PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – The Penn State wrestling team advanced three wrestlers to the Championship Finals during the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Under the leadership of head coach Cael Sanderson, the Nittany Lions are leading the team standings by over 30 points and have also secured 10 All-American titles, marking a historic achievement as they become only the second team in NCAA wrestling history to reach this milestone in one year, following Minnesota’s accomplishment in 2001.
Penn State’s three semifinal victors will compete in the 2025 National Finals tomorrow evening. The three-day tournament will end with session five, featuring All-American placing bouts, scheduled for 11 a.m., while session six and the NCAA finals will commence at 7 p.m.
With a total of 135.5 points, Penn State is significantly ahead of second-placed Nebraska at 101.5 points, with Oklahoma State trailing in third with 91.0 points. This year’s 10 All-American selections bring Penn State’s all-time total to 264, with 101 of those during Sanderson’s tenure in his 16th season as head coach.
In the semifinals, senior Beau Bartlett, seeded second at 141, faced off against third-seeded Jesse Mendez from Ohio State. The match ended in overtime with Mendez winning 2-1 after a close battle, which brings Bartlett into consolation rounds vying for third place.
Sophomore Shayne Van Ness, the third seed at 149, went against second-seeded Ridge Lovett from Nebraska. Van Ness fought hard, closing the gap in the score but ultimately lost 14-8, which also placed him into the consolation rounds for another chance at third.
At 165 pounds, sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink, the number one seed, secured a decisive win against Nebraska’s Chris Minto, advancing to the finals with a 13-2 major decision. Similarly, graduate Carter Starocci, competing at 184 pounds, triumphed over Dustin Plott from Oklahoma State with a solid 9-3 decision, also moving into the championship match.
The event will wrap up tomorrow, Saturday, March 22, with session five featuring All-American placing bouts at 11 a.m. followed by the 2025 National Finals at 7 p.m. Morning sessions will be broadcast live on ESPNU, while evening sessions can be viewed on ESPN (and ESPN2 on Friday night). Fans can keep up with Penn State wrestling on social media via X/Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
Penn State at the 2025 NCAA Championships
March 20-22, 2025 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, Pa.
