Recap: Penn State wrestling posts perfect Session I at the 2025 NCAA Championships
PHILADELPHIA — Penn State will have 10 wrestlers in action during the opening session at the 2025 NCAA Championships. It starts at Noon ET on ESPNU. This is your home for updates, results, notes, and more from the Wells Fargo Center as the first round unfolds. It is expected to run until approximately 3:30 p.m. ET. Click here for takeaways. And, read a complete recap below.
Kerkvliet completes the Lions’ perfect session
03/20/2025 02:41:44 PMPenn State heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet, who wrestled with a sleeve over his left knee after suffering an injury in practice last week, blasted Sam Mitchell of Wyoming by technical fall, 15-0, in 5:31 to complete the Lions’ perfect 10-0 opening round. The Lions had nine bonus point wins: Four tech falls, three pins, two major decisions. All 10 Nittany Lions will be back in action tonight in Round 2. It starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Here are the full first round results:
125 pounds: No. 1 Luke Lilledahl, PSU TF. No. 32 Marcelli Milani, Cornell, 19-4 (4:24)
133 pounds: No. 8 Braeden Davis, Penn State md. No. 25 Kurt Phipps, Bucknell, 12-4
141 pounds: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, PSU d. No. 31 Jordan Titus, West Virginia, 4-2
149 pounds: No. 3 Shayne Van Ness, Penn State F No. 30 Gabe Willochell, Wyoming, 4:11
157 pounds: No. 1 Tyler Kasak, PSU F No. 32 Landon Johnson, Northern Illinois, 1:38
165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State TF No. 33 Chandler Amaker, Central Michigan, 16-0 (3:32)
174 pounds: No. 2 Levi Haines, PSU F No. 31 Branson John, Maryland (2:46)
184 pounds: No. 1 Carter Starocci, Penn State TF No. 32 Caden Rogers, Lehigh, 18-2 (6:19)
197 pounds: No. 4 Josh Barr, PSU md. No. 29 Tucker Hogan, Lehigh, 9-1
285 pounds: No. 3 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State TF No. 30 Sam Mitchell, Wyoming, 15-0 (5:31)
Kerkvliet is the Lions last wrestler in this session
03/20/2025 02:38:48 PMPenn State is 9-0 in the opening round of NCAAs heading into 285. Nittany Lion senior is wrestling with a sleeve on his left leg. “He got a little dinged up in practice last week,” Jeff Byers says on The Penn State Sports Network.
Barr picks up a victory
03/20/2025 02:33:56 PMPenn State redshirt freshman Josh Barr took the mat for his first match at the NCAA Wrestling Championships after suffering a left leg injury at Big Tens. The 197-pound Nittany Lion took on No. 29 Tucker Hogan of Lehigh and won by major decision, 9-1.
Updated team scores
03/20/2025 02:12:04 PMHere’s the rundown and full results as of 3:10 p.m. ET:
125 pounds: No. 1 Luke Lilledahl, PSU TF. No. 32 Marcelli Milani, Cornell, 19-4 (4:24)
133 pounds: No. 8 Braeden Davis, Penn State md. No. 25 Kurt Phipps, Bucknell, 12-4
141 pounds: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, PSU d. No. 31 Jordan Titus, West Virginia, 4-2
149 pounds: No. 3 Shayne Van Ness, Penn State F No. 30 Gabe Willochell, Wyoming, 4:11
157 pounds: No. 1 Tyler Kasak, PSU F No. 32 Landon Johnson, Northern Illinois, 1:38
165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State TF No. 33 Chandler Amaker, Central Michigan, 16-0 (3:32)
174 pounds: No. 2 Levi Haines, PSU F No. 31 Branson John, Maryland (2:46)
184 pounds: No. 1 Carter Starocci, Penn State TF No. 32 Caden Rogers, Lehigh, 18-2 (6:19)
Updated team score as of 3:10 p.m. ET:
Penn State — 19.5
Oklahoma State — 12.5
Nebraska — 11.5
Cornell — 10
Northern Iowa, Penn — 8
Carter Starocci starts his tournament with a technical fall
03/20/2025 01:55:05 PMPenn State senior Carter Starocci dominated No. 32 Caden Rogers and won via technical fall, 18-2. It’s his 100th career victory. The time of the stoppage was 6:19.
Levi Haines decks his first round opponent
03/20/2025 01:38:28 PMLevi Haines, the No. 2 seed at 174 pounds, starts his tournament with a cross-face cradle that leads to a pin in 2:46 over No. 31 Branson John of Maryland.
Penn State Round 1 results so far
03/20/2025 01:02:24 PMAs of 2:02 p.m. ET, Penn State leads the team race with 14 points. Pennsylvania is second with eight. Ohio State is third with 7.5.
125 pounds: No. 1 Luke Lilledahl, PSU TF. No. 32 Marcelli Milani, Cornell, 19-4 (4:24)
133 pounds: No. 8 Braeden Davis, Penn State md. No. 25 Kurt Phipps, Bucknell, 12-4
141 pounds: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, PSU d. No. 31 Jordan Titus, West Virginia, 4-2
149 pounds: No. 3 Shayne Van Ness, Penn State F No. 30 Gabe Willochell, Wyoming, 4:11
157 pounds: No. 1 Tyler Kasak, PSU F No. 32 Landon Johnson, Northern Illinois, 1:38
165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State TF No. 33 Chandler Amaker, Central Michigan, 16-0 (3:32)
Mitchell Mesenbrink starts his tournament with a technical fall
03/20/2025 12:58:33 PMMitchell Mesenbrink, the No. 1 seed at 165 pounds, beats No. 32 Chandler Amaker by technical fall, 16-0, in 3:32.
