Penn State opens Big 10 wrestling slate with 28-11 Win at Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. – Penn State (8-0, 1-0 B1G) rolled into Madison Friday and downed homestanding Wisconsin (6-2, 0-1 B1G) 28-11 in the Big Ten wrestling opener for both teams. The Nittany Lions won seven of ten bouts in the B1G national telecast from Madison, Wis.
Penn State picked up four wins against ranked opponents in the win, including a ranked victory for true freshman Levi Haines in his Big Ten dual debut at 157.
Wisconsin’s fifth-ranked Eric Barnett posted a 15-0 technical fall over Nittany Lion freshman Gary Steen at 125 to give UW an early 5-0 lead. But Penn State answered right back when Roman Bravo-Young, ranked No. 1 at 133, tallied six takedowns in a 14-5 major over No. 27 Taylor LaMont, cutting the Badger lead to 5-4. Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 5 at 141, tallied five takedowns in a convincing 12-3 major over Wisconsin’s Felix Lettini and the Nittany Lions led 8-5.
Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 15 at 149, battled No. 2 Austin Gomez tough before dropping a hard-fought 6-2 decision to the second-ranked Badger. True freshman Levi Haines took on No. 16 Garrett Model at 157 and broke the dual meet tie by dominating the Badger. Haines collected five takedowns and a four-point turn to roll to a 16-6 major and put the Nittany Lions on top 12-8 at the halftime break.
Matt Lee got the call at 165 and dropped a 18-6 major to No. 5 Dean Hamiti to begin the second half. Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 174, rolled up nine takedowns in a lopsided 22-8 major over Josh Otto, putting Penn State back on top 16-12. Aaron Brooks, ranked No. 1 at 184, extended Penn State’s lead with a dominating 16-0 tech fall over Tyler Dow. Brooks used three four point turns to roll to the 16-0 tech fall at the 4:32 mark.
Max Dean, ranked No. 5 at 197, then iced the dual meet win. Dean used two near fall turns in the third period to post an 11-2 major decision over No. 14 Braxton Amos. Wisconsin lost a team point for mat control during the 197 bout and Penn State lead 25-11 Greg Kerkvliet, ranked No. 1 at 285, closed out the dual with a 6-2 win over No. 11 Trent Hillger. Penn State walked away with the 28-11 dual meet victory in the Big Ten opener for both teams.
Penn State owned a 30-10 takedown edge in the dual. The Nittany Lions picked up seven bonus points off a tech fall (Brooks) and five majors (Bravo-Young, Bartlett, Haines, Starocci, Dean).
The Nittany Lions are now 8-0, 1-0 B1G. Wisconsin falls to 6-2, 0-1 B1G. Penn State is off next weekend and returns to action on Jan. 20 when it hosts Michigan in the first of two BJC Duals. The Nittany Lions and Wolverines tangle at 7 p.m. in another B1G national telecast.
#1 Penn State 28, #11 Wisconsin 11
January 6, 2023 – Madison, Wis.
125: #5 Eric Barnett WIS tech fall Gary Steen PSU, 15-0 (TF; 5:11) 0-5
133: #1 Roman Bravo-Young PSU maj. dec. #27 Taylor LaMont WIS, 14-5 4-5
141: #4 Beau Bartlett PSU maj. dec. Felix Lettini WIS, 12-3 8-5
149: #2 Austin Gomez WIS dec. #15 Shayne Van Ness PSU, 6-2 8-8
157: Levi Haines PSU maj. dec. #16 Garrett Model WIS, 16-6 12-8
165: #5 Dean Hamiti WIS maj. dec. Matt Lee PSU, 18-6 12-12
174: #1 Carter Starocci PSU maj. dec. Josh Otto WIS, 22-8 16-12
184: #1 Aaron Brooks PSU tech fall Tyler Dow WIS, 16-0 (TF; 4:32) 21-12
197: #4 Max Dean PSU maj. dec. #14 Braxton Amos WIS, 11-2 25-11*
285: #1 Greg Kerkvliet PSU dec. #11 Trent Hillger WIS, 6-2 28-11
* Wisconsin deducted team point
Attendance: 2,501
Records: Penn State (8-0, 1-0 B1G); Wisconsin (6-2, 0-1 B1G)
Up Next for Penn State: home vs. Michigan, Friday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m. – Bryce Jordan Center
