Penn State heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet wins first NCAA title
Penn State senior Greg Kerkvliet has won his first NCAA title. The now four-time All-American who placed seventh as a freshman, fourth as a sophomore, and second a year ago will stand on the highest podium for the first time after beating No. 10 Lucas Davison of Michigan 13-4 on Saturday night in the heavyweight final at the 2024 NCAA Championships.
Kerkvliet scored two first period takedowns and picked up another in the third to all but cruise to his first chance to stand on the top spot of the podium. It was 6-3 in the second after Davison chose down and escaped. But, Kerkvliet took the next shot and converted to swell his lead to 9-3 after five minutes of wrestling and then quickly escaped to start the third and added a takedown late which Davison escaped from to reach the final margin of victory.
Kerkvliet became the top 285-pound wrestler in the country after toiling behind the likes of Minnesota’s Gable Steveson and Michigan’s Mason Parris during his first three collegiate seasons. He is eligible to return for another year of competition and is expected to. Kerkvliet is the Nittany Lions’ first champion of the night. Five others — Beau Bartlett (141 pounds), Levi Haines (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Carter Starocci (174), and Aaron Brooks (194) — will have their own finals matches later tonight. Penn State clinched its third consecutive team title on Friday and is chasing Iowa’s record-setting 170 team points from 1997.
Penn State has eight All-Americans
The Nittany Lions have eight All-Americans. Besides Kerkvliet and the other finalists, freshman Tyler Kasak earned that status at 149 pounds, where he ultimately finished third. Graduate senior Bernie Truax did so while finishing fifth at 184 pounds. Only two Nittany Lions were eliminated before the top eight was established, as 125-pound freshman Braeden Davis and 133-pound redshirt sophomore Aaron Nagao lost in the Round of 12. Here is how each Nittany Lion has performed so far at nationals, courtesy of Penn State Athletics:
25: #1 Braeden Davis, Fr., Belleville, Mich./Dundee
Rd. 1: #33 Tristan Lujan, Michigan State – W, 8-1 dec.
Rd. 2: #17 Brett Ungar, Cornell – W, 2-1 dec.
Qtr: #8 Richard Figueroa, Arizona State – L, 2-3 dec.
Cn. 4: #5 Jore Volk, Wyoming – L, 1-4 (sv) dec
133: #10 Aaron Nagao, So., La Habra, Calif./Esperanza
Rd. 1: #23 Marlon Yarbrough, Virginia – L, 5-13 maj. dec.
Cn. 1: #26 Kade Moore, Missouri – W, 16-1 (TF; 5:00)
Consolation bracket. 2: #24 Julian Chlebove, Arizona State – W, 5-1 dec.
Cn. 3: #16 Nick Bouzakis, Ohio State – W, 3-0 dec.
Cn. 4: #3 Kai Orine, North Carolina State – L, 4-11 dec.
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141: #2 Beau Bartlett, Sr., Tempe, Ariz./Wyoming Seminary (Pa.)
Rd. 1: #31 Kal Miller, Maryland – W, 6-1 dec.
Rd. 2: #15 Mitch Moore, Rutgers – WBF (5:49)
Qtr: #26 Vance Vombaur, Minnesota – WBF (6:48)
Semi: #6 Lachlan McNeil, North Carolina – W, 5-1 dec.
Finals: #1 Jesse Mendez, Ohio State – tonight
149: #7 Tyler Kasak, Fr., Doylestown, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic
Rd. 1: #26 Jaden Abas, Stanford – L, 2-4 dec.
Consolation bracket. 1: #23 Drew Roberts, Minnesota – W, 14-5 maj. dec.
Cn. 2: #9 Ethan Fernandez, Cornell – WBF (0:36)
Cn. 3: #17 Graham Rooks, Indiana – W, 13-1 maj. dec.
Consolation bracket 4: #3 Jackson Arrington, North Carolina State – W, 5-4 dec.
Cn. 5: #11 Quinn Kinner, Rider – W, 10-2 maj. dec.
Cn. Semi: #1 Ridge Lovett, Nebraska – W, 10-1 maj. dec.
3rd: #5 Ty Watters, West Virginia – W, 3-2 dec.
More: Penn State wrestler Tyler Kasak takes third while Bernie Truax grabs fifth at NCAAs
157: #1 Levi Haines, So., Arendtsville, Pa./Biglerville —
Rd. 1: #32 Isaac Wilcox, Ohio State – W, 17-2 (TF; 7:00)
Rd. 2: #16 Teague Travis, Oklahoma State – W, 19-4 (TF; 6:41)
Qtr: #8 Peyton Robb, Nebraska – W, 8-0 maj. dec.
Semi: #12 Bryce Andonian, Virginia Tech – WBF (7:48; SV)
Finals: #2 Jacori Teemer, Arizona State – tonight
165: #2 Mitchell Mesenbrink, Fr., Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead
Rd. 1: #31 Maxx Mayfield, Northwestern – W, 18-2 (TF; 5:32)
Rd. 2: #15 Brevin Cassella, Binghamton – W, 11-3 maj. dec.
Qtr: #10 Cameron Amine, Michigan – W, 6-1 dec.
Semi: #6 Mikey Caliendo, Iowa – W, 17-9 maj. dec.
Finals: #4 David Carr, Iowa State – tonight
174: #9 Carter Starocci, Sr., Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep
Rd. 1: #24 Andrew Sparks, Minnesota – W, 12-6 dec.
Rd. 2: #8 Adam Kemp, Cal Poly – W, 5-3 dec.
Qtr: #1 Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech – W, 4-0 dec.
Semi: #4 Shane Griffith, Michigan – W, 2-0 dec.
Finals: #6 Rocco Welsh, Ohio State – tonight
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184: #6 Bernie Truax, Gr., Oceanside, Calif./Rancho Buena Vista
Rd. 1: #27 Cameron Pine, Clarion – W, 18-3 (TF; 5:09)
Rd. 2: #11 Colton Hawks, Missouri – W, 4-2 dec.
Qtr: #3 Dustin Plott, Oklahoma State – L, 6-16 maj. dec.
Consolation bracket 4: #10 Dylan Fishback, North Carolina State – W, 5-0 dec.
Cn. 5: #7 Thomas Stewart Jr., Virginia Tech – W, 5-1 dec.
Cn. Semi: #4 Trey Munoz, Oregon State – LBF (2:29)
5th: #2 Isaiah Salazar, Minnesota – W, 12-0 maj. dec.
197: #1 Aaron Brooks, Sr+., Hagerstown, Pa./North Hagerstown
Rd. 1: #33 Evan Bates, Northwestern – W, 18-4 (TF; 5:24)
Rd. 2: #17 Joseph Novak, Wyoming – WBF (2:20)
Qtr: #8 Stephen Buchanan, Oklahoma – WBF (2:44)
Semi: #12 Rocky Elam, Missouri – W, 17-2 (TF; 5:45)
Finals: #2 Trent Hidlay, North Carolina State – tonight
285: #1 Greg Kerkvliet, Sr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley
Rd. 1: #32 Nick Willham, Indiana – W, 19-3 (TF; 5:16)
Rd. 2: #17 Grady Griess, Navy – W, 9-1 maj. dec.
Qtr: #9 Nick Feldman, Ohio State – W, 1-0 dec.
Semi: #4 Cohlton Schultz, Arizona State – W, 8-1 dec.
Finals: #10 Lucas Davison, Michigan – W, 13-4, maj. dec
