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The Nittany Lions look to qualify all ten weights for Nationals for the first time since 2014.
The 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Tournament is scheduled for this weekend in College Park, MD. Today the Big Ten pre-seeds were announced. Sometime Thursday or Friday, after the B1G wrestling coaches have had their opportunity to discuss these pre-seeds and make cases on behalf of their wrestlers, the conference is expected to release the final seeds and brackets.
First, how to watch and current schedule.
Schedule & How to Watch
The number one priority for this tournament is to remain healthy while qualifying all 10 grapplers for Nationals. It would also be fun to win the whole thing. For each weight, we look at what it will take for the Penn State wrestler to meet the requirements for the automatic qualification (AQ). But also remember from last week that all ten Penn State wrestlers, should they fall short of the AQ, do also meet the qualifications for an At-Large bid, which would be announced sometime next week.
Let’s get after it!
125 Braeden Davis
- AQ allocation spots: 9 (finish Top-9, you qualify for Nationals)
Davis hasn’t seen either Cardani or Barnett yet. Win both of those en route to the Semis, and he’s in for Nationals.
133 Aaron Nagao
- AQ allocation spots: 7
Nagao has a nice opportunity for bonus points in the first round (he tech’d Hampton in the dual in 3:21). After that, his path suggests Van Dee, against whom he sat out in the Nebraska dual. Pass that, and a rematch with Ragusin, who decked him in Sudden Victory in the dual, awaits.
141 Beau Bartlett
- AQ allocation spots: 11
Bartlett’s had a great season, and if he keeps winning, he’s likely to see a whole mess of folks itchin for payback from the dual season.
149 Tyler Kasak
- AQ allocation spots: 9
A true freshman 4-seed is pretty sweet, and he’s already beaten D’Emilio in the dual, 7-1. I know this is really hard to tell while watching, but if he makes a rematch with Lovett in the semis, I’m curious if the coaches have any tricks up their sleeves to have Kasak further feel him out for a possible rematch at Nationals.
157 Levi Haines
- AQ allocation spots: 9
Haines is set to face a fresh opponent in the Quarters, and a seed-suggested rematch with either Robb or Franek in the semis.
165 Mitchell Mesenbrink
- AQ allocation spots: 10
Same thing here for Psycho Mitch: newbies in the Quarters and who knows what will appear in the semis! Has Cameron Amine repaired the brokenness that Mesenbrink put him through in the January dual (an 11-1 Major with 4 stall calls)?
174 Carter Starocci
- AQ allocation spots: 8
So here are our data points:
- Math. Starocci has already qualified for an At-Large bid, which he can earn even if he steps on the mat this weekend, allows the clock to start, then injury defaults after x number of seconds. He must do this twice to qualify as having ‘participated’ in the conference tournament, in order to be allowed to compete at Nationals, via said At-Large bid.
- Starocci, via Instagram: “A true champion can adapt to anything. You can either run from your adversity or face it head on and conquer it. There’s only one way in and one way out and I’m going that way. This game teaches you a lot and one thing I learned for sure is my mind is absolutely bullet proof.”
- Cael on Monday: “his plan is to do what he does and go compete. That’s something that we’ll have to step in there, if we don’t feel like it’s in his best interests. Getting to The Nationals is #1, and being at your best at The Nationals is #2.”
So, what’s your guess as to what they’ll do?
184 Bernie Truax
- AQ allocation spots: 8
Bernie pinned the Maryland kid in 1:44 in the dual, but decisioned Malczewski only 4-2 against Sparty. He had a wild 8-6 loss to Pinto in the Nebraska dual; is that something he can reverse if they meet in the semis?
197 Aaron Brooks
- AQ allocation spots: 7
This could be a bonus point tournament for Brooks, in his penultimate swan song.
285 Greg Kerkvliet
- AQ allocation spots: 7
Kerkvliet has again improved a lot this season. It’s certainly helped that he’s been healthy and carrying good weight. His double-leg attacks look almost unstoppable, and his top game has been smothering. Because he’s had such a light load this season, anybody he faces in the top-half of the bracket will be a new opponent this season. If it’s former Penn Stater Seth Nevills, it’ll be a familiar old mat-room opponent.
Executive Summary
Team Scores, projected from these pre-seeds, look like this:
If the coaches decide it’s not in Starocci’s best interests for him to “search and destroy”, and step in to preserve his health for The Nationals, projected points look like this:
The Takery
Last year I wrote this and I kinda like it, so am bringing it back:
We know how this coaching staff attacks this tournament: as a learning opportunity. Advanced scouting is at play. Get a feel for a guy you might see again in two weeks, on the bigger stage. Try a move you didn’t get to in the dual season. Unleash.
Even if Starocci is asked to INJ DEF two separate matches, if all other health maintains, Penn State is a stone cold lock for their second conference title in a row and their 8th in the 15-year Sanderson era. Bartlett, Haines, Mesenbrink, Brooks & Kerk can remain undefeated, and Davis, Nagao, Kasak and Bernie are all set up nicely for some deep runs of their own.
And if all goes our way, Penn State fans can enjoy the additional drama of what looks like a very competitive race on the next steps of the team podium (there isn’t actually one, but I wish there were). Michigan is led by the feisty Dylan Ragusin and his 5 All-American transfers. Mark Manning’s turn as Gandalf the White led to a fantastic 2023 Big Ten Tourney, as the Huskers showed out both on the mat and on the mic, and they continue their tough wrestling again this year. Iowa and Ohio State are always ready.
It should be good fun!
(Editor note: I know this is a very woofy pro-PSU post, but know that it is never lost on me how difficult this sport, and this tournament is. Much respect to all athletes, of whatever pre-seed, who are competing with their blood, sweat and tears in this incredible tournament in this tough, tough conference. Please take no offense to this humble keyboard warrior having some fun on the interwebs.)
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By: Jp Pearson
Title: 2024 Big Ten Wrestling Pre-Seeds Released
Sourced From: www.blackshoediaries.com/2024/3/4/24089813/2024-big-ten-wrestling-pre-seeds-released
Published Date: Tue, 05 Mar 2024 04:49:38 +0000
