No. 1 Penn State downs Ohio State 29-9 for dominant B1G road victory

Max Dean (PSU) pins Gavin Hoffman (OSU). Photo by Steve Manuel, courtesy Penn State


COLUMBUS, Ohio; February 3, 2023 – The Penn State (12-0, 5-0 B1G) Nittany Lion wrestling team downed homestanding Ohio State (11-2, 5-1 B1G) 29-9 in a dominating Big Ten road win. Penn State won eight of ten bouts and gave up only three takedowns in the victory. All rankings listed are InterMat/InterMat Team TPI (Jan. 31, 2023).


The dual meet began at 125 where No. 10 Malik Heinselman of Ohio State pinned Nittany Lion Gary Steen, one of Penn State’s four freshmen in the line-up, at 1:56. Roman Bravo-Young, ranked No. 1 at 133, dominated No. 9 Jesse Mendez in the next bout. Bravo-Young tallied three takedowns and built up 1:04 in riding time to roll to an 8-2 win, cutting the early Buckeye lead to 6-3. Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 5 at 141, notched the only takedown of the bout against No. 19 Dylan D’Emilio and posted a strong 4-2 win. Bartlett’s victory tied the dual at 6-6.


Freshman Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 13 at 149, picked up the first takedown in his match with No. 3 Sammy Sasso but Sasso was able to come back and grab a hard-fought 6-3 win. True freshman Levi Haines, ranked No. 9 at 157, dominated No. 25 Paddy Gallagher in the dual’s fifth bout. Haines scored early and often, picking up four takedowns, a four-point turn, and 4:10 in riding time to roll to a 14-2 major. His win gave Penn State a 10-9 lead at halftime.


Freshman Alex Facundo, ranked No. 8 at 165, controlled the action in his match with No. 12 Carson Kharchla. He picked up the only takedown of the bout in a 4-1 win to put Penn State up 13-9. Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 174, dominated No. 7 Ethan Smith in the next bout. Starocci rolled up four takedowns and 1:32 in riding time to down Smith 11-5.


Aaron Brooks, ranked No. 1 at 184, chased down No. 5 Kaleb Romero for a late takedown in a top match-up at 184. His late offensive effort allowed Brooks to post the 3-2 win and give the Nittany Lions a 19-9 lead.


Max Dean, ranked No. 4 at 197, then picked up the dual meet’s first pin. Dean carried a 2-0 lead over No. 17 Gavin Hoffman into the second period before Hoffman chose down. Dean took advantage of the decision and worked Hoffman over to his back for the fall at 4:17. Greg Kerkvliet, ranked No. 2 at 285, built up nearly 5:00 in riding time during a dominant and lopsided 9-0 major over No. 18 Tate Orndorff to close out the dual meet. Kerkvliet’s major closed out Penn State’s 29-9 dual meet win.


The Nittany Lions worked up a lopsided 19-3 margin in takedowns. Penn State’s last two opponents (Iowa and Ohio State) secured only five combined takedowns against the Nittany Lions. Penn State picked up five bonus points off a pin (Dean) and two majors (Haines and Kerkvliet).


The Nittany Lions are now 12-0 overall, 5-0 B1G. Ohio State falls to 11-2, 5-1 B1G. Penn State continues its weekend road trip when the Lions visit Indiana on Sunday, Feb. 5, for a 1 p.m. battle.


The 2022-23 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by the Family Clothesline. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.

#1 Penn State 29, #10 Ohio State 9

February 3, 2023 – Columbus, Ohio

125: #10 Malik Heinselman OSU pinned Gary Steen PSU, WBF (1:56)

133: #1 Roman Bravo-Young PSU dec. Jesse Mendez OSU, 8-2

141: #5 Beau Bartlett PSU dec. #19 Dylan D’Emilio OSU, 4-2

149: #3 Sammy Sasso OSU dec. #13 Shayne Van Ness PSU, 6-3

157: #9 Levi Haines PSU maj. dec. Paddy Gallagher OSU, 14-2

165: #8 Alex Facundo PSU dec. #12 Carson Kharchla OSU, 4-1

174: #1 Carter Starocci PSU dec. #7 Ethan Smith OSU, 11-5

184: #1 Aaron Brooks PSU dec. #5 Kaleb Romero OSU, 3-2

197: #4 Max Dean PSU pinned #17 Gavin Hoffman OSU, WBF (4:17)

285: #2 Greg Kerkvliet PSU maj. dec. #18 Tate Orndorff OSU, 9-0

Attendance: 4,585

Records: Penn State (12-0, 5-0 B1G); Ohio State (11-2, 5-1 B1G)

Up Next for Penn State: at Indiana, Sunday, Feb. 5, 1 p.m.

