Penn State wrestling will look to win its fourth consecutive NCAA Championship and 12th title in 14 years when Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions kick off the season next month inside Rec Hall.
As of Tuesday afternoon, we now know the Nittany Lions’ complete path to another potential title, as the program released the full schedule and dates for the 2024-25 season.
Penn State renews old rivalry, welcomes Big 12 newcomer in non-conference slate
Penn State wrestling will open the season with two events at Rec Hall. The first will be the NWCA All-Star Classic on November 16, which will be headlined by six Nittany Lion wrestlers, including Beau Bartlett, Shayne Van Ness, Tyler Kasak, Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, and Greg Kerkvliet.
Not an official NCAA match, the classic will be ten total duals with one from each of the NCAA weight classes. Each weight class features preseason top 10 ranked wrestlers.
The next day, Penn State wrestling will have its first dual of the season at Rec Hall, hosting Drexel. It’s reasonable to think that many of the usual starters won’t wrestle in the home opener because of the NWCA Classic. The dual could be an opportunity for fans to see some of the heralded incoming freshmen.
Cael Sanderson will then take his team to West Point, New York, on November 24 for the Army Black Knight Invitational. This event is tournament style and will give plenty of the young wrestlers another opportunity to wrestle some top competition.
Penn State wrestling will return to Pennsylvania for a road dual at No. 21 Lehigh on Saturday, December 8, in Allentown. That will be followed by a home dual against No. 25 Wyoming in Rec Hall on December 15.
The Nittany Lions will finish off the early season non-conference slate by participating in the Journeymen Collegiate Duals, featuring matchups against Binghamton, No. 16 Little Rock, and No. 13 Missouri. This dual-style tournament bracket will give fans a good gauge of how Penn State stacks up against some of the other top teams in the nation.
Two BJC duals headline Big Ten schedule
© Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
Penn State wrestling will open conference play with Michigan State on January 10 before heading on the road for a pair of ranked matchups against No. 3 Nebraska and No. 18 Rutgers on January 17 and 24, respectively.
The Nittany Lions will then host back-to-back duals at the Bryce Jordan Center on Friday, January 31, against No. 2 Iowa and Friday, February 7, against No. 14 Michigan. The Iowa dual will be one of the most anticipated of the season, as the Hawkeyes have assembled a great team out of the transfer portal and look to be a top contender to the Nittany Lions at the 2025 NCAA Championships.
Penn State will then finish up the home stand against No. 27 Maryland on Sunday, February 9. The Nittany Lions will then return to the road to face No. 7 Ohio State on Friday, February 14, and No. 12 Illinois on Sunday, February 16, to finish off the Big Ten slate.
As previously speculated, a matchup against American University will cap off the season on February 21. Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions will then have two weeks to prepare for the Big Ten Championships, which begin on March 8. The NCAA Championships begin on March 20 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
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