Penn State wrestling is two weeks removed from capturing the program’s 12th National Championship with a dominating weekend in Kansas City. The Nittany Lions had four individual National Champions and eight All-Americans in the tournament, propelling them to a new NCAA points record. Now, Cael Sanderson and his staff await decisions from several senior wrestlers who could return to Happy Valley for a COVID year of eligibility. Perhaps the most likely of these veteran Nittany Lions to return is Beau Bartlett, who appears primed to settle some unfinished business in 2025.
Beau Bartlett falls just short of a title
Beau Bartlett fell in heartbreaking fashion in the NCAA final at 141 pounds against Jesse Mendez of Ohio State by a 4-1 decision. It was only the second loss on the season for Bartlett, who had previously lost to Mendez, also by a 4-1 decision, in the Big Ten Championships final.
The Penn State senior ended the season with a 24-2 record and a 92.31% bonus percentage. The runner-up finish was a slight improvement from 2023, when Bartlett went 27-3 and finished third at the NCAA Championships.
Unfinished business
Like several of the seniors on this Penn State wrestling squad, Beau Bartlett still has his COVID year of eligibility to use if he chooses. Whether he does or not could have major implications on the national picture at 141 pounds in 2025. Bartlett’s decision will also factor into what Cael Sanderson does with Tyler Kasak and Shayne Van Ness at 141 and 149 pounds.
There is reason to believe that Bartlett is trending towards returning to Penn State for a final season. For starters, he is coming off a tough NCAA finals loss in which he was taken down with three seconds remaining in the third period. Bartlett still doesn’t have a national title, but has been getting closer and closer each season. One more year is an opportunity to finally get over that last hurdle.
Social media hints
Another reason for Penn State wrestling to remain optimistic for a Beau Bartlett return is that the Nittany Lion seemed to imply as such following his runner-up performance in Kansas City.
“2024 NCAA Runner-Up,” he wrote. “Successful people are risk-takers. They understand the journey and use their goal as a guide instead of a destination. The journey is controlled, the destination is uncertain. Embrace the journey, accept any destination. I’m not done taking risks.”
Missing from senior day
When Penn State wrestling did its senior day festivities against Edinboro in the last dual of the regular season, Beau Bartlett was not one of the Nittany Lions to step on the mat. However, other seniors on the team who also have a COVID year of eligibility, like Carter Starocci and Greg Kerkvliet, participated.
Bartlett still wrestled in the dual, defeating Edinboro’s Jacob Brenneman by fall just a few minutes later. That means that he was in the building but chose not to participate in the ceremony. If he was considering hanging up the Blue and White singlet after 2024, it would make sense that he would want to celebrate senior day with his family and friends, so declining would seem to indicate a possible return.
What a Bartlett return means for Penn State wrestling
Beau Bartlett returning in 2025 would give Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling another weight class that is solidly in the National Championship hunt. Given Bartlett’s success the last two seasons, he would be a heavy favorite to return to at least the NCAA semifinals in 2025, if healthy.
A Bartlett return also puts another decision on Sanderson’s plate. Shayne Van Ness went down with an injury early this past season, forcing Tyler Kasak to bump up a weight class and fill in. Van Ness was coming off a runner-up finish in the 2023 NCAA Championships and will most likely take back his spot in the lineup.
That means Sanderson would most likely redshirt Kasak and prepare him to take over for Bartlett for the 2026 season with three years of eligibility left.
We have seen precedent for this before from the Penn State wrestling coach. In 2013-14, Zain Retherford went 27-0 in the regular season before picking up a loss in the Big Ten Championships and two losses in the NCAA Championships to finish fifth. Sanderson then redshirted Retherford for the 2014-15 season. The three seasons after, Retherford never lost again, finishing with a 128-3 record, three national titles, and two Hodge Trophies.
With Bartlett giving Kasak another year to develop, the freshman may have the opportunity for a similar path of success. It also sets up Penn State wrestling for another four years of success at 141 pounds, which helps keep the Nittany Lion dynasty rolling.
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