Penn State Wrestling was on full display in the 2024 NWCA All-Star Classic hosted inside the hallowed doors of Rec Hall.
When it was all said and done, wrestling fans were treated to 16 matches Saturday evening. And while there were several blowouts and a handful of pins, the full wrestling card was packed with impressive action from start to finish.
Five Nittany Lions were in the lineup last night. And as much as I would like to say it, they didn’t go a perfect 5-0. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t learn anything from the results.
Far from it.
So with that, let’s take a look at what we learned from last night’s wrestling event.
What do the results from the 2024 NWCA All-Star Classic mean for Penn State Wrestling?
No. 1 – These results don’t count towards NCAA record
First and foremost, the NWCA All-Star is an exhibition event. So that means the match results don’t count towards each wrestler’s individual record.
Now why is this important?
Fantastic question and thank you for asking!
Well, in the case of Beau Bartlett and his result from last night:
No. 2 Jesse Mendez (OSU) 4-1 dec. over No. 3 Beau Bartlett (PSU)
I think it means a lot.
In their initial meeting from the 2023-2024 season, Beau got the best of Jesse 4-1 in sudden victory. Then Mendez upended Bartlett 4-1 in the B1G finals. And then in the NCAA finals, it was Mendez once on top with a late takedown and a 4-1 win.
At this point it’s obvious that Mendez has figured something out with his strategy against Beau. And whatever counter he’s using and the timing of using it, it’s working perfectly. The results don’t lie. Including last night’s result, that makes three straight “4-1” wins for Mendez.
Positive take
But if there is a positive to last night, it’s simply the fact that Bartlett got a free seven minutes with Mendez. Do you think he and the PSU coaching staff learned anything?
You better believe it.
Now, from watching the match, it was clear that Beau’s strategy was something Nittany Lion fans have seen before. He was very tentative with his shots and defended for the majority of the opening period. However, Mendez was able to land a takedown as time expired. And this proved to be the deciding points as each guy traded escapes in each of the next two periods.
But I’m guessing that Beau learned something. And when the two next meet on February 14th, he’s going to learn some more. Let Jesse Mendez think he has the upper hand and let him get comfortable. Heck, even if they meet again in the B1G finals and the result doesn’t go PSU’s way again, that’s fine.
Because when they meet in the NCAA finals for the second straight year, that’s when all of the learning comes to a head. And that’s when Beau will set the trap. Jesse will take the bait and that’s when Bartlett will strike. Which means that Beau Bartlett’s hand will be the one raised at the center of the mat this time.
No. 2 – Whichever guy goes at 157, Penn State will be just fine
Recently I took a swing at who I think will be the Nittany Lion starter at 157 pounds.
Regardless of who I think will be the starter, I was still incredibly intrigued with Tyler Kasak’s match last night. Mainly because I wanted to see how he looked at 157 pounds and how he would look against a previous All-American at that weight.
Let’s just say I wasn’t disappointed.
No. 5 Tyler Kasak (PSU) 4-2 dec. over No. 3 Peyten Kellar (Ohio)
Kasak looked quick on his feet and he looked very strong when in top position.
Following a first period takedown, Kasak pretty much rode Kellar out for the remainder of the period and the next. In the process, Tyler built up over three minutes of riding time going into the third period. And all he had to do was not get stuck and give up any back points or get pinned.
Kellar rode Kasak out for the remaining two minutes of the match. Clearly this was one area of concern when a guy bumps up two weight classes in the span of a year. Guys are just that much stronger on top.
But Tyler was smart and he didn’t give Peyten anything to attack.
And the overall point is this: Whether it’s Tyler Kasak or Alex Facundo at 157 pounds, Penn State will be just fine.
Penn State Football Game Balls, MVP From Dominant 49-10 Win Over Purdue
No. 3 – Dominance is Penn State’s middle name
No. 2 Shayne Van Ness (PSU) 16-4 major dec. over No. 3 Ty Watters (WVU)
No. 2 Levi Haines (PSU) 7-0 dec. over No. 3 Cade DeVos (SDSU)
Both of these matchups were interesting to me for two different reasons.
The first thing that came to my mind was “How would Shayne Van Ness look after missing the majority of last year?”.
The second thought I had was “Did Levi Haines make too big of a jump to go from 157 to 174?”.
Let’s just say the answers to these questions were “Pretty damn good” and “Nope!!”.
From my time watching and covering Penn State Wrestling there’s always one constant. And that’s the fact that they never cease to amaze.
Both Van Ness and Haines were overwhelming. Neither of their opponents stood a chance and it looked like the NWCA committee grabbed two random college kids and threw them out on the mat.
Which is further impressive considering both Watters and DeVos were All-Americans last year and each finished inside the top five.
The results of these matches tell more about the Nittany Lions and just how good their coaching staff and wrestling room are. Until someone proves otherwise, collegiate wrestling is Penn State and everyone else.
No. 4 – When you come at the king you best not miss
Since joining the starting lineup for Northern Iowa, Parker Keckeisen only has five losses in 105 total matches.
Two of these losses have come at the hands of four-time All-American’s Bernie Truax and Trent Hindlay. And three of these losses came to four-time NCAA Champion Aaron Brooks.
So when Carter Starocci made the announcement he was coming back to Penn State for his final year, there was only one question. What weight would he go?
Would Carter move all of the way up to 197 pounds and teach AJ Ferrari a lesson or two on the mat?
Or would he go at 184 pounds and try to navigate the absolute gauntlet of talented guys at that class?
Obviously, everyone now knows the answer to that question. But leading into the nightcap match of last night’s action, there was still another lingering question. Given how dominate Parker Keckeisen was last year (28-0), would he be a major roadblock for Starocci on his way to five NCAA titles?
No. 1 Carter Starocci (PSU) 4-1 SV dec. over No. 2 Parker Keckeisen (NIowa)
Keckeisen is simply an incredible wrestler. But unfortunately for him he has one known weakness. And that appears to be four-time NCAA Champions.
Carter Starocci proved once again why he’s the best in the nation. And it’s going to be a fun ride for the Nittany Lion faithful to watch what he’s able to do in the circled square the rest of the year!
MORE: The Inside Story of Mitchell Mesenbrink’s Rise to Stardom
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Education: Penn State University
Location: State College, PA
Even though he had no prior journalism experience, Chris has now covered Penn State Wrestling and Penn State Football for the past three years, including as the Penn State Wrestling Beat Writer for VictoryBellRings.com, part of the FanSided network.
And it's clear he also likes constant torture as he's been a PSU Basketball fan for way too long.
Several years back, Chris made the seamless transition from PGA Professional to computer programmer and thoroughly enjoys following and writing about all things related to Penn State sports during his spare time.
- Penn State Wrestling: What we learned from the NWCA All-Star results - November 17, 2024
- Penn State’s Secret Weapon: Mitchell Mesenbrink’s Journey to NCAA Stardom - November 17, 2024
- Penn State Wrestling: Who Will be The Guy at 157? - November 14, 2024