Logjam at Penn State 2024-25

[peanut]

Based on my super ill informed guesses, it looks like the most high profile battles for starting spots will look like this:

• 133- This seems to be a battle between Davis and Nagao. Davis has a RS available.
• 149 & 157- I suppose Sealey redshirts behind a true sophomore (Kasak) and a junior (SVN). But maybe Sealey wants to go now.
• 165 & 174- Two of the following four sit: Haines, MM, Facundo, and U20 silver medalist Ryder. Haines and Ryder have redshirts available. None of the four can go up to 184 because one of Starocci/Barr is in the way.

I like Penn State, but I would not blame an athlete for transferring under these circumstances. It's nuts.

[Lunaticfringe]

Davis has a redshirt remaining but I would let him wrestle and run Nagao out of town personally. He honestly was better at Minnesota. SVN is being remembered for his NCAA finish but he was seeded #12 I believe and lost a lot of matches. Facundo is going to have to do it elsewhere kind of like Michael Beard. He just isn’t that guy

[BAC]

I have no inside info but it seems to me all these "problems" are solvable with redshirts, right?  Davis redshirts and Nagao goes.  Van Ness redshirted already so he goes 149, and at 157, either Kasak or Sealey can redshirt.  My guess is Sealey redshirts in the hope that Kasak can pick up where he left off.  Haines/Ryder redshirt so Mesenbrink/Facundo can go at 65/74.  I guess it's a bit odd for a 2x champ to redshirt, but if he's OK with it, I see how it makes sense both for the team and for Haines to bulk up and learn some freestyle.  

To me the biggest lineup conundrum is at '84, where it looks like Starocci will land, and you have Barr there, ready to go, with no redshirt available.  My guess is Barr bumps up to 97, if he can beat Cochran, and both Mirasolas redshirt.  Was kinda hoping to see Starocci bulk up and throw some people around at '97, but I guess that ain't happening.

[fishbane]

1 hour ago, BAC said:

 Haines/Ryder redshirt so Mesenbrink/Facundo can go at 65/74.  I guess it's a bit odd for a 2x champ to redshirt, but if he's OK with it, I see how it makes sense both for the team and for Haines to bulk up and learn some freestyle.  

Haines has only won 1 NCAA title.  Wrestlestat currently has him listed at 165 and redshirting this year.  Flo has him ranked #2 at 174lbs behind Keegan O'Toole.  Haines lost the best of three to make the Junior World team a couple years ago to Mesenbrink 2 matches to 0.  He lost to Facundo at the Olympic Trials in April.  Crazy to think he could be the odd man out.

[1032004]

3 hours ago, Lunaticfringe said:

SVN is being remembered for his NCAA finish but he was seeded #12 I believe and lost a lot of matches. 

He was a true freshman that lost 3x to 6th year senior Max Murin, 4x NCAA Champ Yianni, NCAA finalist Sammy Sasso, future finalist Austin Gomez, and Paniro Johnson.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

7 hours ago, 1032004 said:

He was a true freshman that lost 3x to 6th year senior Max Murin, 4x NCAA Champ Yianni, NCAA finalist Sammy Sasso, future finalist Austin Gomez, and Paniro Johnson.

And now coming off a blown out knee, to add to his other significant injury concerns.

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

13 hours ago, peanut said:

Based on my super ill informed guesses, it looks like the most high profile battles for starting spots will look like this:

• 149 & 157- I suppose Sealey redshirts behind a true sophomore (Kasak) and a junior (SVN). But maybe Sealey wants to go now.

I like Penn State, but I would not blame an athlete for transferring under these circumstances. It's nuts.

Is it me, or is stock WAY down on Sealey?  A couple years back,he was the talk of that class, and it seems to have died down. A lot.

[Pinnacle]

9 hours ago, 1032004 said:

He was a true freshman that lost 3x to 6th year senior Max Murin, 4x NCAA Champ Yianni, NCAA finalist Sammy Sasso, future finalist Austin Gomez, and Paniro Johnson.

And at NCAAs he blew Johnson's doors off, beat Caleb Henson and Kyle Parco and  then had a 3rd period lead on Yianni. 

Edited September 10 by Pinnacle

[The Kid]

1 hour ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Is it me, or is stock WAY down on Sealey?  A couple years back,he was the talk of that class, and it seems to have died down. A lot.

What weight does the world beater Robbie Howard wrestle? 

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

2 minutes ago, The Kid said:

What weight does the world beater Robbie Howard wrestle? 

Is he enrolled?

Let's not forget he DID leave his shoes on the mat.

[nhs67]

6 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

Is he enrolled?

Let's not forget he DID leave his shoes on the mat.

Pretty sure he is a lock to AA this year again.

There are those who would say as much... (still)...

[Gus]

10 hours ago, 1032004 said:

He was a true freshman that lost 3x to 6th year senior Max Murin, 4x NCAA Champ Yianni, NCAA finalist Sammy Sasso, future finalist Austin Gomez, and Paniro Johnson.

