PHILADELPHIA– Lilledahl, Davis, Bartlett, Van Ness, Kasak, Mesenbrink, Haines, Starocci, Barr and Kerkvliet.
Remember those names, Penn State wrestling fans, because they make up a team that just accomplished something only one other had previously: produced 10 All-Americans in one season.
Considering each team can send a maximum of 10 wrestlers to nationals, this means that literally every Penn State starter became an All-American.
The only previous team to do that was Minnesota in 2001. Interestingly enough, that Minnesota squad didn’t produce a single national champion.
Penn State sent seven to the semifinals, and although one of those semifinalists, Beau Bartlett, lost his semifinal match to Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez, it’s a good bet that a few of the remaining six will go all the way.
Top seeds Mitchell Mesenbrink (165) and Carter Starocci (184), in particular, are heavy favorites.
Cael Sanderson has had many great teams, but this just might be the best of them all.