Ohio State press release


COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 5 Ohio State (11-2, 5-1) fell to No. 1 Penn State (12-0, 5-0) at the Covelli Center 29-9 Friday before a sellout crowd (4,585).

How it Happened


125 | No. 10 Malik Heinselman (OSU) def. Gary Steen (PSU) | Fall, 1:56


Heinselman got the match started with a quick takedown followed by a four-point near fall for a 6-0 lead. Heinsleman then got the pin at 1:56 for a 6-0 Ohio State lead.


133 | No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young (PSU) def. No. 9 Jesse Mendez (OSU) | D, 8-2


Bravo-Young scored first with a late takedown in the opening period for a 2-0 advantage. Mendez escaped to start the second to make it 2-1. Bravo-Young added another late-period takedown for a 4-1 lead going into the third. PSU improved its lead to 5-1 with an escape early in the third. Another PSU takedown followed by a Mendez escape made it 7-2 Nittany Lions. Bravo-Young finished off the bout to win by decision, 8-2, with an added point for riding time.


141 | No. 5 Beau Bartlett (PSU) def. No. 19 Dylan D’Emilio (OSU) | D, 4-2


Bartlett scored with a takedown with over a minute left in the first. D’Emilio quickly escaped to start the second to trail 2-1. Bartlett got the escape to open the third. D’Emilio was awarded a point when Bartlett was called for stalling late. With a point added for riding time Bartlett got the win by decision, 4-2.


149 | No. 3 Sammy Sasso (OSU) vs. No. 13 Shayne Van Ness (PSU) | D, 6-3


Van Ness was awarded a takedown followed by a Sasso escape. Sasso took the lead with a late takedown to head to the second up 3-2. From the down position, Sasso got the reversal to open the second for a 5-2 lead. Van Ness escaped to cut it to 5-3 Buckeyes. Van Ness was down to open the third but could not escape. With a point for riding time, Sasso got the win by decision, 6-3.


157 | No. 9 Levi Haines (PSU) def. No. 25 Paddy Gallagher (OSU) | MD, 14-2


Haines scored the early with a takedown. Gallagher escaped before Haines added another takedown for a 4-1 lead headed to the second. Gallagher escaped early in the second to trail 4-2. Haines added a takedown for a 6-2 advantage after five minutes of action. Haines escaped to open the third and added a takedown followed a four-point near fall to lead 13-2. With a point for riding time, Haines won by major decision, 14-2.


165 | No. 8 Alex Facundo (PSU) def. No. 12 Carson Kharchla (OSU) | D, 4-1


There was no score after the first three minutes. Facundo escaped to open the second and then was awarded a point for a hands-to-the-face call on Kharchla for a 2-0 lead. Kharchla escaped to cut the lead in half but Facundo added a late takedown to win by decision, 4-1.


174 | No. 1 Carter Starocci (PSU) def. No. 7 Ethan Smith (OSU) | D, 11-5


Starocci got the early takedown followed by a Smith escape for a 2-1 lead. Another PSU takedown and Smith escape made it 4-2 after the first. Smith started down and escaped before a Starocci takedown sent the bout to the third up 6-3. Starocci escaped to open the third before Smith added a takedown to trail 7-5.A Starocci escape, takedown and a point for riding time gave PSU the win by decision, 11-5


184 | No. 1 Aaron Brooks (PSU) def. No. 5 Kaleb Romero (OSU) | D, 3-2


After a scoreless first period, Brooks escaped to open the second for a 1-0 lead. Romero tied it a 1-all with an escape to open the third. Brooks got a takedown just over halfway into the period to go up 3-1. Romero escaped but Brooks got the win by decision, 3-2.


197 | No. 4 Max Dean (PSU) def. No. 17 Gavin Hoffman (OSU) | Fall, 4:28


Dean got a late takedown to lead 2-0 after one. Dean then won the bout by fall at 4:28.


HWT | No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) def. No. 18 Tate Orndorff (OSU) | MD, 9-0


Kerkvliet led 2-0 after the first period then escaped to open the second for a 3-0 lead. A Kerkvliet takedown made it 5-0. Another takedown, a stalling and riding time point gave Kerkvliet the 9-0 win by major decision.

Up Next:


No. 5 Ohio State makes a quick turnaround to face No. 15 Northwestern in Evanston Sunday. Match time is set for 3 p.m. with B1G+ streaming the action live.