Takedown Report

5 storylines to follow this college wrestling season

While every new college wrestling season brings a fresh set of storylines, names to know and teams to follow, one theme has been almost consistent for over a decade: the success of the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Head coach Cael Sanderson’s team will once again be a hot topic leading into the 2023-24 season, so here’s everything you need to know about the Blue and White, as well as the coaches, programs and competitors that will be aiming to challenge the reigning champs this year. 

1. Penn State looks for its 11th title in 14 years behind two three-time NCAA champs

The Nittany Lions roll into this upcoming season with a pair of three-time champions, two NCAA finalists and four additional All-Americans. It’s a scary roster, one capable of making a mark on the record books.

No team in college wrestling history has ever crowned two four-time NCAA champions in the same year. Penn State has the chance to do that with 174-pound Carter Starocci and now-197 pound Aaron Brooks. Starocci and Brooks have a combined varsity career record of 128-5 and finished last year with bonus rates of 66.67-percent each. Penn State has had a number of stars come through the ranks of the program, including Olympic gold medalist David Taylor and fellow two-time Hodge winner and world team member Zain Retherford. Yet, no Penn State wrestler has ever won four titles in college. Starocci and Brooks enter this season on rare ground. 

2023 NCAA CHAMPS: Compete breakdown and analysis of how Penn State won

But they aren’t the only title contenders on this team. Levi Haines, a 2023 NCAA finalist at 157 pounds, will enter the season as the No. 1 wrestler at his weight. Fellow 2023 finalist, Greg Kerkvliet, now holds down the top spot at heavyweight following the graduation of Michigan’s Mason Parris. Cal Poly transfer Bernie Truax will start the year at No. 2 at 184 pounds, and 149-pound All-American Shayne Van Ness will start the year No. 2 as well. If all six of those athletes — Brooks, Starocci, Haines, Kerkvliet, Truax and Van Ness — win, Penn State will set the record for the greatest number of champs at one tournament. Penn State has had five champs before, but no team has had six. But this historic result is possible. 

Depth is a key marker of this year’s Penn State team too, and there’s another record that this group, a squad stacked from top to bottom, could chase after as well. Only one program has ever crowned 10 All-Americans at the NCAA tournament: the Minnesota Gophers in 2001. Penn State has the chance to add its name to that list. … rest of story at … NCAA.com/news/wrestling/article/2023-09-12/5-storylines-follow-college-wrestling-season

September 22, 2023 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized