2 to take fifth at 125.

NASDEO WINS EDINBORO OPEN CROWN; BECKETT SECOND

True freshman Cael Nasdeo went 3-0 with a tech and a major (plus a non-collegiate win) to claim the 141 pound title at the Edinboro Open on Jan. 4. Classmate Sam Beckett went 2-1 at 174 and took second place.