No. 1 Penn State (11-0) won six matches to beat No. 2 Iowa (12-1) 23-14 at sold-out Bryce Jordan Center in the most anticipated wrestling dual of the year. Here’s what you need to know:

• It was the fourth time the national powers collided as the nation’s top-ranked teams and the first time they’ve competed at State College since 2018.
• The attendance of 15,998 tied a national indoor dual meet record, which was set the last time the rivals competed at Bryce Jordan Center in 2018.
• Penn State’s Rose Bowl championship football team was honored during the intermission, and Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parson was matside.
• The Nittany Lions now are on track to claim the Big Ten regular-season championship and are favored to win a second straight NCAA tournament title.

This exchange between @MicahhParsons11 and @LeeSpencerlee36 🤣 🤣

cc: @pennstateWREST & @Hawks_Wrestling

— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) January 25, 2023

How Penn State won

Penn State’s quartet of national champions all came through with victories. Roman Bravo-Young (133 pounds) won by fall, while Aaron Brooks (184) won by technical fall. Carter Starocci (174) and Max Dean (197) won close matches 2-1 and 2-0, respectively.

Advertisement

Iowa 125-pounder Spencer Lee won his 49th consecutive match in an 18-2 technical fall over Marco Vespa. Lee, a two-time Hodge Trophy winner as the nation’s top wrestler, saw his streak of six straight falls end but turned over Vespa four times and ended the match in just two minutes and 15 seconds. Lee vies to become only the fifth wrestler to ever win four national titles.

Bravo-Young, a two-time national champ, pinned Brody Teske with just 10 seconds left in their match at 133 pounds. Teske trailed just 7-2 late in the match before the two-time national champion caught him for the fall.

In the nightcap, Penn State heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet beat unbeaten Iowa counterpart Tony Cassioppi 4-1 to clinch the deal.

What gave Penn State the edge

The Nittany Lions took care of business in even matches. The two most pivotal involved Dean and Jacob Warner at 197 and Kerkvliet-Cassioppi at heavyweight. Bravo-Young’s late pin also was critical in giving the Nittany Lions extra team points.

Match results

125 — Spencer Lee (Iowa) tech. fall over Marco Vespa, 18-2 (2:15); Iowa 5-0
133 — Roman Bravo-Young (PSU) pinned Brody Teske, 6:50; Penn State 6-5
141 — Real Woods (Iowa) dec. Beau Bartlett, 3-2; Iowa 8-6
149 — Max Murin (Iowa) dec. Shayne Van Ness, 4-1; Iowa 11-6
157 — Levi Haines (PSU) dec. Cobe Siebrecht, 3-2; Iowa 11-9
165 — Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) dec. Alex Facundo, 2-1, SV2; Iowa 14-9
174 — Carter Starocci (PSU) dec. Nelson Brands, 2-1; Iowa 14-12
184 — Aaron Brooks (PSU) tech. fall over Drake Rhodes, 23-7 (5:44); Penn State 17-14
197 — Max Dean (PSU) dec. Jacob Warner, 2-0; Penn State 20-14
Hwt. — Greg Kerkvliet (PSU) dec. Tony Cassioppi, 4-1; Penn State 23-14

(Photo: Jay LaPrete / NCAA Photos via Getty Images)