Which Penn State wrestling connections will compete at the US Olympic Team Trials?
Penn State wrestling will be represented by past, current, and future team members at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Nearly 15 Nittany Lions will be on the mat inside of the Bryce Jordan Center April 19-20 in State College as the nation’s best grapplers gather for a chance to make the team that will compete at the Olympic games in Paris this summer. Doing so will not be easy, as there are only six Olympic weight classes: 57kg (125 pounds), 65kg (143.3 pounds), 74kg (163 pounds), 86kg (189 pounds), 97kg (213 pounds), and 125kg (275 pounds).
“That’s the way we designed the season,” Lions coach Cael Sanderson said when asked about the Olympci Trials following his team’s record-setting NCAA title win. Penn State had fewer dual meets than it has in past seasons due to knowing the season would extend for most of its competitors into mid-April.
“And these guys are thinking about the Olympics. They’re very competitive, as we know. And so it will just be about getting ready for that. I think we’re, what, four weeks out, and it comes fast.”
Which Penn State connections are at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials?
Here’s the full list by weight class:
57 kilograms
Nittany Lion Wrestling Club member Thomas Gilman
Penn State alum Nico Megaludis
Penn State Class of 2024 commit Luke Lilledahl
65 kilograms
Penn State alum Nick Lee
Former Nittany Lion Zain Retherford
Current PSU wrestler Beau Bartlett
74 kilograms
Nittany Lion wrestling club member Kyle Dake
Current Penn State wrestler Mitchell Mesenbrink
PSU alum Jason Nolf
Current Nitany Lion Alex Facundo
Reigning NCAA champ and current PSU wrestlers Levi Haines and Carter Starocci
Lions alum Vincenzo Joseph
86 kilograms
Former Nittany Lion and defending team member David Taylor
Four-time NCAA champ and Penn State alum Aaron Brooks
Former Nittany Lions Max Dean and Mark Hall
PSU commit Connor Mirasola
97 kilograms
Nittany Lion Wrestling Club member and defending U.S. Team member Kyle Snyder
125 kilograms
Defending NCAA champ and current Penn State heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet
What should Nittany Lions fans expect?
Of the current and former Nittany Lions, Taylor is still the most likely Penn State connection to make the national team. Others will have a shot, of course. But, these weight class brackets are loaded with medal winners, NCAA champs, and international freestyle stars. We’ll be watcing closely to see if Starocci is healthy enough to compete. And, we’ll wait and see if he, Kerkvliet, or Bartlett are ready to commit to returning for the 2024-2025 season yet.
