COLLEGE PARK, MD. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (12-0, 8-0 B1G) won the 2024 Big Ten Championship, winning the team's eighth conference crown since the arrival of head coach Cael Sanderson. Five Nittany Lion wrestlers won individual Big Ten titles as well. Penn State won the team race with a school record 170.5 points, far outdistancing second place Michigan's 123.5.

Penn State has qualified nine individuals for the 2024 NCAA Championships in Kansas City on March 21-23 with the tenth in the mix or an at-large bid, announced Tuesday by the NCAA selection committee. All rankings listed are InterMat as of Feb. 27, 2024.

This is Penn State's eighth conference championship, having also won in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2023. Penn State now has 64 Big Ten Champions spread among 35 individuals. Penn State's five champions ties the school record, also set in 2011. Penn State swept the Big Ten post-season awards as well. Cael Sanderson was named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the eight time. Mitchell Mesenbrink was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Penn State's ninth overall and the sixth under Sanderson. Aaron Brooks claimed two awards. He was named 2024 Big Ten Championship Outstanding Wrestler and was named the 2024 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year. He is Penn State's 12th Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and its nine OW. Penn State's point record (170.5) breaks the mark of 157.5, set in 2019.

True freshman Braeden Davis, ranked No. 9 at 125, met No. 4 Patrick McKee of Minnesota in the first of Penn State's seven Big Ten title bouts. Davis and McKee worked the center of the mat to begin action. The first period hit its midway point with Davis working for arm control, but a reset stopped action at 1:17. Davis and McKee worked in neutral for the entirety of the first period and the match moved to the second tied 0-0. McKee chose down to start the second period. Davis maintained control of the Gopher senior deep into the se second period. The Lion then turned McKee for three back points. Action rolled out of bounds and McKee escaped on the reset. Davis led 3-1 at :35. Leading 3-1, with 1:19 in time, Davis chose down to start the third period. Davis quickly scrambled out of McKee's control, escaping to a 4-1 lead with 1:09 in time. The Nittany Lion freshman Davis worked in deep on a late shot, lifted the Gopher off the mat in the final seconds, and finished off the match with an exclamation point takedown. Davis added a riding time point and won his first Big Ten title as a true freshman, 8-1 over McKee.

Senior Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 1 at 141, took on No. 3 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State in the 141 title bout. The duo worked the center of the mat in neutral over the first minute of the bout. Bartlett paced the center of the mat, mirrored by Mendez as the clock moved past 1:00. Bartlett fought off a solid Mendez shot with :40 on the clock and then a second at the buzzer, sending the bout to the second period tied 0-0. Mendez chose down to start the second period. Bartlett maintained control for :35 before Mendez escaped to a 1-0 lead. Trailing 1-0 after two, Bartlett chose down to start the third period and quickly rolled to an escape, tying the bout at 1-1 with 1:40 on the clock. Bartlett worked the center of the mat, looking for an opening. He took a slight shot that Mendez countered. Bartlett then fought the move off, rolled out of trouble but Mendez finished off the takedown at the :06 mark, taking a 4-1 lead. Mendez killed the short clock on top and Bartlett dropped his first bout of the year, 4-1, and took second at the 2024 Big Ten Championship.

Sophomore Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 157, met No. 16 Will Lewan of Michigan in the finals. Haines worked the middle of the mat, trying to break through Lewan's defense as the Wolverine circled toward the outside of the mat. Haines engaged on the Maryland logo as the clock hit 1:00 but Lewan was able to block off the Lion's efforts. The bout moved to the second period in a scoreless tie. Lewan chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. Haines forced Lewan into a first stall at the 1:05 mark and continued to work the middle of the mat. Trailing 1-0, Haines chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 1-1 tie. Lewan took a high single and Haines quickly fought off the effort, moving back to his feet at 1:10. Haines continued to shoot Lewan towards the circle then got in on a low single. He was hit with stalling prior to the scramble and action returned to neutral at :35. The match moved to sudden victory tied 1-1. Haines wasted no time ending things in extra time. He pushed through a high shot and quickly ended the match with a takedown, winning his second Big Ten Championship 4-1 (sv) over Lewan.

