Penn State wrestling wins 2022 NCAA Championship team title in Detroit

Penn State has clinched the team title at the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships.

The Nittany Lions locked up their ninth crown under Cael Sanderson and 10th overall before the finals are even contested later during session five on Saturday afternoon.

Michigan, who was the only team left in the race on Saturday morning, was all but eliminated after going 1-2 in the consolation semifinals. That meant the Wolverines, who beat PSU at Big Tens by 1,5 points, would need to pin out the tournament while Penn State lost all of its remaining matches to win.

That didn’t happen. When Wolverine Will Lewan beat Jacori Teemer just by a decision to win fifth at 157 pounds, it sealed the deal for Penn State.

How PSU won the title

Penn State won the NCAA team title four years in a row, from 2016-2019. After the tournament was canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, Iowa ended the Lions’ run by winning it in 2021.

Sanderson’s side is back on top now, though. It earned its spot back this year through a formula that is familiar to fans who bleed blue and white.

The Lions racked up bonus points frequently throughout the tournament. For those unaware, that means they won numerous matches by major decision (eight points or more), technical fall (15 or more), or by pin. It’s a tried and true formula that Sanderson has preached since arriving in State College. And, it led to the display in the semifinals, which is when Penn State, who led from the first session back on Thursday through tonight’s final one, really separated itself from the pack.

Roman Bravo-Young (133 pounds), Nick Lee (141), Carter Starocci (174), Aaron Brooks (184), and Max Dean (197) all qualified for the finals as the Lions went five for six in that round. The only wrestler who didn’t make it, heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet, lost to Olympic gold medalist and top-seeded Gable Steveson of Minnesota but then won a consolation semifinal Saturday morning to earn a spot in the third-place match.

Teams score points through both advancement and winning by bonus points. Penn State won by all decisions in the semis, but the advancement points all but put the Wolverines and Iowa away. And, the bonus points earned earlier in the tournament helped make that so. Michigan has just two semifinalists and Iowa one to the Lions’ five. That is not the only reason PSU is leaving Detroit with the title. But, it’s a big reason why.

One other note: Heavyweight Greg Kerkfleit forfeited the third-place match opposite Lehigh’s Jordan Wood. He finishes fourth.

Penn State finals matchups

They are listed below along with all of the finals matches. They start at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

125 pounds: No. 1 Nick Suriano, Michigan vs. No. 3 Pat Glory, Princeton

133 pounds: No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young, Penn State vs. No. 2 Daton Fix, Oklahoma State

141 pounds: No. 1 Nick Lee, Penn State vs. No. 15 Kizhan Clarke, North Carolina

149 pounds: No. 1 Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell vs. No. 10 Ridge Lovett, Nebraska

157 pounds: No. 5 Quincy Monday, Princeton vs. No. 2 Ryan Deakin, Northwestern

165 pounds: No. 5 Shane Griffith, Stanford vs. No. 2 Keegan O`Toole, Missouri

174 pounds: No. 1 Carter Starocci, Penn State vs. No. 2 Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech

184 pounds: No. 1 Myles Amine, Michigan vs. No. 2 Aaron Brooks, Penn State

197 pounds: No. 1 Max Dean, Penn State vs. No. 6 Jacob Warner, Iowa

285 pounds: No. 1 Gable Steveson, Minnesota vs. No. 2 Colton Schultz, Arizona Stat