Shayne Van Ness
03/20/2025 12:51:21 PMNo. 3 Shayne Van Ness starts his tournament by pinning No. 30 Gabe Willochell of Wyoming in 4:11. He also pinned the Cowboy back in December at 149 pounds.
Tyler Kasak wins by fall
03/20/2025 12:35:47 PMPenn State sophomore Tyler Kasak wins his opener at 157 pounds by fall. The No. 1 seed decked NIU’s Landen Johnson at the 1:38 mark of the first period. Luke Lilledahl (winner by technical fall at 125), Braeden Davis (major decision at 133), and Beau Bartlett (decision at 141) are all also into round 2 so far.
Penn State update so far
03/20/2025 12:34:06 PMLuke Lilledahl (winner by technical fall at 125), Braeden Davis (major decision at 133), and Beau Bartlett (decision at 141) are all into round 2 so far.
Lilledahl picks up bonus points
03/20/2025 12:29:35 PMPenn State freshman Luke Lilledahl scored six takedowns and tacked on an escape to beat No. 32 Marcello Milani of Cornell by technical fall, 19-4, in 4:24. The No. 1 seed gets Blake West of NIU in tonight’s second round.
Bartlett starts his tournament with a win
03/20/2025 12:23:01 PMPenn State senior Beau Bartlett made a first period takedown standup en route to a 4-2 decision victory over West Virginia’s Jordan Titus in an opener at 141 pounds. Bartlett will face San Diego State No. 16 seed Julian Tagg in tonight’s round 2.
Penn State will be back in action soon
03/20/2025 12:00:32 PMShayne Van Ness is coming up shortly on mat 2. Beau Bartlett is in the hole on mat 7. Luke Lilledahl has his opening match on mat 7 following Bartlett.
Penn State starts 1-0
03/20/2025 11:50:53 AMPenn State sophomore Braeden Davis, the No. 8 seed at 133 pounds beats No. 25 Kurt Phipps of Bucknell by major decision, 12-4, to start his tournament. He took a 5-4 lead late in the second and added a seven point throw in the third period. Davis will draw Maryland’s Braxton Brown in the second round. He beat him 9-7 at Big Tens.
Braeden Davis is on deck on mat four
03/20/2025 11:34:03 AMHe will be the first Nittany Lion to take the mat today. The No. 8 seed, he’ll wrestle No. 25 Kurt Phipps of Bucknell.
Mitchell Mesenbrink gets his first round opponent
03/20/2025 11:25:22 AMHe’ll face Chandler Amaker of Central Michigan in Round 1. He is the No. 33 seed at 165 pounds.
Braeden Davis will be the first wrestler on the mat for Penn State
03/20/2025 11:22:19 AMHis 133-pound opener with Kurt Phipps of Bucknell is in the hole on mat four as of 12:22 p.m. ET.
Tyler Kasak has his first round opponent
03/20/2025 11:19:29 AMNittany Lion Tyler Kasak, the top seed at 157 pounds, will face No. 32 Landen Johnson in his first bout later today. The Northern Illinois wrestler beat No. 33 Richard Fedalen of Colorado in a pig-tail bout.
Luke Lilledahl has his first opponent
03/20/2025 11:10:44 AMHe’ll face Marcello Milani in Round 1 after the Cornell wrestler beat Caleb Weiand of Michigan State 4-1 in sudden victory. That 125-pound match will come up a bit later in this session.
Penn State will not have a wrestler right away
03/20/2025 10:24:27 AMThe first mat assignments are out, and Penn State does not have anyone up first, on deck, or in the hole to wrestle. Luke Lilledahl awaits the winner of a preliminary round bout between No. 33 Caleb Weiand of Michigan State and No. 32 Marcelli Milani of Cornell at 125 pounds. The winner will get some rest time, meaning sophomore Braeden Davis may be the first Nittany Lion to take the mat. We’ll provide updates when they are available.
First matchup for each Penn State wrestler
03/20/2025 10:26:01 AMHere’s the list:
125 pounds: No. 1 Luke Lilledahl, PSU vs. No. 33 Caleb Weiand Michigan State OR No. 32 Marcelli Milani, Cornell
133 pounds: No. 8 Braeden Davis, Penn State vs. No. 25 Kurt Phipps, Bucknell
141 pounds: No. 2 Beau Bartlett, PSU vs. No. 31 Jordan Titus, West Virginia
149 pounds: No. 3 Shayne Van Ness, Penn State vs. No. 30 Gabe Willochell, Wyoming
157 pounds: No. 1 Tyler Kasak, PSU vs. No. 33 Richard Fedalen, Colorado vs. No. 32 Landon Johnson, Northern Illinois
165 pounds: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State vs. No. 33 Chandler Amaker, Central Michigan vs. No. 32 Jared Keslar, Pittsburgh
174 pounds: No. 2 Levi Haines, PSU vs. No. 30 Avery Bassett, Lock Haven
184 pounds: No. 1 Carter Starocci, Penn State vs. No. 33 TJ McDonnell, Oregon State vs. No. 32 Caden Rogers, Lehigh
197 pounds: No. 4 Josh Barr, PSU vs. No. 29 Tucker Hogan, Lehigh
285 pounds: No. 3 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State vs. No. 30 Sam Mitchell, Wyoming
See full brackets here.
