Penn State Wins First Big Ten Wrestling Title Since 2019
Penn State crowned four individual champions, including one from its freshman phenom, to claim its first team title at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships since 2019.
But Roman Bravo-Young might have summarized what this meant for the Lions after winning his third Big Ten title: "Not much," he said. Or, as coach Cael Sanderson said holding the Big Ten trophy, "It feels fine, right?"
Or perhaps Haines better represented the Lions when he said, "It's everything I ever dreamed of" after defeating the nation's top-ranked wrestler in his 157-pound final.
Haines' victory helped Penn State clinch its seventh Big Ten tournament title under coach Cael Sanderson, who will chase his 10th national title at the NCAA Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Aaron Brooks joined Bravo-Young as a three-time Big Ten champ, while Carter Starocci won his second.
In addition, Beau Bartlett (141) placed third, Shayne Van Ness (149) took fourth and Alex Facundo (165) finished seventh. The Lions went 6-3 in the medal round, with two silver medalists looking for rematches at nationals.
Sanderson won his seventh Big Ten coach-of-the-year award, and Haines was named the conference's freshman of the year.
Penn State navigated the qualifying weigh station that Big Tens represent by advancing nine wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, scheduled for March 16-18. Penn State heads to Tulsa strongly favored to win its 10th NCAA team title since 2011. The Lions also seek to win multiple NCAA individual titles for the 10th time under Sanderson.
The Lions outscored second-place Iowa 147-134.5. Nebraska was third with 104.5 points.
A recap of Penn State's championships bouts at the Big Ten tournament.
133: Roman Bravo-Young dec. Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) 5-2
Bravo-Young (16-0) is exceptional in many ways but often separates himself in the waning seconds of periods. The senior pushed his attack through the final 5 seconds of the first period, scoring a takedown that was all he would need.
Bravo-Young became a three-time Big Ten champion and extended his win streak to 51 bouts, the nation's second-longest behind Iowa's Spencer Lee. Asked what the win meant, Bravo-Young shrugged. "Not much," he said in his Big Ten Network interview.
157: Levi Haines dec. Peyton Robb (Nebraska) 3-1 SV
"No one can beat me in overtime," Haines said in his post-bout Big Ten Network interview, demonstrating a confidence that flows through Penn State's room. Consider that Haines, the only true freshman to reach the Big Ten finals, could have redshirted this season. Now he's a Big Ten champ.
Haines took down Robb assertively in overtime, handing the nation's top-ranked wrestler at 157 his first loss of the season. Haines (21-1) remained unbeaten in the Big Ten this season and declared himself as a national-championship contender.
174: Carter Starocci dec. Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) 6-1
Starocci improved to 3-0 against Labriola, whom he could see again in Tulsa. Their bouts are strength-on-strength matchups, though Starocci has a quickness edge that's difficult to defend. And like Bravo-Young, he defined the bout by closing a period (the second) with a takedown in the last 15 seconds. For good measure, Starocci scored with 5 seconds left in the third period.
Starocci ran his win streak to 47 consecutive bouts and is positioned to become a three-time national champion.
184: Aaron Brooks dec. Kaleb Romero (Ohio State) 12-2
Brooks rolled through the tournament with two major decisions and a technical fall. He scored an astonishing 48 points in absolutely dominating the weight class after placing second last year.
Brooks, 12-1, defeated Romero for the third time in his career.
197: Silas Allred (Nebraska) dec. Max Dean 6-3
Dean (20-3) uncharacteristically gave up three takedowns, including one in the bout's final 10 seconds, to fall short of his second Big Ten title. Allred was the aggressor thoroughout, giving Dean something to work on heading to Tulsa.
Dean, the tournament's top-seeded who was ranked third nationally, is the weight class' defending champ but has lost to three top-10 opponents. Time to reset before Tulsa.
HWT: Mason Parris (Michigan) dec, Gerg Kerkvliet 5-3 SV
Parris (28-0) scored a takedown in overtime after giving up the tying stall call late to win his first Big Ten title. Meanwhile, Kerkvliet needs to figure out how to get a takedown against Parris to win an NCAA title. Parris has handed Kerkvliet (15-2) his only two losses this season. Kerkvliet hasn't scored a takedown in either bout.
In Sunday's final, Parris scored a first-period takedown, and Kerkvliet countered with two escapes and the stalling point. He took an overtime shot, which Parris defended and drove for the winning takedown.
Ranked 1-2 in the country, Parris and Kerkvliet could get a Game 7 at nationals. They've wrestled six times, each winning three. Parris has won the last two.
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