2019 Pennsylvania vs Penn State | Big Ten Wrestling

5 Reasons To Watch Penn vs #2 Penn State

5 Reasons To Watch Penn vs #2 Penn State

Check out the top five reasons why you should watch Penn take on Penn State live on FloWrestling December 8, 2019.

Dec 5, 2019 by Kyle Bratke
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For the first time since 2015, Penn State looked to rebound from a dual loss. On February 15, 2015, the Nittany Lions lost to Oklahoma State inside Gallagher-Iba Arena, 21-18. A week later, they returned to Rec Hall winning nine of 10 bouts on their way to a 30-3 win over Rider. On Friday night, Penn State got back to their winning ways with a workmanlike win over in-state rival Lehigh. Sunday, inside a sold out Rec Hall the Nittany Lions will look to start a new streak against another in-state foe. 

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For the first time since 2015, Penn State looked to rebound from a dual loss. On February 15, 2015, the Nittany Lions lost to Oklahoma State inside Gallagher-Iba Arena, 21-18. A week later, they returned to Rec Hall winning nine of 10 bouts on their way to a 30-3 win over Rider. On Friday night, Penn State got back to their winning ways with a workmanlike win over in-state rival Lehigh. Sunday, inside a sold out Rec Hall the Nittany Lions will look to start a new streak against another in-state foe. 

Watch Penn vs #2 Penn State LIVE on FloWrestling

Sunday, December 8 | 2 PM ET

1. Aaron Brooks Makes His Rec Hall Debut

The most surprising moment of Friday night's dual against the Mountain Hawks came when it was announced that Penn State was pulling freshman Aaron Brook's redshirt. The Cadet world champion and Junior world silver medalist cruised in his varsity collegiate debut as he took out NCAA qualifier Chris Weiler, 10-5. Brooks is now 4-0 on the year after winning the Mat Town Open a weekend ago. The question now becomes where does Brooks stand in the 184-pound pecking order? Nomad and CP had a rapid reaction from the floor of CKLV after Brook's first varsity match. 

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2. What's Next For Shakur Rasheed?

All-American Shakur Rasheed suffered a torn ACL in the middle of last season and has yet to wrestle a match this year since off-season surgery. We assumed when Rasheed did return to the lineup it would be at 184, but with the pulling of Aaron Brooks redshirt and the fact that Kyle Conel is struggling at 197, it sure looks like Shak could be returning to 197 where he was seventh two years ago at the NCAA Championships. 


3. Will Kyle Conel Get Back To His Winning Ways?

All-American Kyle Conel has gotten off to a little bit of rocky start. Of the five matches he's wrestled, four of them have been decided by two points or less and the one that wasn't was a six-point loss to Arizona State's Kordell Norfleet. After his loss Friday night to Jake Jakobsen, the first year Nittany Lion has now lost three matches in a row. If Conel gets the nod, can he get back to his winning ways?


4. Cole Urbas Returns To State College

Kyle Conel's likely opponent, Cole Urbas, will be looking to notch the biggest win of his young college career as he returns to the hometown. The State College Area High School alum placed in the top four at the Pennsylvania high school tournament his final three seasons in Hershey and was a top-85 recruit in the class of 2019. Urbas is fresh off a third-place finish at the Keystone Classic where his lone loss came to #9 Jay Aiello, 4-3. 


5. Youth Movement 

Nine of Penn's projected staters Sunday afternoon are freshmen or sophomores. They may be young, but they are very talented. In the class of 2018 recruiting class rankings, the Quakers finished just outside the top 20 classes as an honorable mention team and last year's class finished inside the top 15. Roger Reina is building a great young squad and the Quakers should be a force to be reckoned with in the next few years. 


Projected Lineups

125: #11 Michael Colaiocco (Penn) vs Brody Teske/Devin Schnupp (Penn State)

133: Carmen Ferrante (Penn) vs #3 Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State)

141: Doug Zapf/AJ Vindici (Penn) vs #3 Nick Lee (Penn State)

149: Grant Aronoff/Lucas Revano (Penn) vs #25 Jarod Verkleeren/Luke Gardner (Penn State)

157: #10 Anthony Artalona (Penn) vs #6 Brady Berge/ Bo Pipher (Penn State)

165: Jake Lizak (Penn) vs #1 Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) 

174: Neil Antrassian (Penn) vs #1 Mark Hall (Penn State) 

184: Jesse Quatse (Penn) vs Aaron Brooks (Penn State) 

197: Cole Urbas (Penn) vs #21 Kyle Conel (Penn State)

285: Ben Goldin/Joey Slackman (Penn) vs #1 Anthony Cassar (Penn State)