PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – NCAA Wrestling Championships Update
Penn State has successfully advanced seven of its wrestlers to the national semifinals of the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships, taking place at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Each of these seven wrestlers has secured All-America status following their victories. Additionally, three other Penn State wrestlers remain in contention in the blood round, requiring just one victory to achieve All-American status. The national semifinals, along with consolation matches—including the All-America round—are scheduled for tonight at 8 p.m.
Team Standings
As of 3:15 p.m., Penn State currently leads the competition with 90.5 points, while Nebraska and Oklahoma State follow in second and third place, with 62.5 and 61.0 points respectively.
Quarterfinal Highlights
True freshman Luke Lilledahl, the top seed at 125 pounds, faced No. 8 Sheldon Seymour from Lehigh. After a scoreless first period, Lilledahl tied the match at 1-1 in the third period but ultimately lost in a tiebreaker, dropping him to consolation action. Similarly, sophomore Braeden Davis faced the No. 1 seeded Lucas Byrd from Illinois, who won decisively with a 12-1 major decision, sending Davis to the consolation round as well.
Successful Matches
Senior+ Beau Bartlett, the No. 2 seed at 141, clinched a spot in the semifinals by defeating No. 10 CJ Composto from Penn 5-0, which also marked Bartlett’s third All-American title. Another notable performance came from sophomore Shayne Van Ness at 149 pounds, who won against No. 6 Lachlan McNeil from North Carolina with a score of 7-2, earning his second All-American title.
Continuing Challenges
Redshirt freshman Josh Barr showcased a strong performance at 197 pounds, achieving a 14-3 major decision victory over No. 5 Michael Beard of Lehigh. This victory also granted Barr his first All-American title. Senior+ Greg Kerkvliet, competing at heavyweight, advanced to the semifinals with a solid 5-0 victory over No. 6 Josh Heindselman from Michigan and also achieved five-time All-American status.
Looking Ahead
As of now, Penn State holds a commendable record of 27-3 at the midway point of the tournament and has accumulated 21.5 bonus points through five majors, seven technical falls, and three pins. Action continues tonight with the national semifinals along with consolation matches and the All-America/blood round, all of which will be broadcast live on ESPN2. Future sessions on Saturday are set for 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., with the national finals airing on ESPN.
Penn State fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via X/Twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling, and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
