Recap: Penn State wrestling beats Illinois, wins Big Ten regular season title; see full results
Penn State wrestling is back on the mat today. It takes on Illinois in its final Big Ten match of the year. It starts at 2 pm ET on B1G+. This is your home for live updates. This page will not update automatically. So please refresh your browser often for the latest information.
Penn State wins the Big Ten regular season title
02/16/2025 03:10:19 PMThe Nittany Lions won their 70th straight match, which is the second longest in NCAA history and now the longest in Big Ten history, by beating Illinois 29-9. Full results:
125 pounds: No. 7 Luke Liledahl, PSU TF Caelan Riley, Illinois, 19-4 (4:19); PSU 5, Illinois 0
133 pounds: No. 4 Lucas Byrd, Illinois d. No. 8 Braeden Davis, PSU, 7-1; PSU 5, Illinois 3
141 pounds: No. 3 Beau Bartlett, PSU d. No. 17 Danny Pucino, Illinois, 9-2; PSU 8, Illinois 3
149 pounds: No. 2 Shayne Van Ness, PSU md. No. 14 Kannon Webster, Illinois, 15-4; PSU 12, Illinois 3
157 pounds: No. 30 Jason Kraisser, Illinois d. Joe Sealey, PSU; PSU 12, Illinois 6
165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, PSU md. No. 14 Braeden Scoles, Illinois, 10-1; PSU 16, Illinois 6
174 pounds: No. 2 Levi Haines, PSU d. No. 23 Danny Braunagel, Illinois, 5-1; PSU 19, Illinois 6
184 pounds: No. 1 Carter Staorcci, PSU DQ No. 12 Edmond Ruth, Illinois, 6:49; PSU 25, Illinois 6
197 pounds: No. 3 Josh Barr, PSU md No. 17 Zac Braunagel, Illinois, 15-4; PSU 29, Illinois 6
285 pounds: No. 10 Luke Luffman, Illinois d. Cole Mirasola, Penn State, 4-0; PSU 29, Illinois 9
Luffman beats Mirasola
02/16/2025 03:09:58 PM285 pounds: Cole Mirasola, Penn State vs. No. 10 Luke Luffman, Illinois
First period
No score.
Second period
Luffman escapes and then shoots in for a takedown to take a 4-0 lead. Mirasola has a stall warning.
Third period
Mirasola takes neutral. There is no third period scoring. Luffman wins 4-0.
FINAL: Penn State 29, Illinois 9
Barr wins by major decision
02/16/2025 02:59:14 PM197 pounds: No. 3 Josh Barr, PSU vs. No. 17 Zac Braunagel, Illinois
First period
Barr gets a takedown and Braunagel escapes. Braunagel is hit with stalling as Barr shoots in and gets a takedown with a second left. The Nittany Lion leads 6-1 after one.
Second period
Barr takes bottom and escapes to 7-1 early. Barr shoots and scores again for a 10-1 lead. Braunagel escapes with 20 seconds left to 10-2. A good scramble late leads to no points.
Third period
Braunageltakes bottom and escapes quickly to 10-3. Barr then drives through on a single and it’s a takedown for the Nittany Lion to lead 13-3. He cuts Braunagel to 13-4. Barr shoots in again but it leads to a stalemate. Off the restart, Barr shoots in on a single and Braunagel is hit for stalling again making it 14-4. That’ll be it, but with the riding time point, it’s a 15-4 major decision for Barr.
Penn State 29, Illinois 6
Starocci wins as Ruth is DQ’d
02/16/2025 02:46:52 PM184 pounds: No. 1 Carter Staorcci, PSU vs. No. 12 Edmond Ruth, Illinois
First period
Starocci scores the first takedown to take a 3-0 lead. Ruth escapes, but Ruth is hit with a stalling caution and then a second one to take a 4-1 lead. Starocci then shoots in and scores to make it 7-1 after one.
Second period
Another stall call on Ruth makes it 8-1. Starocci cuts Ruth to 8-2. He scores a takedown to 11-2 and had 2:07 in riding time when Ruth escaped to 11-3.
Third period
Starocci takes down and escapes. Then gets a takedown to make it 15-4. Ruth is hit with his fourth stall, which is two points and so now it is 17-4. Starocci shoots and Ruth is called for his fifth and final stalling, as he is DQ’d at the 6:43 mark.
Penn State 25, Illinois 6
Haines wins by decision
02/16/2025 02:34:50 PM174: No. 2 Levi Haines vs. No. 23 Danny Braunagel, Illinois
First period
Haines drives in on a late takedown to take a 3–0 lead after one.
