Penn State Wins Third Straight NCAA Wrestling Championship

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Penn State won the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships on Saturday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., capturing the 11th NCAA wrestling title in school history and third straight. The Nittany Lions’ national championship marked the 17th straight year that a Big Ten school has claimed the NCAA Championship.

Penn State won the team title with 172.5 points, 100 points ahead of second place Cornell. Michigan was third with 71 points, Iowa fifth with 67 points, Ohio State eighth with 62 points and Nebraska ninth with 60.5 points. Penn State’s 172.5 points set a new NCAA record, breaking the previous mark of 170 set by Iowa in 1997. The Nittany Lions also broke the margin of victory record, winning by 100 points, breaking the previous record of 73.75 set in 1986 by Iowa.

Five Big Ten wrestlers claimed individual titles at the NCAA Championships. Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet was the 285-pound champion, while Levi Haines capped his undefeated season with a 157-pound title, Carter Starocci won the 174-pound title, marking his fourth NCAA Championship title and Aaron Brooks also won his fourth NCAA crown at 197 pounds. Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez captured the Buckeyes’ first NCAA individual title since 2018 at 141 pounds.

30 Big Ten wrestlers earned All-America honors. The full list of Big Ten All-Americans, along with their weight class can be found below.

2023-24 ALL-AMERICANS 

Edmond Ruth, Illinois, 174  

Drake Ayala, Iowa, 125

Real Woods, Iowa, 141

Jared Franek, Iowa, 157 

Mike Caliendo, Iowa, 165  

Dylan Ragusin, Michigan, 133 

Austin Gomez, Michigan, 149 

Shane Griffith, Michigan, 174  

Lucas Davison, Michigan, 285

Vance Vombaur, Minnesota, 141   

Isaiah Salazar, Minnesota, 184

Caleb Smith, Nebraska, 125

Brock Hardy, Nebraska, 141  

Ridge Lovett, Nebraska, 149 

Peyton Robb, Nebraska, 157

Antrell Taylor, Nebraska, 165

Jesse Mendez, Ohio State, 141

Rocco Welsh, Ohio State, 174

Nick Feldman, Ohio State, 285

Beau Bartlett, Penn State 141 

Tyler Kasak, Penn State, 149 

Levi Haines, Penn State, 157  

Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State, 165  

Carter Starocci, Penn State, 174  

Bernie Truax, Penn State, 184  

Aaron Brooks, Penn State 197  

Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State, 285

Dylan Shawver, Rutgers, 133  

Yaraslau Slavikouski, Rutgers, 285  

Eric Barnett, Wisconsin, 125