PSU – Iowa Showdown in Iowa City Friday
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. –The Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1, 4-0 B1G), ranked No. 2 nationally on InterMat’s Tournament Power Index, visit No. 1 Iowa (8-0, 5-0) on Friday, Jan. 31, in a BTN national telecast. The Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes battle at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central. Two days later, Penn State hosts Maryland (2-11, 0-5) on Sunday, Feb. 2, at 2 p.m. in Rec Hall.
The Nittany Lions feature a strong line-up that includes an even split between upperclassmen and underclassmen. Freshman Brandon Meredith is 11-8 at 125 while sophomore Roman Bravo-Young is 12-0 and ranked No. 3 at 133. Junior Nick Lee is 12-0 and ranked No. 2 at 141 while sophomore Jarod Verkleeren is 12-3 at 149. Junior Luke Gardner is 6-1 at 149 as well. Junior Bo Pipher sports an 8-9 record at 157 while sophomore Brady Berge is 1-0 in limited action this year.
Senior Vincenzo Joseph is 7-0 at 165 and ranked No. 1 nationally while classmate Mark Hall leads Penn State in wins with a 15-0 mark and is ranked No. 1 at 174. Aaron Brooks, one of two true freshmen in Penn State’s line-up, is 7-1 and ranked No. 9 at 184 while senior Shakur Rasheed is 2-2 after returning from injury after 10 months and is ranked No. 18 at 197. True freshman Seth Nevills is 10-0 overall and ranked No. 15 at 285.
Iowa enters Friday’s dual meet with 10 wrestlers ranked by InterMat, all in the top 10. The Hawkeyes are 8-0, 5-0 in the Big Ten. Junior Spencer Lee is 10-0 overall and ranked No. 1 at 125 while junior Austin DeSanto is 12-1 and ranked No. 2 at 133. Sophomore Max Murin is 10-1 and ranked No. 9 at 141 while senior Pat Lugo is 13-1 overall and ranked No. 3 at 149. Junior Kaleb Young is 11-2 on the year and ranked No. 5 at 157 and junior Alex Marinelli is 14-0 and ranked No. 2 at 165. Senior Michael Kemerer is 8-0 and ranked No. 2 at 174 while freshman Abe Assad is 18-3 and ranked No. 6 at 184. Sophomore Jacob Warner is 11-2 and ranked No. 7 at 197 and freshman Tony Cassioppi is 13-0 and ranked No. 3 at 285.
Penn State trails in the all-time series with the Hawkeyes 10-27-2. The Lions have won the last two meetings and four of the last six. The two teams are the last two Big Ten teams with unbeaten marks in conference action.
Maryland, which is at Ohio State Friday night while the Nittany Lions are at Iowa, enters the weekend with a 2-11 mark, 0-5 in the conference. Maryland is led by senior Jahi Jones, who is 11-4 at 157. Sophomore Kyle Cochran sports an 11-5 mark at 165 while sophomore Phillip Spadafora is 14-9 at 174. Kyle Jasenski has nine wins at 184 this season while freshman King Sandoval has nine at 133.
The Nittany Lions own a 41-1-2 lead in the all-time series, including the last 29 meetings.
Penn State closes out a tough road stretch with two Big Ten away duals next weekend. The Nittany Lions visit Wisconsin on Friday, Feb. 7, at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central. Penn State then heads to Minneapolis for a dual at Minnesota on Sunday, Feb. 9, at 2 p.m. Eastern/1 p.m. Central. Penn State’s next home dual will be on Saturday, Feb. 15, when the Nittany Lions host Ohio State in the 2020 BJC Dual. Action in the Bryce Jordan Center begins at 7:30 p.m.
#2 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (7-1, 4-0 B1G)
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 Brandon Meredith Fr. Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford 11-8
133 #3 Roman Bravo-Young So. Tucson, Ariz./Sunny Side 12-0
141 #2 Nick Lee Jr. Evansville, Ind./Homeschool 12-0
149 Jarod Verkleeren So. Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield 12-3
Luke Gardner Jr. Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville 6-1
157 Bo Pipher Jr. Paonia, Colo./Paonia 8-9
Brady Berge So. Mantorville, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville 1-0
165 #1 Vincenzo Joseph Sr. Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic 7-0
174 #1 Mark Hall Sr. Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley 15-0
184 #9 Aaron Brooks Fr. Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown 7-1
197 #18 Shakur Rasheed Sr. Coram, N.Y./Longwood 2-2
285 #15 Seth Nevills Fr. Clovis, Calif./Clovis 10-0
#1 IOWA HAWKEYES (8-0, 5-0 B1G)
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 #1 Spencer Lee Jr. Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional 10-0
133 #2 Austin DeSanto Jr. Exeter, Pa./Exeter 12-1
141 #9 Max Murin So. Ebensburg, Pa./Central Cambria 10-1
149 #3 Pat Lugo Sr. Homestead, Fla./South Dade 13-1
157 #5 Kaleb Young Jr. Punxsutawney, Pa./Punxsutawney 11-2
165 #2 Alex Marinelli Jr. Miamisburg, Ohio/St. Paris Graham 14-0
174 #2 Michael Kemerer Sr. Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional 8-0
184 #6 Abe Assad Fr. Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North 18-3
197 #7 Jacob Warner So. Tolono, Ill./Washington Community 11-2
285 #3 Tony Cassioppi Fr. Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah 13-0
MARYLAND TERRAPINS (2-11, 0-5 B1G)
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 Brandon Cray Jr. Steinert, N.J./Steinert 3-13
133 King Sandoval Fr. Waldorf, Md./St. Mary’s Ryken 9-11
141 Hunter Baxter So. Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland 6-14
149 Michael Doetsch Jr. Severn, Md./Severn 9-12
157 Jahi Jones Sr. Fort Washington, Md./Oxon Hill 11-4
165 Kyle Cochran So. Paramus, N.J./Paramus 11-5
174 Philip Spadafora So. Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East 14-9
184 Kyle Jasenski So. Schenectady, N.Y./Albany Academy 9-11
197 Jaron Smith Jr. Columbia, Md./Oakland Hills 8-7
285 Parker Robinson Fr. Eldersburg, Md./McDonough School 1-16
Rankings listed are InterMat TPI/InterMat Individual as of 1/28
