Penn State hit some potholes Friday morning in its path to college wrestling history. 

After a 20-match sweep through the tournament’s opening day to become the first team in 33 years to advance all 10 wrestlers into the quarterfinals, the Nittany Lions suffered their first three losses at the 2025 NCAA Championships in the Friday morning session in Philadelphia. 

Two top-seeded Nittany Lions got knocked off in down-to-the-wire quarterfinal battles and another got bounced into the consolations as Nebraska momentarily passed Penn State in the team standings. 

In all, the Nittany Lions went 7-3 in the quarterfinals and finished the round with 90.5 points to hold a 25-point lead over the second-place Huskers. Oklahoma State was third with 63. The point total puts Penn State ahead of last year’s record-setting pace when the Nittany Lions broke the tournament record with 172.5. Penn State scored 86.5 points during the tournament’s first three sessions in 2024. 

Carter Starocci rolled into the 184-pound semifinals with a major decision, securing All-America honors for the fifth time and continuing his quest to become the tournament’s first five-time champion. Starocci is one of seven Nittany Lions who have booked podium spots, leaving Penn State with some work to do in Friday night’s blood round to become the second team in NCAA history with 10 All-Americans. 

Lehigh’s Sheldon Seymour took out top-seeded Luke Lilledahl 2-2 with a rideout in a tiebreaker at 125 pounds, avenging an early-season loss to the Penn State freshman. 

“We didn’t really make too many adjustments (from the previous match),” Seymour said. “It was a close match back in December and that one I didn’t finish a couple of my shots. Even though I didn’t finish these here, but staying composed was the main thing and I was building confidence the whole year.” 

#1 seed Lucas Byrd of Illinois used a seven-point second-period sequence to cruise to a 12-1 major decision against Nittany Lion Braeden Davis at 133. Later in the session, Purdue’s Joey Blaze scored a go-ahead takedown with 48 seconds left and held #1 seed Tyler Kasak down the rest of the way to claim a 5-4 win at 157. It’s the first takedown Kasak has allowed this season. 

“For whatever reason, I don’t get talked about too much,” said Blaze, whose younger brother, Marcus, is a Penn State recruit and the #1 prospect nationally in the 2025 class. “Maybe I don’t show off my skills often enough or whatever it is. Hopefully that proves to everyone that I’m in the right spot. It’s a step. He could beat me tomorrow if we wrestled, so it’s not too big of a deal. I’m grateful to be here and blessed to be in the position I am.” 

Penn State needs three blood round wins Friday night to become the second team in Division I history with 10 All-Americans. Minnesota accomplished the feat in 2001 and it hasn’t been matched since. 

Lilledahl will take on Wisconsin’s Nicolar Rivera at 125, Davis will face returning All-American Evan Frost of Iowa State at 133 and Kasak takes on Penn’s Jude Swisher at 157.