Big Ten Wrestling power rankings: Penn State Wrestling push for No. 1?

Dual Rank: 2
Record Last Season: 6-0
Ranked Wrestlers: 7
133 No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young
141 No. 2 Nick Lee
157 No. 25 Joe Lee
174 No. 1 Carter Starocci
184 No. 1 Aaron Brooks
197 No. 4 Max Dean
285 No. 5 Greg Kerkvliet

I know what you’re already thinking. “Hey Chris, didn’t you have Penn State Wrestling as the No. 1 team in your NCAA Pre-Season Power Rankings?”

Yes, you are correct. I did.

But, that was a fun exercise in looking through a lens of how the teams would eventually settle into at the end of the season. Plus, it was back in early July. So I’m allowed to take back anything I write from three months ago*.

The 2021-2022 Nittany Lion team returns all four NCAA Champions and they added an NCAA runner-up to their lineup with Max Dean. However, I don’t see this team getting past Iowa based on its current makeup. There are simply too many holes at 125, 149, 157, and 165.

But, and this is a big “but”, if the somewhat loud whispers of a possible addition at 125 come to fruition, then it could completely flip the order between Penn State Wrestling and Iowa. It would be a downright game changer as the Nittany Lions have not had a title contender at 125 since 2017.

Hmm. I wonder who that was?

The Nittany Lions are kicking off the season by participating in the Journeyman Duals in Manheim on November 13th.

* – this is 100% not true