It's that time of year again. . .
Let's start looking at lineups for the 2023 season starting with the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Who's Returning to the Nittany Lions?
This week, Roman Bravo-Young announced his official return. That means 4/5 NCAA champions are returning.
- Roman Bravo-Young (133)
- Carter Starocci (174)
- Aaron Brooks (184)
- Max Dean (197)
All-American Greg Kerkvliet (285) will be also be back.
Then there is Beau Bartlett, who will likely drop from 149 to 141.
On top of that, Robert Howard and Gary Steen (2X PIAA Champ) will compete for a starting spot at 125.
Who's Leaving Penn State for Good?
Unfortunately, 2X NCAA Champ Nick Lee and 2021 All-American Drew Hildebrandt are gone, based on eligibility.
A few Nittany Lions decided to enter the transfer portal: Brandon Meredith (125), Tony Negron (157), and Michael Beard (197).
Fresh Faces in the Lineup
With the mass senior exodus, expect to see a lot of new faces in college wrestling.
In PSU's lineup you'll likely see new faces Shayne Van Ness at 149 (#8 recruit in 2021) and Alex Facundo at 165 (#2 recruit at 2021).
I expect to see returner Terrell Barraclough start at 157 with the potential for true freshman Levi Haines (#2 recruit in 2022), to start in January.
Will PSU Dominate Again?
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No other team has four returning NCAA champions.
Iowa has Spencer Lee, but they'll be looking for another diamond in the rough finalist like Jacob Warner.
Michigan is losing a ton of talent.
And Oklahoma State's studs at 133 and 197 will likely be competing head-to-head against the Nittany Lions.
A lot can change from now until March 2023, but it's looking like PSU will dominate again.
Shoot me a reply and let me know how many champs Penn State will have next year.
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Hope you enjoyed the breakdown,
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Josiah Hritsko Wrestling Fan & Founder of Fanco Wrestling
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P.S. Thanks for bearing with me after what happened last week. . .
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