Three Penn State/Penn State RTC Wrestlers Win at U.S. Team Trials in Louisville, Advance to Final X
UNIVERSITY PARK – Five members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team/Penn State Olympic Regional Training Center competed at the 2025 U.S. Team Trials in Louisville, Ky., on Friday and Saturday, May 16-17. Four of the five advanced to the finals and three of those wrestlers won their respective weight classes to advance Final X in June.
Levi Haines competed at 79 kg. Haines downed Carson Kharchla 10-5 on Friday to advance to Saturday’s title match. He took on Dean Hamiti in the finals and rolled to a 10-2 victory. Haines now moves on to Final X next month to take on Evan Wick.
Two titans competed at 86 kg for the Penn State RTC. Carter Starocci and Kyle Dake both competed at 86 kg. Starocci defeated Chance Marsteller 4-2 on Friday to earn a spot in the finals on Saturday. Kyle. Dake dominated Parker Keckeisen on Friday, rolling to an 11-1 tech fall. The wins moved the duo to the finals where they met each other. Dake and Starocci battled evenly for six minutes with Dake coming out on top in a thrilling 3-3 (ct.) match. Dake advances to Final X to meet Zahid Valencia while Starocci has either secured a spot on the U.S. National Team or will be in a true third match at Final X to earn a spot on the squad.
Josh Barr competed at 92 kg. Barr took down Dustin Plott 10-4 on Friday to earn a trip to the title match on Saturday. Barr battled Aeoden Sinclair 7-3 in the title match on Saturday and earned a spot in the Final X match-up with Trent Hidlay in Ju e.
Beau Bartlett competed at 65 kg as well, dropping his first round match-up.
The best of three Final X Series will be held in Newark, N.J. on June 14. The winners of the Final X Series will then represent the United States at the World Championships in September.
Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via X/twitter 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.
