Beau Bartlett becomes 4th Penn State wrestler to rank No. 1 nationally

Penn State wrestling closed out another undefeated Big Ten season by capturing the program’s fifth consecutive conference dual season championship over the weekend. Cruising past No. 8 Ohio State and No. 13 Illinois, the Nittany Lions extended their dual winning streak to a new conference-best 70 straight matches.

No Nittany Lion had a better weekend than 141-pounder Beau Bartlett, who overcame his conference rival and top-ranked Jesse Mendez of Ohio State. The Buckeye had previously beaten Bartlett in the 2024 Big Ten and NCAA Finals, as well as the NWCA All-Star Classic this fall.

Bartlett back to No. 1 for the first time in 2025

© Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The victory over Mendez propelled Bartlett back to No. 1 in the latest InterMat Rankings. It is the first time since the end of the 2024 regular season that the senior Nittany Lion claimed the nation’s top spot at 141.

In addition to Mendez, Bartlett jumped No. 2 Andrew Alirez of Northern Colorado. He joins Tyler Kasak (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), and Carter Starocci (184) as the fourth Penn State wrestler to rank No. 1 in their respective weight class.

Bartlett is 17-0 and set to become the No. 1 seed at the Big Ten Championships in a few weeks. He will most likely meet Mendez again in the conference finals. If that rematch happens, the winner will likely earn the No. 1 seed at the NCAA Championships.

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Seeding for the NCAAs is perhaps more important at 141 this season than just about any other weight class. All season, it has seemed like Bartlett, Mendez, and Alirez have but a cut above the rest in weight. Whoever gets the No. 1 overall seed will have a smoother path to the NCAA Finals, while the other two wrestlers would likely meet in the Semifinals. By March, fewer contentious matches and less wear and tear on the body will go a long way for the final rounds of the season.

Bartlett will finish the regular season against Cael McIntyre of American University. Ranked No. 190 nationally according to WrestleStat, McIntyre is 6-10 with a 6.25% bonus.

Penn State wrestling will take on American Friday night at 7:00 p.m. on BTN+.

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