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Penn State Wrestling Crowned B1G Regular Season Champs

With Sunday’s win over Maryland, the Nittany Lions captured their ninth Big Ten Regular Season title in program history.

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Mar 19, 2022; Detroit, MI, USA; Penn State wrestler Max Dean jumps and hugs head coach Cael Sanderson after defeating Iowa wrestler Jacob Warner (not pictured) in the 197 pound weight class final match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Little Cesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State wrestling (16-0, 8-0 Big Ten) finished its conference season in dominant fashion, cruising to a 44-3 victory over Maryland (9-8, 1-7 Big Ten).

With Sunday’s win, the Nittany Lions secured the 2023 Big Ten Regular Season title, the ninth in program history. 

Cael Sanderson’s squad will end the regular season with one final non-conference dual next week before the Big Ten Championships begins in March.

Shelled Terrapins 

As usual this year, the Lions struggled out of the gates at 125 but never looked back. Gary Steen lost by a 1-0 decision to Maryland’s Braxton Brown for the Nittany Lions’ only defeat of the day.

Despite that loss, it was a dominant day for Penn State’s wrestlers. Penn State won the remaining nine bouts, including seven with bonus points. Three Lions – Levi Haines, Alex Facundo, and Seth Nevills – won via falls. Both Haines and Nevills took down their opponents in under two minutes.

Roman Bravo-Young and Shayne Van Ness claimed technical falls, winning by margins of 29-13 and 19-4, respectively. Carter Starocci also secured a decisive 14-6 major decision.

We Are the Champions (Again)

Penn State has now won or shared nine Big Ten Regular Season Championships. All have been since 2012, and all have been under Cael Sanderson.

This regular season also marks the eighth time the Nittany Lions have finished conference play without a loss or tie, including seven under Sanderson. 

Further still, Sunday’s win also gave Penn State its third consecutive season with an undefeated Big Ten dual meet record.

If you were still wondering how good of a program Cael Sanderson has built at Penn State, the answer is really, really good.

What’s Next for Penn State Wrestling?

Penn State wrestling will conclude its regular season next Sunday at Rec Hall with a dual meet against Clarion (11-3, 8-1 MAC). I’m not a betting man, but the Nittany Lions should finish with their third undefeated regular season in a row.

The Lions are in an excellent position to win their first Big Ten Championship since 2019. There are several teams to keep an eye on as possible contenders in the conference championships, however.

The biggest challenger will be Iowa, who finished right behind Penn State in the Big Ten rankings. The Hawkeyes gave Cael Sanderson’s group their best test of the season when the two squads faced off in an electric dual at the BJC. Despite trailing with only three matches remaining, the Nittany Lions still went on to win handily, 23-14. 

I’ll also be curious to see how Michigan performs. Although the Wolverines haven’t experienced the best finish to the season, they were ranked in the top five at one point this year. Penn State crushed Michigan earlier this year, but heavyweight Mason Paris is the only wrestler to defeat Greg Kerkvliet this season. In addition, the Big Ten Championships are being held in Ann Arbor, which could benefit the Wolverines’ wrestlers.

Finally, there is potential for the unknown with Nebraska. Currently 6-1 in conference duals, the Huskers’ only loss in the Big Ten this year came to Iowa. The Nittany Lions defeated Nebraska when they met last year, but the two teams didn’t face off this season. 

You can expect Penn State’s trio of top-ranked wrestlers – Bravo-Young, Starocci, and Brooks – to handle business in the Big Ten Championships. Kerkvliet and Max Dean should also be considered strong contenders at their respective weight classes.

But I’ll be interested to see how the Nittany Lions do at the lighter weight classes. In all honesty, 125 is Iowa’s Spencer Lee’s title to lose. Beau Bartlett has had a strong season but struggled against Real Woods of Iowa.

Most of all, I’m excited to see how Levi Haines will perform. Haines has been on a tear in his freshman season, forcing Cael Sanderson to burn his redshirt. However, this will be a new experience for him, and there’s always the chance of an adjustment period.

At any rate, March is the time of year that Penn State wrestling fans live for, and you can expect Basic Blues Nation to follow the Lions every step of the way.

