3 Penn State wrestling takeaways from the Lions' dominating win over Indiana

Penn State wrestling cruised to victory over Indiana on Sunday at Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions opened the Big Ten portion of their 2023-2024 season by amassing five technical falls, three major decisions, a decision win, and a victory by injury default en route to a 46-0 triumph. Head coach Cael Sanderson’s top-ranked team also secured a dominating 34-0 takedowns advantage to improve to 4-0 in front of a sold-out home crowd.

Here are out top takeaways.

Freshmen flourish

Penn State sent three freshmen to the mat on Sunday. Two were expected to wrestle. One was not. All thrived.

First-year Nittany Lion Braeden Davis was up first at 125 pounds. Facing Indians’ Michael Spangler, Davis was the aggressor early and often. Two counter shots that led to takedowns, one in the second period and one in the third, helped him win by major decision, 16-3. The final flurry was his best of the match, as he countered a Spangler shot and threw the Hoosier to his back for a seven-point move to help reach the margin of victory along with a riding time point. Davis will burn his redshirt when he wrestles next, which is expected to happen next weekend.

Tyler Kasak (pronounced K-SACK) is also on track to burn his redshirt. The Pa., native was back in the lineup at 149 pounds and rolled again. After an upset victory at Oregon State earlier this year, he secured another one on Sunday against Indiana. Starting with a seven-point throw in the first period, Kasak would go on to fully dominate sixth-year Hoosiers’ senior Graham Rooks, who entered the match at No. 14 in the nation, en route to winning by technical fall, 15-0, in 6:59. There was little doubt that Kasak would be the guy for the Lions at 149 before Sunday. But, that fact is now assured.

Last but certainly not least, first-year Lion Josh Barr made his Rec Hall and dual meet debut at 184 pounds. He scored the first takedown and the last one with some points in between the two to knock off Indiana’s Roman Rogotzke by major decision, 13-4.

Racking up the bonus points

Penn State thoroughly dominated the Hooisers. The wide margin of victory was thanks to numerous victories that netted bonus points.

Aaron Nagao earned his fourth technical fall of the year by stopping Indiana’s Isaac Thornton 19-4 in just 3:42 at 133 pounds. Beau Bartlett then earned a major decision, 8-1, over IU’s No. 23 Dan Gongaro at 141 pounds.

After Kasak’s technical fall victory, sophomore Levi Haines picked up one of his own by beating Indiana’s Zack Rotkvich 17-0 in 6:06 at 157. At 165, Mitchell Mesenbrink won by injury default over Indiana’s No. 23 Tyler Lillard in 1:48.

Penn State then split bonus point victories from there. Carter Starocci (174 pounds) and Greg Kerkvliet (heavyweight) won by technical fall, while Barr (184) and Aaron Brooks (197) earned triumphs by major decision.

Odds and ends

–Per Penn State radio broadcaster Jeff Byers, Bernie Truax is dealing with an illness that kept him out of action. It’s why Barr was in for him at 184 pounds.

–The Lions have now won 48 consecutive dual meets.

–Kerkvliet weighed in at 251 pounds on Sunday, per Byers.

He said it

Brooks, on the Lions’ trio of freshmen winners:

“They love it. It’s an opportunity where you can overthink and get nervous, but all three are up for the competition. They’re ready to scrap. Barr’s wrestled me, and Carter, and Bo Nickal, all these guys in the room. So, he’s only going to elevate. To see him come out here and score points is cool.”

Penn State-Indiana box score

125 pounds: Braeden Davis, Penn State md., Michael Spangler, IU, 16-3 

133 pounds: No. 4 Aaron Nagao, Penn State md. Isaac Thornton, IU, 19-4 (5:24)

141 pounds: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, PSU d. No. 23 Dan Gongaro, IU, 8-1

149 pounds: Tyler Kasak, PSU TF No. 14 Graham Rooks, IU, 15-0 (6:59)

157 pounds: No. 1 Levi Haines, PSU TF Nico Bolivar, IU, 17-0 (6:06)

165 pounds: No. 10 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State inj. f No. 23 Tyler Lillard, IU, 1:48

174 pounds: No. 1 Carter Starocci, Penn State TF Robert Major, IU, 19-4 (3:41)

184 pounds: Josh Barr, PSU md. Roman Rogotzke, IU, 13-4 

197 pounds: No. 1 Aaron Brooks, Penn State TF Gabe Sollars, IU, 19-4 (3:56)

285 pounds: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet, PSU md. Nick Willham, IU, 14-2

Final: Penn State 46, Indiana 0