BREAKING: Penn State wrestling wins back-to-back Big Ten Championships for first time in a decade

Penn State wrestling dominated the Big Ten Championships this weekend and now has officially won the Big Ten team title for the second consecutive year. The first time Cael Sanderson has won back-to-back conference tournament titles in a decade, the Nittany Lions clinched the crown with five individual champions and a school record 170.5 team points.

Penn State wrestling clinches eighth Big Ten Championships title

With another stellar postseason performance this week, Penn State wrestling has won back-to-back Big Ten Championships for the first time since 2013-14. It is the eighth Big Ten conference title, moving the Nittany Lions into a tie with Michigan State for the fifth most all-time. All eight titles have been won since Cael Sanderson took over as head coach. Sanderson moves to third all-time in Big Ten titles won by a head coach.

The Nittany Lions clinched the title over the Michigan Wolverines after Braeden Davis (125), Levi Haines (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Aaron Brooks (197), and Greg Kerkvliet (285) all took home individual championships. Beau Bartlett (141) and Bernie Truax (184) lost close finals to finish as runner-ups. Both Aaron Nagao (133) and Tyler Kasak (149) picked up pins in their final matches to finish third. Penn State had seven wrestlers in the Big Ten finals in total.

Big Ten Finals Recap:

125: No. 9 Braeden Davis (PSU) def No. 4 Patrick McKee (MINN) by 8-1 decision

This match started the way most finals start, with a scoreless first period. Braeden Davis has been solid in the top position all season, and it was on full display on Sunday. He rode Patrick McKee for much of the second before putting him on his back and getting near fall points to go up 3-0. McKee would get an escape to get on the board to finish the second.

After a quick escape in the third period, Davis capped off his first Big Ten Championship with a takedown as time expired to pick up the 8-1 victory. It was pure dominance from the Penn State true freshman, who never let McKee ever get any real offensive opportunities. Davis improved his NCAA Championships seed with the win and will be considered one of the favorites in Kansas City.

141: No. 3 Jesse Mendez (OSU) def No. 1 Beau Bartlett (PSU) by 4-1 decision

After a scoreless first period, Jesse Mendez started on the bottom and picked up the escape after 35 seconds to finish the second period up 1-0. Bartlett tied the match up after an early third-period escape. Jesse Mendez was able to pick up the takedown late in the third with just 12 seconds remaining after it looked like Beau Bartlett was going to be able to fight it off.

The loss will be the first of the season for Bartlett, and he will now await to see where he is seeded at the NCAA Championships. While losing in the Big Ten finals, Bartlett is 20-1 on the season while Mendez is 25-2. The two wrestlers split the two meetings this season with both picking up 4-1 victories.

157: No. 1 Levi Haines (PSU) def No. 16 Will Lewan (MICH) by 4-1 decision in SV

Neither wrestler could get any offense going in the first period. Will Lewan started on bottom in the second and picked up the escape in just eight seconds to take a 1-0 lead. Levi Haines responded with a quick four-second escape to start the third period and tie the score at 1-1.

After almost picking up a takedown as time expired in the third period, Haines finished the job just 11 seconds into sudden victory to pick up a 4-1 decision. The Penn State sophomore just continued to wear down Lewan the entire match and eventually broke through.

165: No. 5 Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) def No. 4 Dean Hamiti (WISC) by 13-11 decision

After some early shots by Mitchell Mesenbrink, Dean Hamiti opened the scoring with a takedown less than one minute into the match to take a 3-0 lead. He extended his lead after a back-and-forth scramble where it looked like Mesenbrink was going to be able to get his first takedown. The Badger led 6-1 after the first period.

After an early second-period escape by Mesenbrink, Hamiti is able to counter the Nittany Lion’s offense once again to take a 9-2 lead. Appearing winded, Mesenbrink was able to get a takedown with just one second left in the period to cut the lead to 9-6.

Hamiti opened the third with a reversal, and Mesenbrink escaped. The match then flipped on a dime as Mesenbrink countered a Hamiti shot and picked up a takedown and three near fall points to take a 13-11 lead and win the Big Ten title.

