Penn State Wrestling Sets Big Ten Record With Victory Over Illinois

The Nittany Lions claim their 70th consecutive dual match for the longest win streak in Big Ten wrestling history. They also clinch another Big Ten regular-season title.

The No. 1 Penn State wrestling team set a Big Ten record for consecutive match victories Sunday, cruising past Illinois 29-9 in its regular-season conference finale. The Nittany Lions went undefeated in the Big Ten for the fifth consecutive season, clinching their fifth straight conference regular-season title in the process. Penn State also won its 70th consecutive dual, marking the longest win streak in Big Ten wrestling history. Penn State passed Iowa, which had won 69 consecutive matches from 2007-11.

Penn State (14-0, 8-0 Big Ten) has not lost a match since Jan. 31, 2020, to Iowa. Since then, the Nittany Lions have gone on an exceptional run that now ranks as the second-longest win streak in men’s NCAA Division I wrestling history. Penn State can end the season with 71 consecutive wins when it hosts American on Feb. 21 at Rec Hall in its regular-season finale. With that win, Penn State would end the season five matches shy of tying Oklahoma State for the longest win streak in men’s major college wrestling. Since the 2015-16 season, Penn State is 82-1 in Big Ten duals.

Penn State’s 42nd consecutive Big Ten victory included seven wins and some controversy. Freshman Joe Sealey’s potential first college victory was overturned by a lengthy review that went against him. It would have been a dramatic moment for the Nittany Lion in his second Big Ten appearance. Penn State was without top-ranked Tyler Kasak (157 pounds) and No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet (285) for the second match of its road trip. Otherwise, Penn State dominated where it should have.

RELATED: Penn State tops Ohio State after a few tense early moments

Penn State Vs. Illinois Bout By Bout

125: No 7 Luke Lilledahl (PS) technical fall Caelan Riley 19-4 in 4:19: Lilledahl rebounded nicely from his loss Friday at Ohio State, scoring six takedowns in an easy technical fall. Lilledahl played up-down with Riley, letting the Illinois wrestler up after four first-period takedowns. He punctuated the technical fall, his eighth of the season, less than halfway through the second period.

133: No. 4 Lucas Byrd (I) dec. No. 8 Braeden Davis 7-1: Byrd is the hammer in Illinois’ lineup, a two-time all-American who is an NCAA title contender. Byrd (14-1) showed it, scoring takedowns in the first and second periods for the win. Davis (8-3) still seems to be working into shape after missing three matches with an undisclosed injury. He also wrestled two strong opponents, defeating Ohio State’s 11th-ranked Nic Bouzakis on Friday.

141: No. 3 Beau Bartlett (PS) dec. No. 17 Danny Pucino 9-2: Pucino made a quick single-leg shot on Bartlett, who showed some deftness in getting out of Pucino’s grasp to avoid the takedown. Bartlett has allowed just one takedown during the regular season. After that, Bartlett responded late in the period with a takedown from his feet that he turned into a cradle for two near-fall points and a 6-0 lead. Bartlett added a third-period takedown but couldn’t convert late for the major decision. Bartlett (17-0) has a case to be the new No. 1 after a 2-0 weekend that included a win over defending national champ Jesse Mendez of Ohio State.

149: No. 2 Shayne Van Ness (PS) dec. No. 14 Kannon Webster 15-4: Van Ness (16-1) established control of the bout early with a first-period takedown that set an offensive tone. He hit a deep shot in the second, one of two takedowns in the period, and capped the major decision with his fourth takedown in the third period.

157: Jason Kraisser (I) dec. Joe Sealey 2-1: Sealey, a true freshman, appeared for a moment to get his first Penn State win, but the challenge brick denied him. Trailing 1-0 late in the third, Sealey escaped and hit a shot that initially was called a takedown, which would have given the Nittany Lion a 4-2 decision. But Illinois challenged the call, which was reviewed for several minutes and overturned, giving Kraisser the win based on riding time. It was a tough result for Sealey, who wrestled again in place of Kasak, who missed his second straight match but made the road trip. Penn State wrestling broadcaster Jeff Byers said on air that Kasak will be ready for the Big Ten Tournament. Kraisser, a sixth-year senior who wrestled at Iowa State before Illinois, evened his Big Ten record at 4-4 this season.

165: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (PS) dec. No. 14 Braeden Scoles 10-1: Mesenbrink (18-0) wrestled just his second 7-minute bout of the season, as Scoles sought to keep Mesenbrink from getting comfortably to his offense. Scoles gave up two stalling points in the first period. Mesenbrink, the nation’s leader in technical falls with 14 technical falls, scored his second takedown late in the second period to take a 9-0 lead. Mesenbrink finished the bout with more than 2 minutes of riding time.

174: No. 2 Levi Haines (PS) dec. Dan Braunagel 5-1: Haines turned a first-period takedown into his 16th win of the season, one that included a solid third-period ride. Haines (16-1) scored his lone takedown with 8 seconds left in the first period to take a 3-0 lead. He then rode Braunagel for more than a minute in the third for the win.

184. No. 1 Carter Starocci (PS) by disqualification over. No. 12 Edmond Ruth in 6:43: Starocci clinched the dual victory with his 95th career win at Penn State. In a matchup of sixth-year seniors, Starocci (17-0) was in total control. He scored two first-period takedowns, while Ruth was called for stalling five times, leading to his disqualification. Starocci attacked through Ruth’s attempts to back up and went to work in the third, when Ruth was called for stalling twice. Starocci led 17-4 and had a shot at the technical fall when Ruth was disqualified on the fifth stall.

197: No. 3 Josh Barr (PS) dec. No. 17 Zac Braunagel 15-4: Barr scored his 12th bonus-point win of the season, and second of the weekend, by putting relentless pressure on Braunagel. Barr scored four takedowns, got a point for stalling and generated nearly 3 minutes of riding time in a dominant performance. Barr improved to 14-1 in a standout redshirt freshman season.

285: No. 10 Luke Luffman (I) dec. Cole Mirasola 4-1: The Penn State freshman filled in again for Kerkvliet, who also missed the Ohio State match, and faced a tough draw. Luffman (13-3) weighed in 40 pounds heavier than Mirasola, who checked in at about 220 pounds, according to Byers on the Penn State Radio Network. Luffman hit his lone takedown in the second period. In all, a good showing for the Penn State freshman against a top-10 opponent.

Up Next

Penn State closes the regular season with a non-conference dual against American on Friday night at Rec Hall. The match, scheduled for a 7 p.m. ET start, will be streamed on B1G+.