Penn State wrestling had a total of 20 wrestlers open the season on Sunday at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic in Bethlehem at Freedom High School.
In the round robin format where everyone wrestled three times, 11 of the Nittany Lion wrestlers went 3-0 on the day, including starters Beau Bartlett (141), Shayne Van Ness (149), Levi Haines (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Carter Starocci (174), Bernie Truax (184), Aaron Brooks (197), and Greg Kerkvliet (285).
Bartlett got a fall, a major decision over Lehigh’s 12th-ranked Malyke Hines, and a decision over Cornell’s 13th-ranked Vince Cornella.
Van Ness earned three falls on the day, all of them coming in the first period, while Haines got a fall, a technical fall, and a major decision.
Mesenbrink got two technical falls and a decision. Starocci picked up a win by medical forfeit, got a pin, and a technical fall over 14th-ranked Nick Incontrera of Penn.
Truax picked up two major decisions and a decision, and Brooks got two falls and a technical fall. Kerkvliet got a technical fall and two decisions.
Also going 3-0 on the day were Braeden Davis (125), Terrell Barraclough (165) and Josh Barr (184).
Davis and Barraclough both beat teammates. Davis took Gary Steen by major decision, while Barraclough downed Matt Lee by decision.
Also for starters, Robbie Howard (125) went 1-2 for the day, while Aaron Nagao (133) still hasn’t recovered from injury, but will be returning sometime this month.
Other notables on the day were Gary Steen (125) going 2-1, Baylor Shunk (133) going 0-3, and Donovon Ball (184) going 1-2.
Penn State is at the Army Black Knight Invite on Sunday.