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PSU Hockey NCAA Tournament Preview: Michigan Tech

The Nittany Lions are vying for their first Frozen Four berth in program history.

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Penn State Hockey, NCAA Tournament
Mar 14, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre DameÕs Dylan St. Cyr (1) reacts after being scored on by Penn State at the Compton Family Ice Arena. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina/South Bend Tribune-USA TODAY NETWORK

State College, PA — Basketball isn’t the only sport with March Madness. Penn State hockey is dancing! For the first time since 2018 and the third time in program history, the Nittany Lions (21-15-1, 10-13-1 B1G) have qualified for the NCAA Men’s Hockey Tournament. Penn State earned a No. 2 seed in the recent bracket selections, the highest in school history. 

The Nittany Lions’ previous trips to the NCAA tournament in 2017 and 2018 ended at the hands of Denver University. The good news for Penn State is that it finally avoided the Pioneers in its region. 

The bad news is that the Lions still got a tough draw. They will open the tournament against the Michigan Tech Huskies at 5:00 p.m. on Friday at the PPL Center in Allentown, PA

Michigan Tech University Snapshot

Name: Michigan Technological University

Location: Houghton, MI

Enrollment: 7,009

Acceptance Rate: 86%

Conference: Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA)

Men’s Hockey National Titles: 3 (1962, 1965, 1972)

Mascot: Blizzard T. Husky

About the Huskies

If you don’t follow college hockey regularly, you probably haven’t heard of Michigan Tech. A small school tucked away in the rural Upper Peninsula of Michigan, hockey is their only Division I sport. The rest of its athletic programs compete at the Division II level. 

Michigan Tech’s hockey team has had considerable success, claiming three national titles, numerous conference championships, and NCAA tournament appearances. The team appeared in last year’s tournament and bowed out to Minnesota Duluth in the first round. 

Led by CCHA Coach of the Year Joe Shawhan, the Huskies (24-10-4, 15-7-4 CCHA) are a team built on the back of its netminder. Michigan Tech’s goaltender Blake Pietila may be the best in the country. He was named a finalist for the Richter Award, given to the best goaltender in the country. He was also named the CCHA Player of the Year. His play has been so strong that he is even a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, college hockey’s Heisman. This season, he posted a 0.929 save percentage, allowing just 1.98 goals per game. He leads the nation with 10 shutouts this season. 

Michigan Tech can also light the lamp on the other end. The Huskies offensive attack is led by CCHA Rookie of the Year Kyle Kukkonen, who scored 18 goals this season. He is complimented by All-CCHA First Team forward Ryland Mosley, who has 31 points this year. 

The Huskies have some impressive wins this year. They swept Alaska on the road and picked up a win over a very good Boston University team. This is a particularly poor draw for Penn State hockey, given the Nittany Lion’s style of play. Michigan Tech is built similarly to a typical Notre Dame team that Penn State is used to facing. They have elite goaltending and a first line with talented scorers. 

Will Penn State Hockey Advance in the NCAA Tournament?

Penn State hockey has an advantage in this one, given that they are playing just about 150 miles from campus in Allentown, PA. Not far from Philadelphia, the area has a large alumni base. There should be a large crowd on hand for Friday evening’s showdown. 

However, the crowd only goes so far. Michigan Tech has shown they can handle challenging road environments, going 12-5-1 away from home this season. 

Penn State’s recent run of play has been mediocre at best, going 4-10-1 in their final 15 games. When you combine that with the fact that Michigan Tech’s style of play is almost tailor-made to handle Penn State’s offensive attack, it is tough to envision Penn State hockey coming away with its second-ever tournament win on Friday. I’ll go with Michigan Tech, as Penn State will need help to solve Blake Pietila. 

Michigan Tech-3, Penn State-1

The winner of this game will go on to face the winner of the Michigan and Colgate game also on Friday. The winners of the two opening-round games will play at the PPL Center at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday for a right to go to the Frozen Four.



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Penn State is New No. 1 Team in the Nation

It’s the Nittany Lions first No. 1 ranking since 2009.

