2023 lineup

[pointingdogsrule]

Great question.

RBY was 2-2 at nationals in 2021 as a true freshman battling injury having wrestled only nine matches going into nationals. He had wins over Ragusin, Shawver (by Major), Heinselman and Medley. You’re going to have a tough time convincing me that 6th or better isn’t a realistic expectation from him.

Im not sure what we score at 133 without RBY.

I expect BB to be an AA at 141, his true wrestling weight. I’ll conservatively say 7th.

The rest will be unproven. We’ll have high expectations at 149 (SVN) and I’m guessing the transfer talk is about 157.

It’d be unfair to expect AA from Haines as a true freshman. Even RBY was 8th as a true freshman and I might think 157 is a different animal than 125 for an 18-19 year old. He’s looked great against college competition, but hasn’t wrestled AA level competition.

So yes - it’ll be a stretch to think we can replace 46 points at 133 and 141. Even if I slot RH for 6th at 125, BB for 7th at 141 and SVN for 8th at 149, that’s still only 21 points total. 133 and 157 would need to outperform the other three weights combined to replace RBY’s and Nick’s points.

But if we get a Carr level transfer or if RBY returns (and both seem to be in the realm of possibility), then we may find ourselves to be a “well rounded” team.

I would think that "well rounded" would be a slight understatement.

 

[STAND with PRIDE]

Great question.

RBY was 2-2 at nationals in 2021 as a true freshman battling injury having wrestled only nine matches going into nationals. He had wins over Ragusin, Shawver (by Major), Heinselman and Medley. You’re going to have a tough time convincing me that 6th or better isn’t a realistic expectation from him.

Im not sure what we score at 133 without RBY.

I expect BB to be an AA at 141, his true wrestling weight. I’ll conservatively say 7th.

The rest will be unproven. We’ll have high expectations at 149 (SVN) and I’m guessing the transfer talk is about 157.

It’d be unfair to expect AA from Haines as a true freshman. Even RBY was 8th as a true freshman and I might think 157 is a different animal than 125 for an 18-19 year old. He’s looked great against college competition, but hasn’t wrestled AA level competition.

So yes - it’ll be a stretch to think we can replace 46 points at 133 and 141. Even if I slot RH for 6th at 125, BB for 7th at 141 and SVN for 8th at 149, that’s still only 21 points total. 133 and 157 would need to outperform the other three weights combined to replace RBY’s and Nick’s points.

But if we get a Carr level transfer or if RBY returns (and both seem to be in the realm of possibility), then we may find ourselves to be a “well rounded” team.

I dont think its crazy to assume Haines will have a similar “ first year of college” as our last great 157.
How many college guys did Nolf BEAT as a HS senior?
How many world medals did Nolf have by the end of HS?
Nothing this kid accomplishes will surprise me.

 

[nerfstate]

Great question.

RBY was 2-2 at nationals in 2021 as a true freshman battling injury having wrestled only nine matches going into nationals. He had wins over Ragusin, Shawver (by Major), Heinselman and Medley. You’re going to have a tough time convincing me that 6th or better isn’t a realistic expectation from him.

Im not sure what we score at 133 without RBY.

I expect BB to be an AA at 141, his true wrestling weight. I’ll conservatively say 7th.

The rest will be unproven. We’ll have high expectations at 149 (SVN) and I’m guessing the transfer talk is about 157.

It’d be unfair to expect AA from Haines as a true freshman. Even RBY was 8th as a true freshman and I might think 157 is a different animal than 125 for an 18-19 year old. He’s looked great against college competition, but hasn’t wrestled AA level competition.

So yes - it’ll be a stretch to think we can replace 46 points at 133 and 141. Even if I slot RH for 6th at 125, BB for 7th at 141 and SVN for 8th at 149, that’s still only 21 points total. 133 and 157 would need to outperform the other three weights combined to replace RBY’s and Nick’s points.

But if we get a Carr level transfer or if RBY returns (and both seem to be in the realm of possibility), then we may find ourselves to be a “well rounded” team.

RBY AA’d his true freshman year, going 5-3 and beating Phillipi in the bloodround. Did you mean Howard?

 

[NoVa Lion]

I dont think its crazy to assume Haines will have a similar “ first year of college” as our last great 157.
How many college guys did Nolf BEAT as a HS senior?
How many world medals did Nolf have by the end of HS?
Nothing this kid accomplishes will surprise me.

