Penn State Wrestling News: Lions Turn Toward March
Before Penn State wrestling hosts Edinboro for Senior Day on Sunday, a peek in the Nittany Lions notebook, which includes this question: Who are the seniors exactly?
Who will Penn State recognize on Senior Day?
The Penn State football team has been allowing big groups of players walk on Senior Day, even those with eligibility remaining. Because who knows? Some might be back. Take defensive tackle Dvon Ellies, for instance.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to see who Penn State honors ahead of the Nittany Lions' match against Edinboro on Sunday at Rec Hall. Wrestling eligibility is even more complicated (something COVID certainly exacerbated), and the group of Lions that could return is staggering. Consider that three-time NCAA champs Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks have eligibility remaining, as does top-ranked heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet and 141-pounder Beau Bartlett.
None will announce a decision until after the season, but it's possible that Brooks and Starocci, if they win this season, could return in 2025 to become the first five-time champs in NCAA history. As a result, Penn State coach Cael Sanderson isn't about to peer ahead.
"We don't really know," Sanderson told reporters in State College last week. "Those are still things we try not to think about." Asked specifically about Brooks, Starocci and Kerkvliet, Sanderson said he isn't about to give "unwanted advice."
"Of course we want them all back, but that's something we’ll discuss once the season is over," Sanderson said. "We’re focused on Edinboro this week, then [the] Big Ten [championships], then nationals. Those other things will get sorted when the time comes."
RELATED: Penn State's Carter Starocci is "ready to roll now"
What's Aaron Nagao's status?
Nagao, ranked 11th nationally at 133 pounds, did not wrestle last week against Nebraska (Sanderson attributed several absences to illnesses). Priod to that, Nagao had lost three of his previous five bouts, all to ranked wrestlers, and fell out of the InterMat top 10.
"He's doing good," Sanderson said. "We'll have him back on the mat toward the end of the week. We don't want to be the complaining program, but guys get sick and we need to give them time to get better. He's not the only one out throughout the week."
Teachable moments for the freshmen
True freshmen Braeden Davis (125) and Tyler Kasak (149) have made huge impacts this season. Davis gave Penn State a legitimate All-America candidate at a weight class where it has lapsed. And Kasak shore up a potential issue at 149 after Shayne Van Ness' season-ending injury. Both are ranked in the top 10 and have built a first season's worth of confidence. They also have put some teachable moments on film recently.
Davis lost against Nebraska by major decision for the first time this season, while Kasak gave top-ranked Ridge Lovett a pretty good go in a 7-3 loss. Sanderson likes where both stand in late February.
"Every time you compete, especially against a top-notch opponent, you’re going to learn something," Sanderson said. "... That experience is sometimes expensive and hurts a little bit but it’s also invaluable. They're two guys that have the ability to be right in the mix when all is said and done."
Penn State wrestling in the national rankings
The unbeaten Nittany Lions are unanimously No. 1 across the major wrestling rankings. Here's where the starters rank, according to InterMat:
125: Braeden Davis dropped two spots to No. 8
133: Aaron Nagao remained at No. 11
141: Beau Bartlett is firmly at No. 1
149: Tyler Kasak stayed at No. 9 after his loss to the top-ranked Lovett
157: Levi Haines retained the top spot
165: Mitchell Mesenbrink stayed at No. 6
174: Carter Starocci is the no-doubt No. 1
184: Bernie Truax stayed at No. 6
194: Aaron Brooks is as No. 1 as it gets
285: Greg Kerkvliet retained his grip on No. 1 with his fifth major decision of the season
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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.