Penn State wrestling live blog: NCAA Championships Quarterfinals

Penn State wrestling jumped out to a commanding lead during day one of the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia. By the time Friday’s action is complete, we will know which Nittany Lions will wrestle for a national championships on Saturday evening.

The Nittany Lions went 20-0 across sessions one and two on Thursday, sending all 10 wrestlers to the Quarterfinals for the first time in program history. Penn State wrestling scored 39.5 points on day one, a total that itself would likely merit a top 15 finish once this weekend’s tournament is complete.

Live blog: Penn State wrestling continues historic pursuit of a title in NCAA Quarterfinals

Each Nittany Lion wrestler will compete once during Friday’s Quarterfinal Round. Winners will advance to the Semifinals, while losers will move to the consolation bracket on Friday evening.

Match-by-match results for Penn State wrestlers can be found below. Please note this page will not update automatically. To see the latest results, please refresh your browser.

Team Standings (End of Session 3)

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NCAA Quarterfinal Results

125: No. 8 Sheldon Seymour (LEH) def No. 1 Luke Lilledahl (PSU) 2-2 (TB:crit-RT)

Seymour had the best opportunity of the first period getting in on the leg of Luke Lilledahl but was unable to finish and it was scoreless after one. Seymour started on bottom and picked up the escape in 30 seconds to take the 1-0 lead. There was no other scoring in the 2nd period and Seymour held a 1-0 into the 3rd period.

Lilledahl escaped in 9 seconds to open the final period to tie the score up at 1-1. The Penn State wrestler got in on a shot late in the 3rd period but Seymour was able to scramble to the edge of the mat and avoid the takedown. He eventually got called for stalling but still got it to sudden victory. Lilledahl opened sudden victory with a terrific shot and appeared to have the takedown but couldn’t finish as Seymour held onto the leg for almost the entire period and got out with no damage.

Seymour started on bottom and picked up the escape to take the 2-1 in the tiebreak. While on top Seymour got called for a stall again on top he was able to keep Lilledahl down and win based on riding time. It is only the third loss of the season for Lilledahl who will now move into the consolation bracket tonight to try and finish as an All-American

133: No. 1 Lucas Byrd (ILL) def No. 8 Braeden Davis (PSU) by 12-1 major decision

Byrd picked up the matches opening takedown in just 15 seconds to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Braeden Davis got the escape to cut the lead to 3-1. Byrd started the 2nd period on bottom and quickly escaped to push his lead to 4-1. Byrd took down Davis again halfway through the period and this time got the Nittany Lion to his back for 4 near fall points to take a commanding 11-1 lead heading into the final period. Neither wrestler did much of anything in the third period ad the result was a 12-1 major decision for Lucas Byrd.

141: No. 2 Beau Bartlett (PSU) def No. 10 CJ Composto (UPENN) by 5-0 decision

Neither wrestler got on the board in period one with no real great chances for either. Beau Bartlett started on bottom to begin the 2nd period and was able to escape within 5 seconds and immediately went for the takedown. Composto was holding the leg for a bit but eventually had to release leading to a 4-0 Bartlett lead. Composto went to bottom after a stoppage but was unable to escape before the riding time went over one minute to end the 2nd period.

The wrestlers started neutral to begin the 3rd period with Bartlett holding the 4-0 lead and 1:08 of riding time. The Penn State wrestler was able to hold off any offensive attempts by Composto and pick up the 5-0 decision to return to the semifinals for a rematch of last year’s NCAA finals against Jesse Mendez.

149: No. 3 Shayne Van Ness (PSU) def No. 6 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) by 7-2 decision

This is getting repetitive today but once again neither wrestler was able to get on the scoreboard after one period. McNeil started on bottom and was able to escape within 13 seconds to take the 1-0 lead. Shayne Van Ness took some good shots towards the leg during the period but was unable to convert and the score remained 1-0 after the 2nd period.

Van Ness began the third period on bottom and quickly picked up the escape. He then got on a double leg and was able to take down McNeil at about the 50 second mark of the period to take a 4-1 lead. A McNeil escape cut the lead to 4-2 with under a minute remaining. A counter attack with 10 seconds remaining gave iced the match for Van Ness for the 7-2 decision.