Nolf's first year in college he redshirted. He did place 2nd at the Scuffle to James Green in the finals who would place 3rd at NCAAs that year and beat Realbuto in the quarters who would be NCAA runnerup that season.

 

[STAND with PRIDE]

Nolf's first year in college he redshirted. He did place 2nd at the Scuffle to James Green in the finals who would place 3rd at NCAAs that year and beat Realbuto in the quarters who would be NCAA runnerup that season.

Well aware and thats my point,you’d have to be crazy to think Haines isnt on that same trajectory. IF IF IF he RS’s in what would be his first year of college, I would expect similar results.

 

[mcpat]

RBY AA’d his true freshman year, going 5-3 and beating Phillipi in the bloodround. Did you mean Howard?

I def meant Howard. I will fix.

 

[mcpat]

I would think that "well rounded" would be a slight understatement.

It was supposed to be a tongue in cheek reference to a banned poster’s repeated remarks over last weekend.

 

[mcpat]

Well aware and thats my point,you’d have to be crazy to think Haines isnt on that same trajectory. IF IF IF he RS’s in what would be his first year of college, I would expect similar results.

I think Haines will be great, but I want to be careful to not “expect” him to match one of the most dominant college wrestlers of the past decade or two before he even wrestles a R12 or better wrestler.

 

[mn78psu83]

I think Haines will be great, but I want to be careful to not “expect” him to match one of the most dominant college wrestlers of the past decade or two before he even wrestles a R12 or better wrestler.

Agree. Think of how good Zain was. He was undefeated in the regular season as a true freshman and took 2nd at Big Tens and 5th at NCAAs. Jamar Billman also took 5th as a true freshman. Quentin Wright was 6th as a true freshman. Kolat finished 2nd. What's amazing is that in 1993 when Kolat was runner-up to TJ Jaworsky, two true freshmen won that year - Lincoln McIlravy (142) and Markus Mollica (167 - beat PSU's Josh Robbins) of ASU.

 

[Flying_Tiger]

If RBY comes back, wouldn't surprise me if Haines redshirts the entire year if everyone stays healthy, because he won't be needed.

 

[El-Jefe]

It's not rumblings. He said exactly this in his interview post finals.

To clarify because some other posts above have started to run with the other post:

RBY said almost exactly that: he said he's making a run for the 2024 Olympics, then MMA.

He said nothing about weight. 65 kg is a board-gasm

 

[zzs006]

Agree. Think of how good Zain was. He was undefeated in the regular season as a true freshman and took 2nd at Big Tens and 5th at NCAAs. Jamar Billman also took 5th as a true freshman. Quentin Wright was 6th as a true freshman. Kolat finished 2nd. What's amazing is that in 1993 when Kolat was runner-up to TJ Jaworsky, two true freshmen won that year - Lincoln McIlravy (142) and Markus Mollica (167 - beat PSU's Josh Robbins) of ASU.

That 1993 tournament was the first NCAA championship that I attended. Kolat was my idol and is still my favorite wrestler of all time but watching McIlravy hit his patented boot scoot just blew my mind. I had never seen that move before and I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. The finals match between him and Gerry Abas is one of the best matches I’ve ever seen. Here it is for those that haven’t seen it.

 

[creamery freak]

Agree. Think of how good Zain was. He was undefeated in the regular season as a true freshman and took 2nd at Big Tens and 5th at NCAAs. Jamar Billman also took 5th as a true freshman. Quentin Wright was 6th as a true freshman. Kolat finished 2nd. What's amazing is that in 1993 when Kolat was runner-up to TJ Jaworsky, two true freshmen won that year - Lincoln McIlravy (142) and Markus Mollica (167 - beat PSU's Josh Robbins) of ASU.

I'm agreeing with you and Flying_Tiger, that shirting Levi Haines would be best. I believe our coaches feel this is almost always the best approach for our athletes to help them be ready when they hit the lineup.

You brought up Zain as a great example. He went from being a chainsaw as a freshman to a stump grinder as a redshirt sophomore. No comparison as he jumped levels and was totally dominant. Jason and Bo were both great shirts and I agree LH's points won't be needed next year.

 

[johnstownsteel]

Even if we don’t get a 157 transfer, I think there’s a good chance Levi still shirts.

 

[mcpat]

That 1993 tournament was the first NCAA championship that I attended. Kolat was my idol and is still my favorite wrestler of all time but watching McIlravy hit his patented boot scoot just blew my mind. I had never seen that move before and I thought it was the coolest thing I’d ever seen. The finals match between him and Gerry Abas is one of the best matches I’ve ever seen. Here it is for those that haven’t seen it.

View embedded media

It’s the NCAA final. The announcers get the score wrong and the period wrong while calling the match. That’s great.

 

[District four]

How close is the matches between Beard and Dean. I know Beard is right there. It stinks he can’t crack the lineup.

I thought beard was hurt

 

[nitlion6]

Nolf's first year in college he redshirted. He did place 2nd at the Scuffle to James Green in the finals who would place 3rd at NCAAs that year and beat Realbuto in the quarters who would be NCAA runnerup that season.

A curious what if.

Jason was or is a freak. Taylor has said Jason would spend days getting torched in practice and Taylor would be wondering "what is he (Nolf) doing" then boom Jason would go off and people would get shredded. This would go on in a wash, rinse and repeat manner and leave Taylor puzzled until DT figured out when Jason was getting torched he was figuring out one of those Nolf things. After Nolf was done with the experimental phase he would spend several days applying what he learned and just beat on people with what he figured out.

As a true freshman Jason was beating Realbuto and pushing James Greene. What would Jason have been doing with those two if Jason had already spent a year in the PSU room.

Paraphrasing 3DogNight Levi's Coming.

 

[mcpat]

As of right now…

125 Howard vs Spencer
133 RBY vs Ayala/Schreiver/Henson
141: Bartlett vs Woods
149: SVN vs Murin
157: BearClaw/Haines vs Siebrecht/Riggins
165: Edsell/Facundo vs Kennedy
174: Starocci vs Brands
184: Brooks vs Assad
197: Dean/Beard vs Warner
285: Kerk vs Cass

If I’m predicting the score of a dual meet based on what we’ve seen thus far:

125: 0-4
133: 4-4
141: 4-7
149: 4-10
157: 7-10
165: 10-10
174: 14-10
184: 18-10
197: 21-10
285: 21-13

A couple toss-ups in there.

NCAA Placement Points:

125: 6 - 16
133: 16 - 0
141: 0 - 12
149: 0 - 3
157: 0 - 0
165: 0 - 0
174: 16 - 0
184: 16 - 0
197: 16 - 12
285: 12 - 16

Total: 82 - 59

Conservative estimates based on what we’ve seen thus far. (For example, I expect Kerk to figure Cass out and beat him next year, but won’t make that prediction here. And I’m ignoring Parris’s ability to beat Cass.)

 

[johnstownsteel]

This year is going to be so much f*n. I love when we have new guys in the lineup and this year we get to see where Van Ness and Facundo are at in their development. Then add in Howard and Beau down a weight, such a great mix of veterans and young guys.

 

[GogglesPaizano]

I wonder if Echemendia can go 157? I would not be surprised at all if that is the next shoe to drop in Iowa City, we know how much HR hates transfers.

 

[AndEEss]

Echemendia was a third string 141 at tOSU.

I’m not worried about him heading to Iowa. Or anywhere else.

 

[El-Jefe]

I wonder if Echemendia can go 157? I would not be surprised at all if that is the next shoe to drop in Iowa City, we know how much HR hates transfers.

LOL, hope this wasn't serious.

Echemendia isn't going anywhere until his court case. Then imagine being Brands and telling Clarissa Chun that her women would have to train with a guy who (allegedly) choked his wife unconscious.

 

[johnstownsteel]

LOL, hope this wasn't serious.

Echemendia isn't going anywhere until his court case. Then imagine being Brands and telling Clarissa Chun that her women would have to train with a guy who (allegedly) choked his wife unconscious.

Chuns girls could probably take him…. Lol

 

[nitlion6]

I wonder if Echemendia can go 157? I would not be surprised at all if that is the next shoe to drop in Iowa City, we know how much HR hates transfers.

Right up to the moment they realize what they are foaming at the mouth bytching about is wearing a Hawk hoodie shaking Brands' hand whike holding a bag of cash in the other.

 

[RoarLions1]

Haines has a lot to learn. Healthy, and he'll be a force, but it's a bit early for hyperbolic rhetoric (redundant I know, just liked how it came out ).

Mendez, Bouzakis, Feldman, Crookham, Rojas, Henson, Rowley, Horne, Haines, Williams, Wehmeyer, Stewart and Rogers are this year's seniors on Flo's p4p list. Several won't be on a D1 team in a couple years, as happens with a (small) number of top guys every year.

2017-2018 seniors Steveson, Wittlake, Teemer, Carr, B. Lee, Silva, Sasso, Parris, Hoffman, Beard, S. Nevills, Brooks and Hardy are a good example. A couple world beaters, a couple guys with unfinished business, and a couple that are gone from D1. The year before had Singletary, Teasdale, and Coy. Just sayin'.

I'm a big Haines fan. He's local, committed, coachable, and a great fit to the program. Here's wishing him good health and great success as a Penn State wrestler. That's the best we can do imo before he wrestles his first bout in a Penn State singlet.

 

[zzs006]

Haines has a lot to learn. Healthy, and he'll be a force, but it's a bit early for hyperbolic rhetoric (redundant I know, just liked how it came out ).

Mendez, Bouzakis, Feldman, Crookham, Rojas, Henson, Rowley, Horne, Haines, Williams, Wehmeyer, Stewart and Rogers are this year's seniors on Flo's p4p list. Several won't be on a D1 team in a couple years, as happens with a (small) number of top guys every year.

2017-2018 seniors Steveson, Wittlake, Teemer, Carr, B. Lee, Silva, Sasso, Parris, Hoffman, Beard, S. Nevills, Brooks and Hardy are a good example. A couple world beaters, a couple guys with unfinished business, and a couple that are gone from D1. The year before had Singletary, Teasdale, and Coy. Just sayin'.

I'm a big Haines fan. He's local, committed, coachable, and a great fit to the program. Here's wishing him good health and great success as a Penn State wrestler. That's the best we can do imo before he wrestles his first bout in a Penn State singlet.

Does anyone have info on Joey Silva? I know he was at Michigan and still might be but I couldn’t find much online. Doesn’t have a match in over a year. Kid was so good. It does happen in every class where a top 10 kid just falls of the map for some reason or another. I have a hard time seeing Levi Haines being that kid but I probably would have said the same about Silva.

 

[GantryZ]

Silva is training at the SKWC at Rutgers, he's competing for Puerto Rico - they said he's going to Pan Ams with Rivera.

 

[El-Jefe]

Does anyone have info on Joey Silva? I know he was at Michigan and still might be but I couldn’t find much online. Doesn’t have a match in over a year. Kid was so good. It does happen in every class where a top 10 kid just falls of the map for some reason or another. I have a hard time seeing Levi Haines being that kid but I probably would have said the same about Silva.

Weirdly enough, Silva wrestled for SKWC at Penn's Rokfin event in early Feb.

So maybe he ends up at Rutger?

But that's the only info I could find on him.

 

[McScoreley]

If RBY returns and SVN is what I think he is .... then Iowa can bring in whoever they want and I'm not worried.

Oh ... our unknowns are RoHo and Bartlett in their 3rd years in the room and Facundo and Haines. I'm good with that lineup. We really do not need transfers. I would rather bags be offered to RBY to ensure he's coming back.

 

[CoachPageNHS]

I know the 2022 season just ended but I think I’m not the only one who loves looking ahead and discussing the different lineup possibilities. So with that said here is my first take
125- Robbie Howard
133- RBY. Yes, he will be back
141- Beau Bartlett
149- Shayne Van Ness
157- Levi Haines
165- Alex Facundo
174- Carter Starocci
184- Aaron Brooks
197- Michael Beard. Max goes out on top
Hwt- Greg Kerkvliet

I would be happy if Max Dean comes back but I’m actually hoping he goes out on top and that Beard gets to step in and prove that he can be a national champ as well. I fear that if Max does come back that Beard might go elsewhere and I wouldn’t blame him.
I’m not sure about RBY at all but after listening to all of his interviews he sure sounded like he had 1 more year in him. Then again he could have just been caught up in the moment. I hope he comes back and gets his 3rd title. He’s one of the best I have ever seen.
This possible roster is so good and maybe the best Penn State team to date. I could see that team scoring just a stupid amount of points.
I would love to see some others thoughts and what they think next year will look like. And yes, I know it’s early and a million things can and will change. I just think it’s a ton of fun to talk about!

Bumped to recognize the 90% accuracy of your lineup predictions!!!!

Now, tell us about 23-24 please.