Nittany Lions Prep for Big Tens
From staff reports
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa–The Penn State Nittany Lions (12-2, 8-1 B1G) will head to Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J., for the 2020 Big Ten Championship tournament. The event takes place on Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, in the RAC.
Penn State is coming off a 12-2 dual meet season, 8-1 in conference action. The Lions beat American 40-3 in their season dual finale in Rec Hall on Feb. 23, with three seniors receiving their Rec Hall send-offs by pinning their opponents. Penn State has won 11 or more duals in each of head coach Cael Sanderson’s 11 regular seasons at the helm of the Nittany Lions. Note that Big Ten tournament seeds are not finalized until this Friday, March 6.
The Nittany Lions head to Rutgers with half their line-up making their Big Ten tournament debuts. Redshirt freshman Brandon Meredith will be making his first-ever appearance at the Big Ten tournament. Meredith is 12-13 on the year and owns a 4-9 record against Big Ten competition (both dual meet and open tournament). Roman Bravo-Young, ranked No. 2 in the official NCAA coaches poll at 133, is 17-1 overall and 8-1 vs. the Big Ten this season. Junior Nick Lee heads into the post-season ranked No. 1 at 141 by the coaches. He is 18-0 overall and 10-0 vs. Big Ten competition. Sophomore Jarod Verkleeren makes his Big Ten debut ranked No. 20 at 149 by the coaches. Verkleeren is 15-6 this season, 8-4 vs. Big Ten foes. Junior Bo Pipher also makes his Big Ten tournament debut at 157. Pipher is 9-11 on the year and 3-6 against Big Ten competition.
Senior Vincenzo Joseph enters his final Big Ten tournament ranked No. 1 at 165 by the coaches. He is 13-0 on the year and is 8-0 against the conference. Senior Mark Hall enters his final Big Ten scrap ranked No. 2 by the coaches at 174. He is 20-1 on the year and 11-1 against Big Ten foes. True freshman Aaron Brooks makes his Big Ten tournament debut ranked No. 5 at 184 in the coaches poll. He is 12-1 on the year with a 6-1 record against Big Ten opponents. Senior Shakur Rasheed is ranked No. 24 by the coaches at 197. The Lion makes his final Big Ten tournament appearance with a 5-4 mark this season, 4-4 against the conference. True freshman Seth Nevills makes his Big Ten tourney debut ranked No. 16 in the coaches poll at 285. Nevills is 13-3 on the year with a 6-3 record against Big Ten opponents.
Penn State has won six of the last nine Big Ten tournament titles, including last year. The Nittany Lions had six Big Ten finalists a year ago and left Minneapolis with four champions.
The 2020 Big Ten Championship will serve as the NCAA qualifier for the conference. Penn State’s qualifiers will head to Minneapolis, Minn., for the 2020 NCAA Championships on Thursday through Saturday, March 19-21. The three-day event will take place at US Bank Stadium, home of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and will mark the first time the championship will occur in a stadium.
NCAA AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS BY CONFERENCE
Conference 125 133 141 149 157 165 174 184 197 285 TOTAL
ACC 3 5 3 2 5 4 4 3 1 5 35
Big 12 4 8 5 5 5 4 5 5 6 7 54
Big Ten 8 7 8 10 6 8 9 10 6 7 79
EIWA 7 2 5 4 3 6 4 4 6 3 44
MAC 3 5 5 5 6 2 4 3 4 4 41
Pac 12 2 1 2 1 2 2 1 1 3 1 16
Southern 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 14
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (12-2, 8-1 B1G)
WT #CR NAME (RPI) EL HT/HS REC
125 Brandon Meredith (NR) Fr. Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford 12-13
(4-9 vs. B1G this year; 4-9 vs. B1G career; 0-0 in B1G tourney)
133 #2 Roman Bravo-Young (6) So. Tucson, Ariz./Sunny Side 17-1
(8-1 vs. B1G this year; 17-6 vs. B1G career; 4-2 in B1G tourney)
141 #1 Nick Lee (3) Jr. Evansville, Ind./Homeschool 18-0
(10-0 vs. B1G this year; 37-6 vs. B1G career; 7-2 in B1G tourney)
149 #20 Jarod Verkleeren (28) So. Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield 15-6
(8-4 vs. B1G this year; 11-7 vs. B1G career; 0-0 in B1G tourney)
157 Bo Pipher (NR) Jr. Paonia, Colo./Paonia 9-11
(3-6 vs. B1G this year; 4-12 vs. B1G career; 0-0 in B1G tourney)
165 #1 Vincenzo Joseph (NR) Sr. Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic 13-0
(8-0 vs. B1G this year; 44-6 vs. B1G career; 8-3 in B1G tourney)
174 #2 Mark Hall (3) Sr. Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley 20-1
(11-1 vs. B1G this year; 49-3 vs. B1G career; 9-1 in B1G tourney)
184 #5 Aaron Brooks (NR) Fr. Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown 12-1
(6-1 vs. B1G this year; 6-1 vs. B1G career; 0-0 in B1G tourney)
197 #24 Shakur Rasheed (NR) Sr. Coram, N.Y./Longwood 5-4
(4-4 vs. B1G this year; 23-9 vs. B1G career; 5-1 in B1G tourney)
285 #16 Seth Nevills (NR) Fr. Clovis, Calif./Clovis 13-3
(6-3 vs. B1G this year; 6-3 vs. B1G career; 0-0 in B1G tourney)
Rankings listed are Official NCAA Coaches Rankings, 2/27/20
THIS WEEK
Penn State (12-2, 8-1 B1G) heads to Rutgers University for the 2020 Big Ten Championship on Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, in Piscataway, N.J.
UP NEXT
Penn State’s NCAA qualifiers, earned at Big Tens, will take part in the 2020 NCAA Championships on Thursday through Saturday, March 19-21, in Minneapolis’ US Bank Stadium.
