3 takeaways plus full results from Penn State wrestling's blowout win over American

Penn State wrestling finished off its 2024-2025 regular season with a dominating 50-3 victory over American at Rec Hall. The No. 1 Nittany Lions ran their consecutive dual meet winning streak to 71 matches and earned their 15th and final victory of the season, and it took just one hour and 17 minutes to do so. Now, the team is onto the postseason, starting with the Big Ten tournament March 8-9 at Northwestern, after posting a 35-2 takedowns edge on Friday night.

Here are our top takeaways from the latest Lions victory.

1. Penn State roared as expected

This non-conference matchup played out just like many of the ones before it has for Penn State. The Nittany Lions had most (not all, as we’ll get to in a second) of their starters in the lineup, and took care of business quickly in those bouts. Head coach Cael Sanderson’s side finished with five falls, four technical falls, and one loss by decision. The fastest fall went to Josh Barr, who decked Liam Volk-Klos in 1:09 at 197 pounds. the quickest technical fall went to Beau Bartlett, who stopped his bout with Elijah White with the score 21-5 at the 3:19 mark of the second period. And, it should be noted that Tyler Kasak’s return went about as perfectly as the Lions could had hoped for at 157 pounds. He pinned Devon Capato in 2:19 at 157 pounds.

The Lions schedule a non-conference foe on Senior Night to get one final tune-up in before the individual postseason begins. It’s safe to say it accomplished its mission on Friday night.

2. Davis misses another match

Sophomore Braeden Davis missed another match after he previously sat out two contests before returning to go 1-1 last weekend. Kyison Garcia again filled in for the 133-pound Penn State starter. He surrendered a late takedown to drop a 9-7 decision to American’s Raymond Lopez.

As long as Davis competes and finishes where he is expected to at Big Tens, he won’t be in danger of not having enough matches to qualify for nationals. But, his absence of late is certainly concerning. Back on Tuesday, head coach Cael Sanderson suggested that, while Davis wanted to and did wrestle last weekend, he may not have been as ready as he thought, which likely led to Friday’s decision.

“He battled two of the top guys, and kind of stepped [back] in [the starting line-up] maybe a little earlier than he maybe would prefer to,” Sanderson said earlier this week. “But, I mean, that was him making that decision. I thought it was good for him. I think obviously a tough match, both matches, but I think they’ll both benefit him as you move into the conference meet and kind of get that feel and kind of experience. Sometimes experience hurts a little bit if things don’t go our way, but that’s what we can learn and grow.”

There is every indication that Davis will be ready to roll in two weeks despite missing Friday’s match.

3. Senior Day participants

Here’s the list of wrestlers who participated in Senior Day. Heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet did not after doing so last year, but he is out of eligibility, as well:

Beau Bartlett, Lucas Cochran, Aurelius Dunbar, Jack Kelly, Matt Lee, Timothy Levine, Kurt McHenry, Carter Starocci, Greg Kerkvliet, and Sean Wang. 

Cochran is the most interesting of the bunch. The backup at 197 pounds has eligibility left. Could he return? Or could he transfer? Or is he done competing? Time will tell.

4. Full Penn State-American results

125 pounds: No. 9 Luke Liledahl, PSU TF Coen Bainey, American, 20-3 (5:11); PSU 5, American 0

133 pounds: Raymond Lopez, American d. Kyison Garcia, PSU, 9-7; PSU 5, American 3

141 pounds: No. 1 Beau Bartlett, PSU TF Elijah White, American, 21-5 (3:19); PSU 10, American 3

149 pounds: No. 2 Shayne Van Ness, PSU TF Gage Owen, American, 16-1 (5:51); PSU 15, American 3

157 pounds: No. 1 Tyler Kasak, PSU F Devon Capato, American, 2:19; PSU 21, American 3

165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, PSU TF Kaden Milheim, American, 19-2 (5:20); PSU 26, American 3

174 pounds: No. 2 Levi Haines, PSU F Breon Phifer, American, 3:41; PSU 32, American 3

184 pounds: No. 1 Carter Staorcci, PSU F Lucas White, American, 2:22; PSU 38, American 3

197 pounds: No. 2 Josh Barr, PSU F Liam Volk-Klos, American, 1:09; PSU 44, American 3

285 pounds: No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State F Emmanuel Ulrich, American (2:47); PSU 50, American 3