Nittany Lion Has Mat Showdown with Brutus Friday Night
UNIVERSITY PARK – No. 1 Penn State (10-0, 6-0 B1G) travels to Columbus, Ohio, to take on No. 2 Ohio State (9-1, 5-1 B1G) in Big Ten road action on Friday, Feb. 8. The dual begins at 8:30 p.m. and will air live nationally on the Big Ten Network. Last year Penn State edged the Buckeyes by one point, 19-18, at Rec Hall. Experts expect this year’s match to be equally close.
The Nittany Lions are coming off a 25-11 win over previously unbeaten and fifth-ranked Michigan last Friday in the annual BJC Dual.
The Nittany Lions feature a talented line-up. Sophomore Devin Schnupp is 6-11 at 125 with half those wins coming in dual meets. True freshman Roman Bravo-Young is ranked No. 15 at 133 with a 15-2 record. Sophomore Nick Lee is 20-1 overall and ranked No. 5 at 141. Redshirt freshman Brady Berge is 14-2 and ranked No. 11 at 149. Senior Jason Nolf is 19-0 and ranked No. 1 at 157. Junior Vincenzo Joseph is 17-0 and ranked No. 1 at 165. Junior Mark Hall is 19-0 and ranked No. 1 at 174. Senior Shakur Rasheed is 15-0 and ranked No. 2 at 184. Senior Bo Nickal is 18-0 and ranked No. 1 at 197. Senior Anthony Cassar is 17-1 and ranked No. 3 at 285.
Ohio State enters the dual with a 9-1 record, 5-1 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes won two road duals last weekend, beating Illinois 23-14 on Friday and Northwestern 27-15 on Sunday. The Buckeyes have a line-up that features nine ranked wrestlers. Luke Pletcher is 18-2 and No. 6 at 133. Joey McKenna is 14-0 and No. 2 at 141. Micah Jordan is 18-1 and No. 3 at 149. Ke-Shawn Hayes is 15-5 and No. 6 at 157. Te’Shan Campbell is 9-2 and No. 12 at 165. Ethan Smith is 14-5 and No. 18 at 174. Myles Martin is 13-0 and No. 1 at 197. Kollin Moore is 13-0 and No. 2 at 197. Chase Singletary is 15-4 and No. 19 at 285.
The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series with Ohio State 20-12, including the last three meetings. Penn State won 19-18 last year in Rec Hall on Feb. 3, 2019. The Nittany Lions won the last meeting in Columbus as well, winning 32-12 on Feb. 3, 2017.
Penn State loses out Big Ten action with a split weekend next weekend. The Lions host Michigan State on Friday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. Penn State then visits Illinois for a Sunday, Feb. 17, dual at 2 p.m. (Eastern).
#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (10-0, 6-0 B1G)
125 Devin Schnupp So. Lititz, Pa./Warwick 6-11
133 #15 Roman Bravo-Young Fr. Tucson, Ariz./Sunny Side 15-2
141 #5 Nick Lee So. Evansville, Ind./Homeschool 20-1
149 #11 Brady Berge Fr. Mantorville, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville 14-2
Jarod Verkleeren Fr. Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield 14-5
157 #1 Jason Nolf Sr. Yatesboro, Pa./Kittanning 19-0
165 #1 Vincenzo Joseph Jr. Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic 17-0
174 #1 Mark Hall Jr. Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley 19-0
184 #2 Shakur Rasheed Sr. Coram, N.Y./Longwood 15-0
197 #1 Bo Nickal Sr. Allen, Texas/Allen 18-0
285 #3 Anthony Cassar Sr. Rocky Hill, N.J./Montgomery 17-1
Nick Nevills Sr. Clovis, Calif./Clovis 8-2
#2 OHIO STATE BUCKEYES (9-1, 5-1 B1G)
125 Malik Heinselman Fr. Castle Rock, Colo./Castle View 18-5
133 #6 Luke Pletcher Jr. Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe 18-2
141 #2 Joey McKenna Sr. Towaco, N.J./Blair Academy 14-0
149 #3 Micah Jordan Sr. St. Paris, Ohio/St. Paris Graham 18-1
157 #6 Ke-Shawn Hayes Jr. Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill 15-5
165 Kaleb Romero Fr. Mechanicsburg, Ohio/Mechanicsburg 7-6
#12 Te’Shan Campbell Sr. Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills 9-2
174 #18 Ethan Smith Fr. Latrobe, Pa./Sparrows Point (Md.) 14-5
184 #1 Myles Martin Sr. Penns Grove, N.J./McDonogh School 13-0
197 #2 Kollin Moore Jr. Burbank, Ohio/Norwayne 13-0
285 #19 Chase Singletary Fr. Naples, Fla./Blair Academy 15-4
Rankings listed are InterMat TPI/InterMat Individual as of 2/5/19
THIS WEEK
#1 Penn State (10-0, 6-0 B1G) treks to Columbus, Ohio, to battle #2 Ohio State (9-1, 5-1 B1G) on Friday, Feb. 8, at 8:30 p.m. The dual will air live on the Big Ten Network.
UP NEXT
Penn State closes out Big Ten action with a split weekend next weekend. The Lions host Michigan State on Friday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall. Penn State then visits Illinois for a Sunday, Feb. 17, dual at 2 p.m. (Eastern).
ON THE AIR
TV – BTN