157: No. 8 Joey Blaze (PUR) def No. 1 Tyler Kasak (PSU) by 5-4 decision

Tyler Kasak opened the scoring in this match getting in on a single leg to lead 3-0 in the first minute. Blaze picked up the escape after about 27 seconds to cut the lead to 3-1. Blaze began the 2nd period on bottom and was able to get the escape but riding time went to 1:04 as the lead was cut to 3-2.

Kasak began on bottom to start the 3rd and got the escape to extend his lead to 4-2 but not before the riding time went under a minute. Blaze took the 5-4 lead with the takedown and stayed on top until 27 seconds remaining before a stoppage brought the two to the middle of the mat. Kasak was unable to escape and took the one point loss. It was the 2nd No. 1 Penn State wrestler of the day to be upset in what is becoming a tough Quarterfinals for the Nittany Lions.

165: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) def No. 8 Cameron Amine (OKST) by 5-0 decision

Neither wrestler was able to get on the board in the first period. Mitchell Mesenbrink started on bottom to begin the 2nd and had a little trouble getting the escape but eventually did at the 33 second mark to take the 1-0 lead. Mesenbrink then got in on a single leg and despite Amine attempting to get outside the circle, the Nittany Lion was able to pull him back in and finish off the takedown to extend his lead to 4-0. After getting the takedown Mesenbrink got the ride out to lock up the riding time point and move onto the semifinals with the 5-0 victory.

174: No. 2 Levi Haines (PSU) def No. 7 Danny Wask (NAVY) by 7-2 decision

Levi Haines got in the leg early to grab a 3-0 lead in the opening minute of the match. Wask picked up the escape in 15 seconds to cut the lead to 3-1. Haines started on bottom to begin the 2nd period and picked up the escape in 3 seconds to extend his lead to 4-1. Haines took a good shot in the waning moments of the period but was unable to convert and the lead remained 3 heading into the final period.

Haines got the riding time back in his favor and even survived a reversal attempt by Wask before the Midshipman was able to get the escape and cut the lead back to 4-2. Wask took a flurry of attempts to try and take the lead but Haines was able to eventually counter and get the takedown of his own to ice the match at 7-2 as time expired.

184: No. 1 Carter Starocci (PSU) def No. 8 Jaxon Smith (MD) by 9-1 major decision

Carter Starocci opened the scoring with a takedown to take a 3-0 lead. Starocci then started on bottom to begin the 2nd picking up a quick escape to extend his lead to 4-0. Jaxon Smith picked up his 2nd stall call of the match giving Starocci a 5-0 lead halfway through the 2nd period. Smith was able to get on the board after picking up an escape in the 3rd from bottom. Starocci responded with a takedown in the final 10 seconds which with the addition of the riding time point gave Penn State their first bonus points of the afternoon.

197: No. 4 Josh Barr (PSU) vs No. 5 Michael Beard (LEH)

Josh Barr came out aggressive and with pace eventually converting for the takedown as the clock ticked below one minute in the first period. It was clear from the start that the redshirt freshman wanted to test Beard’s stamina. Beard was able to get the escape to cut the lead to 3-1 as the opening period came to a close.

Barr got in on the leg to open the 2nd period and immediately got the quick escape and takedown to extend his lead to 7-1. After releasing Beard he quickly went to work again picking up another takedown to push the lead to 10-2 and get the riding time over one minute halfway through the 2nd period.

Barr extended his lead to 13-2 after locking up the riding time halfway through he final period. After granting an escape Barr stopped his attacking to end with the 14-3 major decision, advancing to the first NCAA semifinal of his career.

285: No. 3 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) def No. 6 Joshua Heindselman (MICH) by 5-0 decision

Greg Kerkvliet went to work quickly driving Joshual Heindselman to the mat for the 3-0 lead. While on bottom after the takedown Heindselman got hit with a stall warning. He then was hit again to push Kerkvliet’s lead to 4-0 after one period. After no scoring in the 2nd period, Kerkvliet entered the 3rd with riding time wrapped up and he finished the period in neutral to become a five time All-American.

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