Penn State wrestling superlatives: Three stars of November, biggest moment, and a bold prediction

Penn State wrestling has completed its first month of competition during the 2022-2023 season. The Lions won their only dual meet of November, as they topped Lock Haven 44-3. Head coach Cael Sanderson’s team also crowned five champions at the Black Knight Invitational at Army West Point last Sunday and had numerous other placers both there and at the Binghamton Bearcat Open before that.

While we wait for the Lions to kick off the December portion of their schedule, there is no better time than now to make some superlative picks as we recap the month that was.

Penn State wrestling three stars for November

1. Max Dean

The defending NCAA champion at 197 pounds is off to another strong start. Dean steamrolled Lock Haven’s Bad Morrison in the Lions’ opening dual meet. He won by fall in 2:03 to send the Rec Hall crowd into a frenzy. Dean then dominated his weight class at the Black Knight Invitational at Army West Point. He finished with four wins, two of which came by fall, and a title. The tournament’s organizers also named him the event’s most outstanding wrestler. He only spent a little more than seven minutes on the mat over the four wins out of a possible 28.

2. Shayne Van Ness

A redshirt freshman who made his season debut at 149 pounds earlier this year, Van Ness already impresses those inside and outside of the Penn State program. In his first Rec Hall match, the New Jersey native decked Lock Haven’s Connor Eck in 6:32. Then, when he went to the Black Knight Invitational, he scored three straight wins, including an upset 5-3 decision over Central Michigan’s Johnny Lovett, to win his weight class’ title.

3. Beau Bartlett

Bartlett is at his more natural weight now, and it’s making a huge difference. He looks fast, confident, and aggressive at 141 pounds after starting his career at 149. He scored a major decision over Lock Haven’s Ty Linsenbigler in the opener and then won the 141-pound title at the Black Knight Invitational by racking up three straight wins before beating teammate David Evans in the finals. 

What was the Lions’ key moment in November?

There are a few different ways that we could go here. But, let’s go with the third period Shayne Van Ness wrestled in the Lions’ season-opening 44-3 win over Lock Haven.

The redshirt freshman, who was making his redshirt debut at 149 pounds, led 16-2 with about 40 seconds to wrestle in the third period against overmatched Bald Eagle Connor Eck. Van Ness could have just tilted him one more time and secured a technical fall and five team points. Instead, he fought for and locked up a cradle to earn a fall in 6:32 and the full six team points that come with it.

That sequence showed that ‘SVN’ understands Cael Sanderson’s score at all costs and always compete mentality, and that’s a good indicator of what he can accomplish moving forward.

Best Penn State highlight

We picked three different wrestlers up top, knowing we’d highlight the three who shined at the NWCA All-Star match on Nov. 22 in Austin, Tex., here.

The Lions sent three wrestlers to the exhibition event, and all shined.

Greg Kerkvliet finally beat Iowa’s Tony Cassioppi by an 8-5 final that saw the Lion be aggressive and fend off a late charge from the Hawkeye.

At 184 pounds, Aaron Brooks stopped Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen 12-8 in a matchup of the number one and two ranked wrestlers.

Then, at 174 pounds, Carter Starocci defended his win over Virginia Tech’s Mehki Lewis in last year’s NCAA final by beating the Hokie 2-0 thanks to a second period escape and punishing third period rideout.

This was another great night for Cael Sanderson’s program on a national stage.

Bold prediction for December

Despite losing to Levi Haines in the finals of the Black Knight Invitational, Terrell Barraclough will continue to hold off the freshman for the top spot at 157 pounds.

Haines can still redshirt this season, and if Barraclough continues improving, he’ll have All-American aspirations while Haines follows the path of Shayne Van Ness and Alex Facundo, which seems to be working well so far.