Five Penn State wrestlers to unofficially kick off season with NWCA All-Star Classic matches

For the second year in a row, Penn State’s Rec Hall will host the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic.

Saturday night’s event puts some of the country’s top collegiate wrestlers against one another in an exhibition match — results from which won’t count against their record.

Even though the Nittany Lions don’t start their season until Sunday against Drexel, five wrestlers will be competing in the All-Star Classic — Beau Bartlett (141 pounds), Shayne Van Ness (149), Tyler Kasak (157), Levi Haines (174) and Carter Starocci (184). The quintet was supposed to be joined by Greg Kerkvliet, but he ultimately had to withdraw.

“They’re wrestling some of the best guys in the country, so we want them to focus on that match,” Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said during Monday’s media day. “It doesn’t count on your record, but if you’re a competitor, every match obviously counts. You want to go wrestle well, kind of set the tone and get things going.”

Van Ness and Starocci were part of last year’s event, which also had Kerkvliet and former Nittany Lions Aaron Brooks and Bernie Truax. Van Ness and Starocci each secured victories, though the event ended Van Ness’ season last year.

Starocci’s matchup with Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen, who is the defending 184-pound NCAA champion, is the main event. Starocci is ranked No. 1 with Keckeisen at No. 2.

“I’m wrestling a guy that was pretty dominant last year and things like that. I’m excited to go show that I’m the dominant one,” Starocci said Monday. “For me, I just truly love going out there and just smashing somebody, that’s part of the reason why I chose do the all star match. I don’t have to do the all star match, but I just love wrestling, and that’s honestly why I chose to come back. I love the competition and the fight. I can do it all day long.”

Bartlett will be the first Penn State wrestler to hit the mat, taking on a familiar foe in Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez.

Mendez, No. 2, was the thorn in No. 3 Bartlett’s side last year, handing him his only losses of the year — Big Ten and NCAA finals.

Bartlett thinks he had so much confidence last year that it turned into arrogance, and that arrogance set him up for failure. But Bartlett said he was able to learn how to get into a “flow state.”

“It’s not confidence that you’re sensing. I think it’s just freedom, like I don’t feel weighed down by anything,” he said. “I really just love to compete. I’m going to wrestle the best I’ve ever wrestled. We’re going to see a really good Beau Bartlett.”

Van Ness will follow Bartlett against West Virginia’s Ty Watters in the second of three matchups that will have the No. 2 versus No. 3 wrestler in the country. Haines and South Dakota State’s Cade DeVos is the other No. 2 vs. No. 3 tilt, which will be right before Starocci.

Kasak, who filled in for Van Ness last year at 149 pounds, follows his teammate when he takes on Ohio’s Peyten Keller. Kasak is No. 4 in the country and Keller is No. 5.

Again, the results don’t matter, but for Sanderson it’s great to have this event in the Nittany Lions’ backyard.

“It’s easier for us to have it here, then we don’t have to travel. It gives our fans another opportunity to (watch wrestling) and be here at Rec Hall,” Sanderson said. “I don’t get too caught up and worried about the results. We’re going to keep getting better, whether we wrestle great or not. Of course, we always want to wrestle great, and that’s the plan, but at the same time, we’re going to be on to the next one. We want to keep that long-term mindset in place because we’re going to be competing for the national title in March.”

NWCA All-Star Classic

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

Where: Rec Hall

Radio: Big Foot Legends (103.7 & 104.3 FM)

Online: FloWrestling (paid subscription)

X: @byncobler, @pennstatewrest

Drexel (0-2) at No. 1 Penn State (0-0)

When: 1 p.m. Sunday

Where: Rec Hall

Radio: Big Foot Legends (103.7 & 104.3 FM)

TV: Big Ten + (paid subscription)

Online: Radio, Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com

X: @byncobler, @pennstatewrest

Note: Drexel hosts Northern Colorado, Friday night