Freshman Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 5 at 165, faced No. 4 Dean Hamiti of Wisconsin in the title tilt. Mesenbrink came out firing, working a high single to a scramble in the opening seconds. Hamiti was able to force a stalemate at 2:27. Hamiti used a fast low shot to take a 3-1 lead at 2:05 after Mesenbrink escaped. The Nittany Lion worked his way in on a low shot, but Hamiti forced a stalemate once more with 1:20 on the clock. Mesenbrink scrambled through a shot and nearly got the takedown at :40 but Hamiti was able to fight off the move once more. Mesenbrink continued to roll through the action, but Hamiti was able to counter at the end for another takedown and 6-1 lead after one. Mesenbrink chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 6-2 score. Mesenbrink shot a third time and Hamiti notched another counter takedown to lead 9-2 at :57. Mesenbrink escaped to a 9-3 score at :25, then worked his way into a takedown to cut the lead to 9-6 at the buzzer. Hamiti chose down to start the second and reversed Mesenbrink to an 11-6 lead. Mesenbrink escaped, then countered the Badger for a takedown and three back points to storm back to a 13-11 lead. Mesenbrink went to work off the remaining seconds and became a Big Ten Champion with the 13-11 win over Hamiti.

Graduate Bernie Truax, ranked No. 6 at 184, met No. 5 Isaiah Salazar of Minnesota in the 184 final. Truax and Salazar set up shop in the middle of the mat as the bout got underway. Truax worked to control position in the center, taking a high single that Salazar defended at 1:45. Action continued through the 1:00 mark in neutral with Truax the aggressor. The bout moved to the second period tied 0-0. Truax chose down to start the period and escaped to a 1-0 lead at 1:20. The clock moved below the :30 mark with both wrestlers working for control in the center of the mat. Salazar worked his way in on a high shot late, but Truax defended the effort and led 1-0 after two. Salazar chose down to start the third and quickly escaped to a 1-1 tie. Truax shot low, quickly, but Salazar was able to slip out of his gras at 1:10. The duo traded quick bursts through the 1:00 mark and returned to their feet with :50 left in the bout. Salazar took a high shot again and Truax muscled through a counter as the clock moved below the :10 mark. The clock hit :00 and the bout moved to extra time. Truax nearly connected on a counter at 1:40, another shot at 1:35 and a third at 1:20. But Salazar countered the last shot and was able to notch the takedown. Truax gave up back points working to get free and lost the hard-fought 8-1 (sv) decision.

Senior+ Aaron Brooks, ranked No. 1 at 197, battled No. 11 Zach Glazier of Iowa in his fifth trip to the Big Ten finals. Brooks controlled position on the inside circle and then took a 3-0 lead with a strong high double at 2:10. He cut Glazier loose and went back to work on offense. Brooks continued to force contact and notched a second takedown at 1:35. Brooks controlled the action on top, working his riding time up over 1:00 with a strong ride. He finished the period on top and led 6-1 with 1:46 in time after one. Brooks chose down to start the second period, quickly escaping to a 7-1 lead. Brooks continued to pace in the center circle as Glazier played defense. He bulled through Glazier's waist for another takedown and a 10-1 lead at :55. Glazier got hit for stalling as the period wound down and Brooks, finishing on top, led 10-1 with 2:34 in time after two. Brooks chose neutral to start the third period and quickly took Glazier down again. He cut him loose. He added one more takedown and cut and finished off the tech fall with a final takedown at 6:07, winning 19-3. Brooks win over Glazier makes him a four-time Big Ten Champion, Penn State's third (Ed Ruth, David Taylor). This was his fifth trip to the Big Ten finals.

Senior Greg Kerkvliet, ranked No. 1 at 285, met No. 7 Nick Feldman of Ohio State in the last of Penn State's seven title matches. Feldman turned a low shot into a quick takedown to open up a 3-1 lead in the opening seconds. After escaping quickly, Kerkvliet went to work on his feet, looking for an opening. Kerkvliet blew through a double to take a 4-3 lead at 1:25 and went to work on top. The Lion senior looked to build up over 1:00 in time with a strong ride, forcing a Feldman stall call in the process. He finished in control and led 4-3 with 1:24 in time after one. Kerkvliet chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 5-3 lead. Kerkvliet notched a second takedown with 1:20 left in the second to open up an 8-3 lead. He worked his riding time up over 2:00, working the clock down past :30. Kerkvliet finished the period on top and led 8-3 with 2:42 in time after two. Feldman chose neutral to start the third period. Kerkvliet worked the center of the mat through the 1:00 mark, holding position for the entire period. He added the riding time point with 2:42 in time and became a Big Ten Champion with a 9-3 win.