This was, without a doubt, the most impressive performance of the season by the Penn State redshirt freshman, who appeared to finally meet someone on his level. The gas tank clearly ended up being the difference in this one, and now Mesenbrink will await to see how high he will be seeded for the NCAA Championships. He clearly has established himself as a national title contender.

184: No. 5 Isaiah Salazar (MINN) def No. 6 Bernie Truax (PSU) by 8-1 decision in SV

Neither wrestler was able to get on the board in the first period. Bernie Truax opened the second period with an escape after about 40 seconds. Isaiah Salazar got a single leg with 20 seconds remaining in the period but was unable to convert for the takedown, and the score remained Truax 1-0 after the second.

Salazar picked up a quick seven-second escape to tie it 1-1 early in the third period. After a few good scrambles, neither wrestler could get the winning takedown, and the match went to sudden victory.

After it looked like Truax might be able to get the winning takedown, Salazar put together a great counter and eventually got the Nittany Lion to his back to win it. While disappointing for Truax, the grad transfer showed he can make a run in Kansas City at the end of the month.

197: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (PSU) def No. 11 Zach Glazier (Iowa) by 19-3 tech fall

Aaron Brooks started fast with a quick takedown to go up 3-0 under one minute into the match. After giving up an escape, Brooks tallied another takedown just 30 seconds later to go up 6-1. he then proceeded to ride out Glazier to finish the period with 1:46 of riding time.

Brooks opened the second period with a quick escape to extend his lead to 7-1. The three-time champion then used a terrific underhook to pick up the takedown and extend the lead to 10-1 to finish the second period.

Glazier took a shot to start the third period, but Brooks countered and picked up the takedown. After allowing the escape, he used an incredible ankle pick to get the takedown. Once again, he allowed the escape and then used a leg hook to seal the 19-3 tech fall win at the 6:07 mark of the match.

Aaron Brooks joins Penn State wrestling legends David Taylor and Ed Ruth as the only four-time Big Ten Champions. He will now look to become the first Nittany Lion to win four NCAA Championships and the sixth in college wrestling history.

285: No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) def No. 7 Nick Feldman (OSU) by 9-3 decision

Nick Feldman took down Greg Kerkvliet early, taking a 3-0 lead just 30 seconds into the match. It was the first time that Kerkvliet had been taken down all season. After picking up the escape, Kerkvliet drove Feldman into the mat to take a 4-3 lead. Kerkvliet then did what he has done all season, racking up his riding time to 1:25 to finish the first period.

Kerkvliet opened with a quick escape to start the second and extend his lead to 5-3. Kerkvliet then picked up another takedown to push the lead to 8-3 and push his riding time close to three minutes to finish the second period.

Greg Kerkvliet finished it off for a 9-3 decision to finally get on top of the podium at the Big Ten Championships. He will now enter the NCAA Championships as the No. 1 seed and heavy favorite to take home the title.

Final Team Standings

No. 1: Penn State — 170.5 (program record)

No. 2: Michigan — 123.5

No. 3: Nebraska — 118

No. 4: Iowa — 110.5

No. 5: Ohio State — 89

What is next for the Nittany Lions?

Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling now await for seeding to come out this week for the NCAA Championships. Nine out of 10 wrestlers automatically qualified for Nationals with their performances in the Big Ten Championships. The only weight class without an automatic qualifier is 174 pounds, where star Carter Starocci injury was defeated out of the conference tournament on Saturday.

Starocci was clearly upset with the decision not to wrestle in the Big Ten Championships, and took to social media with what appeared to be a possible farewell to Penn State. Assuming the three-time National Champion’s Nittany Lion career is not yet over, Starocci is expected to earn an at-large bid at Nationals. However, he will drop a few spots in seeding because of his two medical forfeits this weekend.

Starocci’s decision will be one to watch. With him in the lineup, Penn State wrestling may have a chance to break the team points record at the NCAA Championships and have an All-American at every weight class.

The NCAA Championships will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, and start on March 21 at noon on ESPNU/ESPN+.

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