Beau Bartlett will return to the Penn State Nittany Lion Wrestling Team for the 2024-25 season, the team confirmed today.
Bartlett is coming off a 24-2 record and a 2nd place finish at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, which occurred in March. Bartlett's two losses came to Jesse Mendez of Ohio State, who won the title at 141 pounds for the Buckeyes.
The future of the Penn State 141-pounder remained up in the air as of the end of the NCAA Tournament in Kansas City. After taking third in the season previous to this year, Bartlett had one year of remaining eligibility due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, which granted all athletes an extra year on their respective teams if they so wanted it.
The Centre Daily Times has reported that a Penn State spokesperson confirmed Bartlett's return to the Lions for next year, where he will take one last shot at an individual National Title.
Bartlett's place in the Penn State lineup, however, could be up to some interpretation following this Lions' record-breaking performance at the NCAA Championships. While it is likely that he will return to his throne at 141 pounds, Penn State has the "good problem" of depth within the early portion of the lineup.
However, Penn State has flexibility. As Shayne Van Ness is expected to return next year, 141 pound wrestler Tyler Kasak filled in for SNV at 149 this year and impressed, taking third at the NCAA Tournament. After a subpar performance from Aaron Nagao at 133, it is entirely possible Bartlett could cut down to 133, making way for Kasak to wrestle at 141 and Van Ness at 149. That would put three third-place finishers in consecutive order in the lineup, with #1 seed Braeden Davis at 125 and NCAA Champion Levi Haines at 157.
Penn State's true concern will be filling the holes left by Carter Starocci at 174, Bernie Truax at 184, and Aaron Brooks at 197. These spots can be filled by a variety of names, including current members of the team and incoming freshmen.
Nonetheless, Lion fans should feel good about Bartlett's desire to come back to the lineup, bringing experience and captainship to younger wrestlers. He will also attempt to gain an individual National Championship during his final year in State College as a collegiate competitor.
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