In light of what SVN did at NCAA's and then to the follow up performance at the All-Star Classic, I think it is sufficient to say that he is the real deal. 

[lu1979]

15 hours ago, peanut said:

Based on my super ill informed guesses, it looks like the most high profile battles for starting spots will look like this:

• 133- This seems to be a battle between Davis and Nagao. Davis has a RS available.
• 149 & 157- I suppose Sealey redshirts behind a true sophomore (Kasak) and a junior (SVN). But maybe Sealey wants to go now.
• 165 & 174- Two of the following four sit: Haines, MM, Facundo, and U20 silver medalist Ryder. Haines and Ryder have redshirts available. None of the four can go up to 184 because one of Starocci/Barr is in the way.

I like Penn State, but I would not blame an athlete for transferring under these circumstances. It's nuts.

PNut is correct it is nuts and it is going to get more nuts over the next 2 seasons.  Lets look at 3 weights for the 2026 season and those following - 165, 174, and 184.  I would guess that Tyler Kasek will be holding down 157 for 26 ^ 27 and Conner Mirasola will have 197 locked down for 26, 27, & 28 (maybe 29 also if he RS this season)

M Messenbrink will be the assumed starter at 165 for the 26 and 27 season but PJ Duke will be on campus and both Facundo and Sealy will be also there.

At 174 you will have NC Levi Haines with 2 years of eligibility which can put him there through 2027 if he RS one year.  You have Z Ryder as well as A Cuningham arriving next season.  

At 184 C-Star will most likely hold down that spot this season in the quest for his unprecedented 5th title.  That will force RS Frosh Barr to either go up to 197 (putting CM into RS for the season) or drop to the crowded 174 weight which I don't think he can do.  Next season Wm Henckle gets added to this mix.  Add to this Lucas Cochran who may still be able to make 184 and has eligibility through 2027 at least.

So to sum up the embarrassment of riches scenario that P-nut describes as nuts PSU will have 10 elite talents (not including C-Star who is done this year) competing for 3 spots over the next few seasons.   There are also other wrestlers in these weights that I did not include in this analysis.  I would expect some defections over the next couple of years.  Hope they go to Lehigh

 

 

[Pinnacle]

One fan's logjam is another fan's depth. 

[MPhillips]

4 minutes ago, Pinnacle said:

One fan's logjam is another fan's depth. 

One man gathers what another man spills...

[Jimmy Cinnabon]

Maybe Bob can lure a few to Iowa City with some $$$?

[fishbane]

Levi Haines and Connor Mirasola were the only PSU wrestlers at the WTT this weekend.  That might not mean anything, but maybe it indicates those two are redshirting.  Levi Haines had some impressive wins (Keegan O'Toole and Evan Wick so maybe he won't be the odd man out 157-174lbs this year 

[lu1979]

Levi certainly looked big enough to compete for a NCAA title at 174lbs and he went and beat the consensus #1 preseason guy at that weight - my guess is he's PSU's starter @ 174

 

 

 

 

 

[Truzzcat]

On 9/9/2024 at 6:14 PM, peanut said:

Based on my super ill informed guesses, it looks like the most high profile battles for starting spots will look like this:

• 133- This seems to be a battle between Davis and Nagao. Davis has a RS available.
• 149 & 157- I suppose Sealey redshirts behind a true sophomore (Kasak) and a junior (SVN). But maybe Sealey wants to go now.
• 165 & 174- Two of the following four sit: Haines, MM, Facundo, and U20 silver medalist Ryder. Haines and Ryder have redshirts available. None of the four can go up to 184 because one of Starocci/Barr is in the way.

I like Penn State, but I would not blame an athlete for transferring under these circumstances. It's nuts.

to add a wrinkle Fellers was adamant that Facundo certified at 157 for this season on the update show with Willie.

[Le duke]

1 hour ago, Truzzcat said:

to add a wrinkle Fellers was adamant that Facundo certified at 157 for this season on the update show with Willie.

He already weighed in at less than 165.0, according to Track.

[Truzzcat]

not a 2024-2025 issue but this last weekend as Im sure a ton of you saw Asher Cunningham won super 32 and looked pretty damn good doing it. He won the title at 165 I think that there is zero shot he ever sees 165 again I think it was largely a by product of having a single day before competition weigh in at super 32. A good problem but a problem none the less now for psu is you have Ryder,Barr,Mirasola,Duke,Cunningham with 4+ years as of now who will all be on the team by this time next year barring a grey shirt for 165-197 and on top of that you have at least 1 more year of Levi after this year and 2 more years of MM.

 

side bar Cunningham kinda wrestles like hes showing someone technique so I think the bigger he gets the better. when Bambinelli was able to finish fast he was cruising but any prolonged exchange at it was all Cunningham.

Edited October 15 by Truzzcat