Check out the article below for current team scores and a breakdown of the team run at the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships.
March 16-18 Resumes yesterday at 16:00 UTC
2023 NCAA Championships Watch Party
Top 10 after Session 3
Penn State puts 7 in the semi-finals!
Penn State played in a historic quarter-final on Friday morning, placing all 7 quarter-finalists in the semi-finals. Roman Bravo-Young, Beau Bartlett, Shayne Van-Ness, Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, Aaron Brooks and Greg Kerkvliet were the 7 Nittany Lion wrestlers who reached the semi-finals. Not only does a semifinal birth guarantee them a top-6 finish, but each semifinalist also earned 7 team points at Penn State. In addition to the semifinalists, Max Dean is still alive for All-American honors and will face Jaxon Smith in the round of 16 on Friday night.
The Battle For A Team trophy is tight!
Iowa may be in second place, but there are still 7-8 more teams with a realistic shot to reach the top four and win a team trophy. There are significant points available in the next round with 7 points up for grabs for a semi-final win and 3.5 points up for grabs with a round of 16 victory. With so many teams still looking for a trophy, the Friday night round will be crucial for every team in the top ten.
Check out the table below to see a breakdown of the points potential for each team on Friday night:
* We’ll update this article at the end of each session, so check back Friday night for the latest update.
More content from the 2023 NCAAs:
SEE PAST TEAM RACES UPDATES BELOW
Top 10 after Session 2
Penn State with 7 in quarters – Iowa Trails with 5
Penn State placed 7 of its 9 wrestlers in the quarterfinals and holds a 4.5 point lead over Iowa which has only 4 wrestlers in the quarterfinals. Although Alex Facundo went 0-2 and Max Dean lost to Silas Allred, the Nittany Lions built their lead with 11 bonus points from their winning wrestlers. Those bonus points alone would be enough to match the entire current squad in 15th place.
Of the teams after Penn State in the top 10, Missouri has the most quarterfinals with 6 wrestlers competing Friday morning for a semifinal berth. After that, the Tigers have 3 wrestlers still alive in the consolation bracket. Next, Nebraska and Virginia have 5 wrestlers in the quarters. Nebraska has just 2 alive in the consolation bracket while Virginia Tech has 3 wrestlers battling at fullback still alive for All-American honors.
Iowa head coach Tom Brands sums up the Hawkeyes’ first day:
Top 10 after Session 1
Bonus Points The Difference for Penn State in Session 1
Penn State saw 8 of its 9 wrestlers win matches in the first round on Thursday. NC State, Iowa and Missouri also won 8 wrestlers, but Penn State took the lead by getting bonus points from 5 wrestlers with pins at 3 weights. Each victory in the championship rounds is worth 1 point with a major decision earning an additional point, a tech drop earning 1.5 and a pin earning 2. If the teams behind the Nittany Lions hope to keep pace, they will need to step up their production of bonus points.