Takedown Report

Penn State w/ five champs, wins team title at the 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championship

EVANSTON, Ill. — Back in 2011, at the old Welsh Ryan Arena, Penn State crowned five individual champs and held off Iowa to win the Big Ten tournament. It was the first conference tournament team title ever for the Nittany Lions, who crowned five champs that weekend and beat the Hawkeyes by a single point, 139-138.
Fourteen years later, Penn State returned to Evanston, this time at the new Welsh Ryan Arena. The script was similar, as the Nittany Lions finished with five individual Big Ten champs again — only this time, the team race wasn’t nearly as close as it was all those years ago.
When Sunday’s action finished, top-ranked Penn State piled up 181.5 team points to win the 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. It is the school’s third-straight Big Ten tournament team title, and ninth all-time, under head coach Cael Sanderson. “It feels great,” Sanderson, the 2024-25 Big Ten Coach of the Year, said afterward. “It’s obviously a very exciting tournament with a lot of great competition. Nationals are in two weeks, so we’ll sharpen our sticks a little bit and get ready for the nationals. “We’re very happy right now.”
Penn State finished with five individual champs — Luke Lilledahl (125), Tyler Kasak (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Levi Haines (174), Carter Starocci (184) — and had all 10 wrestlers finish sixth or better at their respective weights. The 181.5 team points is the most by a Big Ten team champion since Iowa put up 185 in both 1995 and 1992.
The Nittany Lions finished 44.5 points clear of second-place Nebraska, which finished with two champs, Brock Hardy (141) and Ridge Lovett (149). The Huskers had two more finalists and five wrestlers total finish fourth or better at their respective weights. … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/march/09/penn-state-finishes-with-five-champs-wins-team-title-at-the-2025-big-ten-wrestling-championship
And …

Nittany Lions Storm to 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championship
Penn State wins ninth team title as five Lions claim individual crowns.
EVANSTON, Ill.  – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (15-0, 8-0 B1G) stormed the field at the 2025 Big Ten Championship to claim its ninth Big Ten Championship, all under head coach Cael Sanderson. The Nittany Lions ran away from the field, winning the title with 181.5 points, a new school record (breaking the mark of 170.5 set last year). Five Nittany Lions won individual titles, also tying a school record.
Penn State has qualified all ten of its wrestlers for the 2025 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia in two weeks on March 20-22, 2025. All rankings listed are InterMat as of March 4, 2025. Penn State’s 181.5 points were 44.5 points in front of second place Nebraska’s 137.0. Iowa took third with 112.0.
This is Penn State’s ninth conference championship, having also won in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2024 and 2025. Penn State now has 69 Big Ten Champions spread among 37 individuals. Penn State’s five champions ties the school record, set in 2024 and 2011. Carter Starocci was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year. He is Penn State’s 13^th Big Ten Wrestler of the Year. Cael Sanderson was also named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the ninth time. … more at … https://gopsusports.com/news/2025/03/10/nittany-lions-storm-to-2025-big-ten-wrestling-championship

March 11, 2025 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized