Penn State Wrestling will win a national championship if these guys step up
By Chris Snyder
![PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 23: Members and staff of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team pose for a team photo after winning the team title of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 23, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 23: Members and staff of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team pose for a team photo after winning the team title of the NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 23, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/4afd894806b870b3e4bf0b720ba88f6546d16e12e80b251d02156809e1d7fa26.jpg)
Penn State Wrestlers who will need to step up – No. 1
Beau Bartlett
Seed: 13
I know I have said so much about Beau Bartlett this year. And yet I’ve said so little.
Just kidding. I’ve said A LOT.
Bartlett has been a mainstay in literally every single “Key Matchups” section I’ve written. So it shouldn’t be a surprise he also makes this list.
Everyone who watches Penn State wrestling understands Bartlett has been tasked with wrestling up a weight class in his two seasons in Happy Valley. And wrestling at 149 with a 141 body isn’t the easiest thing to do.
But, at various points in his short career, Bartlett has shown flashes he can not only compete at 149, but he can actually be one of the best in the nation.
A prime example is Kyle Parco, the No. 5 seed from Arizona State. He’s the 2022 Pac-12 champion and he put together a 21-1 record on the season. Do you want to guess who gave him his only “L” on the season?
Bingo.
And that’s the Beau Bartlett Penn State fans want and that’s the Beau Bartlett Penn State fans need to see this week. Because his path is far from an easy one.
If Beau can somehow get past Ohio State’s Sammy Sasso in the second-round match, it could mean a possible rematch against Parco in the quarterfinals.
However, if Beau gets bested by Sasso then he will need to win at least three matches in the consolation bracket to have a chance for All-American. It’s a tall task but it’s something the Penn State team will need from him if they want to stay above teams like Iowa, Michigan, and NC State.