Penn State wrestler Beau Bartlett makes stay or go decision for 2024-2025 season
Penn State wrestler Beau Bartlett will return for a final season in State College. The Tempe, Ariz., native and Nittany Lions senior will be back for another year in blue and white. He broke his stay or go decision to the Baschmania Podcast. The Centre Daily Times first reported Bartlett’s plan.
Bartlett will be aiming for his first national title and third All-American honors in 2024-2025. He finished third at nationals at 141 pounds two years ago and was a runner-up this past season as Penn State crowned eight All-Americans, four national champions, and six top-two finishers at the NCAA Championships, where it also set a points-scoring record.
To date, Bartlett is 74-18 at the college level. He started his Penn State career at 149 pounds before moving to his more natural weight of 141 pounds two seasons ago.
“This support system, teammates, parents, coaches, all kinds of people behind the scenes, they’ve really helped me,” Bartlett said at the NCAA Championships. “I think technically there are some things I got to look to improve on. If you want to win more matches you’ve got to score more points. Got to get out from the bottom, you’ve got to turn guys. I think I have had these skills for such a long time and I’ve been refining them and getting better there, but mentally letting go of the outcome.
“That’s easy to say when you’re winning to say, let go of the outcome. Just love the sport. It’s awesome to be there. See the fans, see the crowds, see all you guys taking time out of your day because you want to be part of this. It’s awesome. I’m not taking that for granted and just loving that. That’s what I’ve been telling myself before every match. Win or lose, forget about it. I just want to go compete and love this.”
Penn State wrestling awaits two more stay or go decisions
Bartlett is one of many Penn State wrestlers who will be at the US Olympic Team Trials next weekend in State College. From there, two other Nittany Lions may make their stay or go decision. The first is Carter Starocci. The four-time NCAA 174-pound champ must decide if he will come back for one more year with hopes of becoming the first (and perhaps only) five time national champ ever. But, whether or not he’ll do so remains to be seen.
“Like I said, it’s been a long journey,” Starocci said after nationals. “I love wrestling. I don’t love school. Maybe do eanie meanie miney moe and see where that lands. Like I said, I am not even thinking about it right now.”
Heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet also must make his stay or go decision. He won his first national title in 2024 and the odds that he will return for a chance at a second are good.