Sophomore Aaron Nagao, ranked No. 11 at 133, faced No. 17 Braxton Brown of Maryland in the consolation semifinals to begin Penn State's day. Nagao moved in quickly, taking a low single to force action to the mat. A potentially dangerous call stopped the scramble and forced a reset at 2:25. Brown shot low and Nago scrambled through the action, forcing a reset at 1:54. Nagao connected on a late, low shot for a takedown and led 3-0 after one. Brown chose down to start the second period and Nagao quickly worked control to a nearfall and four points. He gave up a point on an illegal hold and led 7-1 at 1:27. Trailing 7-2, Brown chose down to start the second period. Nagao worked his riding time up to 1:41 before Brown escaped to a 7-2 score. Leading by five, Nagao chose neutral to start the third period. Brown notched a takedown and cut Nagao loose at 1:01 and Nagao led 8-5. Nagao finished the match in neutral and, with 1:37 in riding time, moved into the third place bout with a 9-5 win.

He took on No. 16 Jacob Van Dee of Nebraska for third. Nagao worked his way in on a low shot at the 2:14 mark, forcing a scramble and action to the mat. Nagao worked through for control and took a 3-0 lead at 2:02. Nagao wasted no time turning Van Dee to his back. He cranked the Husker over and finished off the first period fall at 1:51. Nagao's pin of Van Dee capped off Nagao's third place run for Penn State.

True freshman Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 9 at 149, battled No. 8 Caleb Rathjen of Iowa in the consolation semis at 149. Kasak and Rathjen worked the center of the mat for the first minute. The Nittany Lion freshman drew first by lifting the Hawkeye off the mat and notching the takedown with a strong mat return at 1:41. He controlled action on top, building up over 1:00 in time with a strong ride while trying to turn the Hawkeye for back points. He gave up a stall warning during his ride and then forced one out of Rathjen, finished on top and carried the 3-0 lead with 1:47 in time into the third period. Rathjen chose down to start the second period and Kasak went back to work on top. The Nittany Lion freshman worked his time edge to 2:14 before Rathen escaped to a 3-1 score. Kasak nearly countered a Rathjen throw attempt at the 1:00 mark but action remained neutral. Leading 3-1 with 2:14 time to his side, Kasak chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 4-1 lead. Kasak worked the outside circle as the clock hit :45, still leading 4-1. He countered a Rathjen shot and took a 7-1 lead with :20 left in the bout. Kasak added 2:30 in riding time and rolled into the third place bout with an 8-1 win.

He met No. 12 Ethen Miller of Maryland for third. Kasak scored quickly, taking Miller down just :08 into the bout. He then locked the Terrapins shoulders up and tacked on four near fall points to lead 7-0. Kasak continued his dominant work on top, pushing his time edge up towards 2:00. He worked on top through the 1:00 mark, continuing to look for back points and more. Miller looked to escape on a reset, scooting to his feet towards the outside circle. But Kasak maintained connection, lifted the Terrapin off the mat and returned him to his back. He quickly finished off the pin, getting the first period fall at 2:36 and taking third at his first Big Ten Championship tournament.

Senior Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 174, took two injury defaults on Saturday (both at 6:59). In order to be considered for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, Starocci had to compete in two bouts at the conference qualifiers. He will await the allocations of 174's four at-large spots, announced by the NCAA selection committee on Tuesday.

Penn State closed out the tournament with a 29-6 record. The Lions tacked on 20.5 bonus points off four pins, five techs and five majors.

The 2024 NCAA Championships are set for Thursday through Saturday, March 21-23, in Kansas City's T-Mobile Center. Thursday's action begins with session 1 at 12 p.m. and session 2 at 7 p.m. Friday features session 3 at 12 p.m. and session 4 at 8 p.m. The tournament concludes on Sunday with session 5 at 11 a.m. and session 6's Championship Finals at 7 p.m. All times are Eastern, and the tournament will be telecast in its entirety on ESPN/2/U. The tournament seeds and full bracket will be revealed on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. on NCAA.com (at-large selections for each weight will be rolled out a day prior on Tuesday by the NCAA selection committee).

Team Standings (FINAL)
1: PENN STATE – 170.5
2: Michigan – 123.5
3: Nebraska – 118.0
4: Iowa – 110.5
5: Ohio State – 89.0
6: Rutgers – 87.5
7: Minnesota – 74.0
8: Wisconsin – 46.5
9: Purdue – 41.5
10: Maryland – 39.0
11: Illinois – 34.0
12: Indiana – 33.0
13: Michigan State – 23.5
14: Northwestern – 14.5