Penn State set for Big 10 tourney this weekend
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (17-0, 8-0) will head to the 2022 Big Ten Wrestling Championships this coming weekend. The two-day event is hosted by the University of Nebraska and takes place on Saturday and Sunday, March 4-5. The Nittany Lions finished the regular season with an with an unblemished 17-0 overall record and won the 2022 Big Ten Regular Season (dual meet) title with an 8-0 conference mark. The Nittany Lions and Iowa are expected to vie for the team title, Michigan also expected to challenge.
Penn State will send its ten wrestlers to Lincoln looking to qualify them for the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships. The tournament serves as the national qualifier for the conference and 88 Big Ten wrestlers will earn trips to Detroit to battle for an NCAA title. The Big Ten will automatically qualify 10 at 125, 10 at 133, 7 at 141, 7 at 149, 7 at 157, 7 at 165, 8 at 174, 12 at 184, 11 at 197 and 9 at 285.
Senior Drew Hildebrandt enters the tournament with an 8-1 mark at 125 and ranked No. 5 by InterMat. Senior Roman Bravo-Young is 14-0 at 133 and ranked No. 1 and senior Nick Lee is 14-0 at 141 and ranked No. 1 as well. Sophomore Beau Bartlett is 11-6 at 149 and ranked No. 17 and senior Brady Berge is 5-1 and ranked No. 13 at 157.
Junior Creighton Edsell is 10-3 and ranked No. 23 at 165 and sophomore Carter Starocci is 15-0 at 174 and ranked No. 1. Junior Aaron Brooks is 14-0 at ranked No. 1 at 184 and junior Max Dean is ranked No. 1 at 197 with a 15-1 mark. Sophomore Greg Kerkvliet is 14-1 at 285 and ranked No. 5. For Penn State, both Bravo-Young (133) and Brooks (184) are returning Big Ten Champions.
Saturday’s first session will air live on the B1G Network. Saturday night will begin on B1G+ and conclude with the semifinals on the B1G Network. Sunday’s early conso action will begin on B1G+ with the championship finals set for the B1G Network.
The 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships are set for Thursday through Saturday, March 17-19, in Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena.
#1 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (17-0, 8-0 B1G)
2022 BIG TEN REGULAR SEASON (DUAL MEET) CHAMPIONS
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 #5 Drew Hildebrandt Sr.+ Granger, Ind./Penn 8-1
CR: 6 // Career vs. B1G: 25-15 // Career in B1G Trn: 0-0
133 #1 Roman Bravo-Young Sr. Tucson, Ariz./Sunnyside 14-0
CR: 1 // Career vs. B1G: 36-7 // Career in B1G Trn: 9-3
2021 Big Ten Champion
141 #1 Nick Lee Sr.+ Evansville, Ind./Homeschooled 14-0
CR: 1 // Career vs. B1G: 55-8 // Career in B1G Trn: 11-4
149 #17 Beau Bartlett So. Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) 11-6
CR: 16 // Career vs. B1G: 13-7 // Career in B1G Trn: 1-2
157 #13 Brady Berge Sr. Mantorville, Minn./Kasson-Mantorville 5-1
CR: NR // Career vs. B1G: 18-7 // Career in B1G Trn: 5-3
165 #23 Creighton Edsell Jr. Wyalusing, Pa./Wyalusing 10-3
CR: 26 // Career vs. B1G: 12-3 // Career in B1G Trn: 0-0
174 #1 Carter Starocci So. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 15-0
CR: 1 // Career vs. B1G: 16-2 // Career in B1G Trn: 3-1
184 #1 Aaron Brooks Jr. Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown 14-0
CR: 1 // Career vs. B1G: 28-1 // Career in B1G Trn: 6-0
2020, 2021 Big Ten Champion
197 #1 Max Dean Jr. Lowell, Mich./Lowell 15-1
CR: 1 // Career vs. B1G: 11-5 // Career in B1G Trn: 0-0
285 #5 Greg Kerkvliet So. Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley 14-1
CR: 5 // Career vs. B1G: 14-4 // Career in B1G Trn: 4-2
