Historic evening for Lions in finals
Penn State earns 11th team title
It was a historic night for the Penn State wrestling team at the NCAA Division I wrestling tournament, which concluded Saturday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo.
Penn State totally dominated the three-day tournament with a record-breaking 172.5 points and set another record with a 100point margin of victory. It’s the 11th team title in 13 years for the Nittany Lions
Penn State also set a school-record with six individuals in the finals and four came home with gold medals, including the dynamic duo of Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks, who reached the pinnacle of college wrestling by claiming their fourth Division I titles, an achievement that had been reached by only five previous wrestlers in the 95-year history of the tournament.
Starocci was the first to reach the milestone and had the toughest road, as he was seeded No. 9 at 174 pounds after defaulting twice in the Big Ten tournament with a knee injury. His road to the finals included two wins against previous NCAA champions.
In the title match, Starocci (17-2) registered a 2-0 win against Ohio State true freshman Rocco Welsh (265), a Waynesburg High School graduate.
“It was hard. I was on crutches 12 days ago,” said Starocci, who wore a knee brace that covered most of his right leg.
Brooks (22-0) claimed his fourth title, and first at 197 pounds, with a 6-1 win against North Carolina State’s Trent Hidlay (28-1), in the only title bout that featured two unbeaten wrestlers.
“It’s a journey with the lord,” Brooks said. “The lord kept me calm and poised throughout my career.”
Greg Kerkvliet (20-0) opened the evening for the Nittany Lions as the finals began at heavyweight. After finishing second last year, Kerkvliet, the top seed, recorded four takedowns en route to a 13-4 win against Michigan’s Lucas Davison (22-5).
Levi Haines (23-0), the top seed at 157, gave Penn State its second title with a 5-0 shutout of No. 2 seed Jacori Teemer of Arizona State. Haines was making his second appearance in the finals and claims his first title.
Beau Bartlett and Mitchell Mesenbrink brought home silver medals for the Nittany Lions.
West Virginia had two wrestlers earn All-America status — Ty Watters and Peyton Hall. Watters, a West Allegheny grad, placed fourth at 149. Hall finished seventh at 165.