Penn State’s wrestling dynasty is still very much alive.
The Nittany Lions clinched the 2022 NCAA Championships team title on Saturday afternoon during wrestlebacks at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Penn State has now won nine of the last 11 national championships, all under the direction of head coach Cael Sanderson, who took over the program in 2010.
Penn State has won 10 wrestling national championship overall, with the team’s last title prior to Sanderson’s arrival coming in 1953. This year’s is the Nittany Lions’ first since 2019, with no tournament held in 2020 and Penn State finishing second behind Iowa in 2021 despite winning four individual titles.
The Nittany Lions led Michigan in the team race heading into Saturday’s session five and the Wolverines needed pins in each of their consolation bracket bouts to remain in contention for the championship. Michigan’s Will Lewan won the fifth-place bout at 157 pounds with 4-2 decision, but with no fall the Wolverines were mathematically eliminated.
Penn State currently has 111.5 points, with five Nittany Lions still to wrestle on Saturday. Michigan has 90 as of 2 p.m. (Penn State’s program record for points was 146.5 at the 2017 tournament. Its highest possible total this year is 144.5.)
Heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet medically forfeited the third-place bout on Saturday afternoon after defeating Michigan’s Mason Parris in the consolation semifinals. Roman Bravo-Young, Nick Lee, Carter Starocci, Aaron Brooks and Max Dean will wrestle for national titles on Saturday night.
Under Sanderson’s leadership, Penn State has produced 27 individual national titles.
The Nittany Lions’ nine qualifying wrestlers have, so far, posted a 28-7 record in the tournament.
The championship round starts at 7 p.m. on ESPN.
Geoff Rushton contributed to this report.
