The Big Ten Conference has officially reinforced Penn State’s status as the team to beat heading into the 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championships. With the release of the tournament’s preliminary seeds, the Nittany Lions—ranked No. 1 in the nation—have secured five top seeds and all ten starters ranked within the top four of their respective weight classes. Coming off a record-breaking performance at last year’s tournament, Penn State appears primed for another historic showing.
Leading the charge for the Nittany Lions are five wrestlers earning No. 1 seeds: Beau Bartlett (141 pounds), Shayne Van Ness (149), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Levi Haines (174), and Carter Starocci (184). With such strong positioning across the lineup, Penn State enters the tournament as the overwhelming favorite to claim its third consecutive team title. The event, hosted at Northwestern University, kicks off this Saturday and runs through Sunday.
One of the more surprising seed placements came at 157 pounds, where Penn State’s Tyler Kasak, ranked No. 1 nationally by InterMat, received the No. 2 seed behind Maryland’s Ethen Miller. Kasak’s seeding stems from an injury default in his February match against Miller, his only recorded loss this season. Meanwhile, Miller remains undefeated at 20-0, despite ranking just fifth nationally behind Kasak, Iowa’s Jacori Teemer, and Nebraska’s Antrell Taylor.
The battle at heavyweight is also set to be a marquee matchup, as defending Big Ten and NCAA champion Greg Kerkvliet enters as the No. 2 seed behind Minnesota’s unbeaten Gable Steveson. This sets the stage for a highly anticipated potential final between the two, with Kerkvliet seeking to reclaim his top spot against the Olympic gold medalist. Additionally, Josh Barr (197 pounds) is seeded second to Iowa’s Stephen Buchanan, whom he lost to in January.
Penn State’s younger talent is also well-positioned to make an impact. Freshman Luke Lilledahl (125 pounds) and sophomore Braeden Davis (133 pounds) are both seeded fourth, ensuring that all ten Nittany Lions starters remain well within NCAA Tournament qualification range. With a strong performance, Penn State could send a full lineup to the national stage later this month.
Seeding for the Big Ten Championships is determined by a vote among conference coaches, shaping the 14-wrestler brackets at each weight class. Penn State, having completed an undefeated Big Ten dual season for the fifth straight year, is eyeing another dominant postseason run. The action begins at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, with semifinals set for 8 p.m. ET that evening and championship matches scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Head coach Cael Sanderson expressed confidence in his team’s ability to perform when it matters most. “Our guys have always competed really well in the postseason, and I think they have a lot of confidence in that,” Sanderson said. “There won’t be an exception this year. Our guys are going to go wrestle great at Big Tens, and they’re going to wrestle even better at nationals. It’s going to be fun.”
With Penn State aiming for yet another Big Ten title, all eyes will be on Northwestern this weekend as the nation’s top team looks to further cement its dynasty. If the Nittany Lions wrestle to their potential, another dominant performance could be in store—one that sets the tone for the NCAA Championships later this month.