Second period
Haines takes bottom to start. He escapes quickly to 4-0. That’s the only score in the period.
Third period
Braunagel takes bottom and escapes. There was no further scoring. With 1:14 in riding time, Haines wins by decision, 5-1.
Penn State 19, Illinois 6
Mesenbrink wins by major decision
02/16/2025 02:25:11 PM165: Mitchell Mesenbrink vs. No. 14 Braeden Scoles
First period
Mesenbrink scores the first takedown and starts getting riding time. Scoles is called for stalling twice, so it’s 4-0 Mesenbrink after one.
Second period
Mesenbrink takes bottom. He escapes to 6-0. And scores a late takedown to 9-0.
Third period
Mesenbrink has the riding time point but doesn’t score otherwise. He wins, 10-1, with 2:23 in riding time.
Penn State 16, Illinois 6
It’s halftime
02/16/2025 02:01:09 PM157: Joe Sealey vs. No 30 Jason Kraisser, Illinois
First period
Sealey had a good shot late in the first period but could not finish it. Scoreless after one.
Second period
Kraisser takes bottom and escapes for a 1-0 lead. Another good shot by the Nittany Lion does not result in points. It’s 1-0 Kraisser after two.
Third period
Sealey takes bottom. He escapes with 30 seconds left to 1-1. He then shoots and takes Kraisser down with a double leg and rides it out. But it goes to review. And after a lengthy review, the takedown is waved off. Kraisser does have the riding time point secured. He wins 2-1 with 1:04 in riding time advantage.
Penn State 12, Illinois 6
Van Ness earns a major decision
02/16/2025 01:45:40 PMFirst period
Van Ness scores the first takedown for a 3-0 lead. The Fighting Illini then escapes to make it 3-1 with 55 seconds left in the first.
Second period
Webster takes bottom, and escapes to 3-2. Van Ness then drives through on a beautiful shot to secure the takedown and leads 6-2. He cuts Webster to 6-3. Then he shoots again and scores to make it 9-3. Van Ness got a penalty point as well to make it 10-3 after two.
Third period
Van Ness escapes quickly to 11-3. He then shoots and scores a takedown to make it 14-3 with 1:15 left in the third. Cuts him to 14-4. He adds the riding time point to make it a 15-4 major decision.
Penn State 12, Illinois 3
Bartlett wins at 141
02/16/2025 01:36:49 PM141: No. 3 Beau Bartlett vs. No. 17 Danny Pucino
First period
Bartlett somehow fends off a terrific Pucino shot and they go off the edge. Bartlett then shoots in and gets the takedown and then locks up a turning combination for a 5-0 lead after one.
Second period
Bartlett takes bottom and escapes to build a 6-0 lead. No more scoring.
Thid period
Pucino takes bottom to start the third. He escapes quick to 6-1, and then gets a takedown on the edge to lead 9-1. Pucino sits out and escapes to 9-2 with about 90 seconds left to wrestle. That is the final.
Penn State 8, Illinois 3
Byrd beats Davis
02/16/2025 01:24:35 PMNo. 4 Lucas Byrd beats No. 8 Braeden Davis. Byrd beat the Nittany Lion 7-1.
First period
Byrd scored a takedown late in the first period to take a 3-0 lead after one.
Second period
Byrd takes bottom and escapes for a 4-0 lead. He then takes down Davis for a 7-0 lead after two.
Third period
Davis takes bottom and escapes quickly to bring it to 7-1. That was the final score.
Penn State 5, Illinois 3
Lilledahl wins the opener
02/16/2025 01:16:39 PM125: Luke Lilledahl vs. Caelan Riley
First period
Luke Lillledahl gets a quick takedown to lead 3-0. Riley escapes and Lilledahl counters to score for a 6-1 lead a minute in. Riley escapes for one and Lilledahl shoots right back in and scores for a 9-2 lead, and then he cuts Riley for a 9-3 lead. Lilledahl shoots in and scores again for a 12-3 lead.
Second period
Lilledahl takes bottom and escapes quickly for a 13-3 lead. He then scores a quick takedown for a 16-3 lead. He cuts him again and then scores another takedown. Lilledahl wins 19-4.
Penn State leads Illinois 5-0 after one bout.
Two Penn State starters are out again
02/16/2025 01:07:32 PMGreg Kerkvliet is out at heavyweight, and Cole Mirasola is in again. At 157, Joe Sealey is coming down in weight again to replace Tyler Kasak.
Today’s match will start at 125 pounds
02/16/2025 12:43:54 PMUpdates will be forthcoming.
