Penn State wrestling will face a second non-conference foe in December; who is it?

Penn State wrestling will welcome at least two EIWA Conference foes to State College during the 2023-2024 season. Hofstra announced its full schedule for the new college wrestling season this week, and the Nittany Lions are on it. Head coach Dennis Papadatos’ team will travel to Rec Hall on Sun, Dec. 10. The match is slated to start at 1 p.m. ET. Television details have not yet been announced.

The Pride return neither of their NCAA Tournament qualifiers from a year ago. The programs last met in 2007. Penn State won the matchup 28-11. It was powered by falls from Stefan Tighe and Phil Bomberger. Hofstra, like the Nittany Lions, will also attend the Journeymen Collegiate Classic on Sun, Nov. 12 in Bethlehem, Pa.

This year’s list of teams coming to the individual and not dual meet tournament includes North Carolina State, Arizona State, Lehigh, Purdue, Long Island University, Lock Haven, Harvard, Franklin & Marshall College, Bloomsburg, Pitt-Johnstown, Buffalo, Sacred Hart, Army, the University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell. The event’s official website will post additional details when available.

Penn State will not release its full schedule until later this year as Sanderson and co., aim to defend their Big Ten regular and postseason titles in addition to their NCAA crown. We do already know, however, that the Lions will host Lehigh in State College for a non-conference dual meet on Dec. 3. A time is not yet known. it will attend the Army Black Knight Invitational, as well, on Sun., Nov. 19. The team will also travel to Iowa, Michigan, Maryland, and Michigan State for Big Ten matches during the 2023-2024 season. It will host Rutgers, Nebraska, Indiana, and Ohio State for conference duals. It is unclear how many of those will be at the Bryce Jordan Center versus Rec Hall.

Former Penn State wrestlers set to compete at Senior Worlds

Numerous former collegiate star wrestlers, most of whom competed for Penn State, from the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club will represent Team USA at Senior Worlds Sept. 16-24 in Belgrade, Serbia. Kyle Snyder is the No. 1 seed at 97 kilograms. Zain Retherford and Kyle Dake are the No. 2 seed at 65 and 74 kilograms, respectively. Lions great David Taylor is the No. 7 seed in the 86-kilogram division.

Initial college wrestling rankings are out

Both Flo and InterMat released their first college wrestling weight-by-weight predictions ahead of the 2023-2024 season. Both outlets call Penn State the top team in the country. Flo ranked a Penn State wrestler in every weight class but 125 pounds. It calls sophomore Levi Haines, senior Carter Starocci, graduate senior Aaron Brooks, and senior Greg Kerkvliet the top-ranked wrestlers at 157, 174, 197 pounds, and heavyweight, respectively. Redshirt sophomore Shayne Van Ness is No. 2 at 149 pounds, and transfer Bernie Truax IV is the same at 184 pounds. Minnesota transfer Aaron Nagao is No. 3 at 133 pounds, while senior Beau Bartlett is No. 4 at 141 pounds. Last but not least, redshirt freshman Alex Facundo is No. 12 at 165 pounds.

Junior Robbie Howard makes Flo’s 125-pound rankings at No. 19. The outlet has Nagao and Bartlett third, Van Ness second, Haines first, Facundo 14th, Starocci first, Truax second, and Brooks and Kerkvliet first.