Penn State wrestling heads to Ann Arbor for 2023 Big Ten Championships
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA — Penn State (16-0, 8-0 B1G) heads to Ann Arbor, Mich., for the 2023 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. The NCAA qualifier for all 14 Big Ten teams, the two-day event takes place on Saturday and Sunday, March 4-5. Action begins on Saturday with sessions at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday’s action begins at 1 p.m. with the conference title bouts slated for 4:30 p.m. The tournament is a B1G Network national telecast and will be streamed on B1G+ as well.
Penn State ended the regular season with a 40-6 win over Clarion on Feb. 19. The victory allowed Penn State to post a 16-0 record in dual meets, the seventh time during head coach Cael Sanderson’s tenure that Penn State posted an undefeated dual meet mark (and the seventh time in the last eight years).
The Nittany Lion line-up features four freshmen, beginning with Gary Steen who is 6-12 at 125. Roman Bravo-Young is 13-0 overall and ranked No. 1 at 133. Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 4 at 141, is 19-1 on the year. Freshman Shayne Van Ness is 15-4 and ranked No. 13 at 149. Freshman Levi Haines is 18-1 and ranked No. 7 at 157. Alex Facundo is 16-2 and ranked No. 9 at 165. Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 174, is 16-0 and Aaron Brooks, ranked No. 1 at 184, is 9-1. Max Dean is 18-2 and ranked No. 3 at 197. Greg Kerkvliet is 13-1 and ranked No. 2 at 285.
Penn State heads to the 2023 Big Ten Championships looking to win its seventh conference tournament title. The Nittany Lions won the 2023 Big Ten Regular season title this year, its ninth overall. The Big Ten will qualify 88 wrestlers automatically: the top nine at 125, nine at 133, nine at 141, nine at 149, 10 at 157, eight at 165, seven at 174, nine at 184, nine at 197 and nine at 285. After every conference completes its qualifying tournament, the NCAA will issue a number of at-large bids at each weight class: four at 125, five at 133, four at 141, four at 149, four at 157, five at 165, five at 174, seven at 184, four at 197 and four at 285.
Penn State’s national qualifiers will head to the 2023 NCAA Championships in Tulsa, Okla. The three-day event runs Thursday through Saturday, March 16-18, in Tulsa’s BOK Center. Sessions 1 and 2 are at 12 and 7 p.m. on Thursday. Sessions 3 and 4 are at 12 and 8 p.m. on Friday. Session 5 is set for 11 a.m. on Saturday and the National Finals will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday night. All times are Eastern.
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (16-0, 8-0 B1G)
2023 B1G REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS
WT NAME EL HT/HS REC
125 Gary Steen Fr. Hermitage, Pa./Reynolds 6-12
(CR = NR // Career vs. B1G: 1-5 // Career in B1G Trn: 0-0)
133 #1 Roman Bravo-Young Sr.+ Tucson, Ariz./Sunnyside 13-0
(CR = #1 // Career vs. B1G: 46-7 // Career in B1G Trn: 12-3)
2X Big Ten Champion (2021, 2022)
141 #4 Beau Bartlett Jr. Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) 19-1
(CR = #4 // Career vs. B1G: 25-12 // Career in B1G Trn: 4-4)
149 #13 Shayne Van Ness Fr. Somerville, N.J./Blair Academy 15-4
(CR = #13 // Career vs. B1G: 6-3 // Career in B1G Trn: 0-0)
157 #7 Levi Haines Fr. Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville 18-1
(CR = #8 // Career vs. B1G: 9-0 // Career in B1G Trn: 0-0)
165 #9 Alex Facundo Fr. Essexville, Mich./Davison 16-2
(CR = #10 // Career vs. B1G: 8-1 // Career in B1G Trn: 0-0)
174 #1 Carter Starocci Jr. Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep 16-0
(CR = #1 // Career vs. B1G: 29-2 // Career in B1G Trn: 6-1)
1X Big Ten Champion (2022)
184 #1 Aaron Brooks Sr. Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown 9-1
(CR = #1 // Career vs. B1G: 37-2 // Career in B1G Trn: 8-1)
2X Big Ten Champion (2020, 2021)
197 #3 Max Dean Sr. Lowell, Mich./Lowell 18-2
(CR = #3 // Career vs. B1G: 25-5 // Career in B1G Trn: 3-0)
1X Big Ten Champion (2022)
285 #2 Greg Kerkvliet Jr. Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley 13-1
(CR = #2 // Career vs. B1G: 27-7 // Career in B1G Trn: 8-3)
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