Penn State AD Pat Kraft 'hopes' to have wrestling match at Beaver Stadium

Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft is always looking for the next big idea and wrestling could be next.

Four-time national champion Carter Starocci, who’ll be back for a fifth year in 2024-25, already suggested that Penn State host a dual at Beaver Stadium. It wouldn’t be the first time schools hosted outdoor duals, but it could be the most ambitious.

Kraft is on board with the idea, it’s just a matter of executing.

“We look at everything, we try to get as creative as possible,” Kraft said via WTAJ News. “I would love it. My man Carter, I love him. Obviously everyone knows I think he’s the best. And I appreciate him saying that. I think there’s some things you have to work through right? Scheduling, whether it’s between football and wrestling, what game are you gonna have, you can’t tear the field up. I think it would be ultra successful. I think it’d be awesome. 

“(And) I want to do it. It’s just a matter of working through a lot of logistical things. And it’s a little more difficult than just throwing the event in Beaver right? We’ve got to work through logistics with that. But I hope one day we have it.”

The Iowa Hawkeyes have the record for attendance in an outdoor dual when they hosted Oklahoma State November 14, 2015. The Hawkeyes won in front of 42,287 fans.

Rutgers also did back to back years (2016 and ‘17) with outdoor duals against rival Princeton and Big Ten foe Maryland. The 16,178 fans for the “Battle at the Birthplace” between Rutgers and Princeton was the second highest attended dual in NCAA Wrestling history when it happened.

As far as what team Penn State would host at Beaver Stadium, it’d likely have to be an out-of-conference foe like Oklahoma State for history and brand recognition. Could it be against a Big Ten foe like Iowa or Ohio State? Sure, but that’s up to the Big Ten schedule makers.

If it were to happen for the upcoming season, Penn State football has home games with Ohio State on November 2nd, Washington the following Saturday and Maryland on November 30th.

That’s only if a double-header is desired and it works out scheduling wise, such as the wrestling match at high noon while football plays under the lights.

If Penn State does it, the school will do it right and can thank Starocci for spearheading the idea.