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Penn State Men's Volleyball, No. 1 Team in the Nation
October 8, 2011; State College, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions mascot performs during the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Rec Hall. Illinois defeated Penn State 3 sets to 2. Mandatory Credit: Rob Christy-USA TODAY Sports

State College – Men’s volleyball has a new top team, and it resides in Happy Valley. Penn State men’s volleyball is the new No. 1 team in the nation, up one spot from the week prior.

Penn State Men’s Volleyball is Now the No.1 Team in the Nation

The Penn State men’s volleyball team has been on a tear lately. The Nittany Lions are 18-2 on the season, including a shutout of Saint Francis on Saturday.

And when the new American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll was released Monday, the Lions found themselves in the top spot. The bump up marks the first time that Penn State men’s volleyball has been ranked No. 1 since 2009.

Penn State replaced Hawai’i, who was previously the No. 1 team. The Nittany Lions ended the Rainbow Warriors’ 25-match win streak in a 3-1 victory during the Outrigger Challenge earlier this month. Hawai’i lost to Long Beach State on Friday night, which allowed Penn State to take the top spot.

The Nittany Lions’ first match as the No. 1 team in the nation will be in Rec Hall Tuesday when they take on Ohio State. The match begins at 7 PM and will air on B1G+. Penn State then has road series against Harvard and George Mason over the next two weeks and will finish the regular season at home with Charleston (WV) on April 14-15.

What a Time to be a Lion 

Penn State men’s volleyball’s new ranking was just the latest in a string of positives for Nittany Lion athletics.

On Saturday, Penn State wrestling capped off an undefeated regular season by winning the program’s 10th national title in 12 years. The men’s basketball team recently played for the Big Ten title and won its first NCAA Tournament game in over 20 years. In addition, men’s and women’s ice hockey made the NCAA Tournament in their respective sports.

On the diamond, the Penn State softball team has won at least seven games in a row twice already this season. Across campus, the baseball team swept its home opener to improve to 10-5 on the year.

And, of course, who could forget about Penn State football. The Nittany Lions are one week into spring practice for the anticipated 2023 season. James Franklin will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him, but the Lions are already dark horse candidates to make the College Football Playoff this fall. 

For Penn State fans, there certainly is no time like the present.



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Penn State Baseball Sweeps Georgetown

The Nittany Lions’ bats made quick work of the Hoyas on Sunday.

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Penn State Baseball, Georgetown
Vintage baseball gloves in the Norwell studio of Huntington Base Ball Co Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022. 110222 Gd Baseballs16 Jpg © Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

State College — After winning their home opener Saturday, the Penn State Nittany Lions made quick work of Georgetown Sunday. The 7-2 victory gave Penn State baseball a clean sweep of the Hoyas for the weekend.

Penn State Baseball Sweeps Georgetown

Penn State struck first when third baseman Ben Kaliher singled and scored Anthony Steele. They took the lead 1-0.  

The scoring continued in the second inning for the Nittany Lions. Another single, this time by Thomas Bramley, scored Tayven Kelley and increased the lead to 2-0.  

A Jay Harry double then broke the game open for the Lions, as a double by him scored Bramley and Kaliher and increased the margin to four runs.

Penn State added another run in the fourth inning after another Jay Harry hit, this time a single, scored Tayven Kelley and increased the score in the Lions’ favor to 5-0.  

Georgetown would get on the board in the sixth inning when a fielding error allowed a runner to score. But Penn State responded in the eighth inning. A wild pitch allowed Ben Kaliher to score. Another fielding error increased the lead to 7-1.

Georgetown would add another run in the ninth inning, but it would not suffice in their favor. The Nittany Lions won with a final score of 7-2 to sweep their first home series against Georgetown.  

Jordan Morales, who picked up the win, pitched a solid game. Morales allowed three hits and two walks and recorded two strikeouts. Most importantly, he allowed no earned runs.  

With the win, the Nittany Lions improve to 11-5 on the season.

Penn State baseball continues play at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park Tuesday against Binghamton. The Nittany Lions then head into conference play by going on the road to Ann Arbor to face the Michigan Wolverines.  



Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and insights on your favorite Penn State athletics.

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