Penn State wrestling has top-five Class of 2023, MatScouts says
Penn State wrestling is welcoming another group of newcomers to campus this summer. Unlike some of its peers across the Nittany Lions athletic department, head coach Cael Sanderson’s team does not make a big deal of announcing its latest signing group via a news release. But, like other sports, media members do rank each recruiting class across the country.
Longtime wrestling expert Willie Saylor of MatScouts used his ‘Big Board’ rankings to compile a list of the top Class of 2023s across college wrestling. Penn State checked in at No. 4 nationally. The program is bringing in Michigan 184-pounder Josh Barr, Pennsylvania middleweight Tyler Kasak, Michigan 133-pounder Braeden Davis, a pair of Pennsylvania state champs and projected 125-pounders in Cael Nasdeo and Brendon Wentzel, and New Jersey upperweight AJ Fricchione ahead of the 2023-2024 season.
All were top 200 recruits, in the mind of MatScouts, except for Fricchione. Barr leads the way at No. 4. Kasak, then, is No. 9. Davis and Nasdeo are both inside the top 100 at Nos. 46 and 92, respectively. And, Wentzel checks in at No. 173. Put it all together, and it puts the Nittany Lions inside the top five but behind Oklahoma State, which led the way with six top 100 signees, Michigan, which also had six, and Iowa, which had four.
“Josh Barr looks like the next in a long line of successful 74-84’s for the Nits,” Saylor writes. “Kasak has been at the top of the pecking order nationally over an extended period of time with Cadet Trials, Ironman, and JR Open titles.
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“Davis competed really well at the JR Trials and will fortify a now talented-yet-enigmatic light weight stable. The same could be said regarding Nasdeo who is wrestling his best at the end of his HS career.”
Will any Penn State Class of 2023 additions make the starting lineup in 2023-2024?
At this juncture, it looks unlikely. But, it’s not out of the question. The 125-pound job is up for grabs. Robbie Howard hopes to return from two consecutive missed seasons due to a shoulder injury to reclaim the starting job. If for some reason his health continues to be an issue, though, Nasdeo and Wentzel will battle with last year’s starter, Gary Steen, and Marco Vespa for the right to lead the Lions onto the mat in most dual meets.
Earlier this year, BWI projected the 2023-2024 starting lineup based on what we knew following the team’s latest NCAA title run. Here is what we came up with:
125 pounds: Robbie Howard OR Gary Steen
133 pounds: Aaron Nagao
141 pounds: Beau Bartlett
149 pounds: Shayne Van Ness
157 pounds: Levi Haines OR MItchell Mesenbrink
165 pounds: Alex Facundo OR Mitchell Mesenbrink
174 pounds: Carter Starocci
184 pounds: Aaron Brooks OR Bernie Truax IV
197 pounds: Aaron Brooks OR Bernie Truax IV
285 pounds: Greg Kerkvliet
