Five Penn State wrestlers are still alive for an individual championship at the Big Ten tournament in East Lansing, Mich., but as a team, the Nittany Lions find themselves in second place behind defending league champ Ohio State by 13.5 points. The Buckeyes have seven starters in the hunt for an individual title.

All 10 of PSU's are still within reach of a qualifying spot for the NCAA Championships in two weeks, but PSU will have only eight scoring wrestlers still competing when action resumes Sunday at 12 p.m.

Returning national champion Jason Nolf returned to the mat at 157 pounds after missing the final month of the regular season due to a knee injury. He won his first two bouts, both with bonus, before medically forfeiting out of the tournament before the semifinal. The decision was for precautionary reasons. Carson Kuhn is still fighting for a berth at the national tournament. After suffering two defeats in his first three matches, he dropped to a consolation mini tournament to compete for the final two of 10 qualifying spots at 125 pounds. He won the first match, which doesn't count toward the team score, and a win tomorrow will secure him a berth.

His win gives Penn State a total record of 22-6 on the day. It finished with six pins and nine major decisions. Wrestling went 6-1 with three byes in the first round and then 8-1 in the quarterfinals before a semifinal finish of 5-3, including Nolf's medical default.

What follows is an individual look at the first day of each wrestler's tournament...

125 | Carson Kuhn - No. 14 seed

What he did: After dropping a 21-6 technical fall to Ohio State's Nathan Tomasello in the opening round, Kuhn responded in the consolation round with what was his first decision victory in a Penn State singlet. His preceding win came by forfeit in the final dual meet of the season. Kuhn lost, 13-3, to Northwestern's Sebastian Rivera in the next round, which put him in a six-member mini tournament to compete for the final two qualifying spots at this weight. A 7-2 decision lifted him past Nebraska's Mitch Maginnis in the first round of that.

What's next: In the second bout of a mini-tournament, he'll face Michigan's Drew Mattin. A win there and he qualifies for the national tournament.

133 | Corey Keener - No. 6 seed

What he did: Keener fell behind early to Mitch Mckee of Minnesota in the first round and although he gave it an incredible effort, he fell short of a comeback, 9-4. He pinned Wisconsin's Jens Lantz with a cement mixer in 3 minutes and 42 seconds in his first consolation bout and then he fell, 12-0 to Illinois' Dylan Duncan.

What's next: Wrestling for seventh place in a weight class that has only seven automatic qualifying spots, Keener meets Purdue's Ben Thornton with a ticket to Cleveland on the line.

141 | Nick Lee - No. 2 seed

What he did: Lee won his first two matches by major decision, beating Rutgers Mike Van Brill, 12-2, and then Indiana's Cole Weaver, 13-3. He wasn't able to overcome Michael Carrr of Illinois in the semifinal, however, and lost, 10-6.

What's next: Lee can still finish as best as third or at worse as sixth, but he's qualified for nationals. Up next is Iowa's Vince Turk and the winner wrestles for third. Lee beat Turk in the dual meet in February.

149 | Zain Retherford - No. 1 seed

What he did: After a bye put him into the quarterfinals, Retherford dominated Steve Bleise of Minnesota, accumulating 4:28 riding time and mounting a 14-1 major decision. In his semifinal against Ohio State's Ke-Shawn Hayes, Retherford was the only one who scored, winning, 10-0.

What's next: For the sixth time in their careers, Retherford and Iowa's Brandon Sorensen meet again when the final round begins at 3 p.m. on BTN. Retherford has won every meeting, including the most recent in February by a 6-2 decision.

157 | Jason Nolf - No. 2 seed

What he did: Wearing a thick black brace on his right knee, Nolf wrestled a total of 9 minute and 33 secondsin what were his first two matches back since his late-January injury. He secured a fall (2:33) over Michigan State's Jake Tucker in his first before outworking Minnesota's Jake Short for a 15-2 major decision. Nolf opted to medically default before his semifinal bout against Michigan's Alec Pantaleo. It does not count as a loss against Nolf's reared.

What's next: Nolf will rest his knee and not compete Sunday as he rests his knee out of precautionary reasons and awaits the NCAA Championships in two weeks.

165 | Vincenzo Joseph - No. 3 seed

What he did: Joseph pinned Norrthwestern's Mike Sepke in 3:39 during the opening round match. He won his next bout, 18-10, over Minnesota's Nick Wanzek, but was thrown to his back for a 6-point move. Joseph found himself in a brawl in the semifinals against Michigan's Logan Massa, who had handed Iowa's Alex Marinelli his first loss of his freshman season during the quarters. Although Marinelli had beaten Joseph in the dual meet, it was Joseph who hung on for the 5-4 win over Massa in the semis.

What's next: Joseph draws Illinois' Isaiah Martinez, who is in quest of his fourth Big Ten title. Joseph and Martinez have met three teams, with Joseph's only victory occurring in the championship round of last year's NCAAs.

174 | Mark Hall - No. 1 seed

What he did: Hall pinned his first two opponents in about 6 and a half minutes. His first came over Logan Ritche of Michigan State in 5:33 and by the time of the fall, Hall had accumulated more than 4 minutes in riding time. In the quarters, Hall pinned Ryan Christensen of Wisconsin off the opening takedown to set up a showdown against Northwestern's Johnny Sebastian in the semis – a match Hall won, 4-1.

What's next: In Sunday's final, Hall faces Michigan's Myles Amine, who pinned Ohio State's Bo Jordan in the semifinal. Jordan was the Big Ten champ at this weight class one year ago.

184 | Bo Nickal - No. 1 seed

What he did: After a first-round bye, Nickal pinned Minneosta's Brandon Krone in 1:25 in the quarterfinal but had to fight to a closer 5-2 decision against Illinois' Emery Parker in this semis.

What's next: Nickal faces, once again, Myles Martin of Ohio State. It'll be their eighth career meeting, three of which have come in either the Big Ten or NCAA finals. Martin holds a 2-1 edge in those championship-round matches.

197 | Shakur Rasheed - No. 2 seed

What he did: In comparison to his pace earlier in the season, Rasheed got off to a slow start but still pulled out victories in the first three rounds. He won, 8-4, against Jake Kleimola of Indiana in the opening round before beating Northwestern's Zack Chakonis, 11-8 in the quarters. For the first time in the tournament, he turned his opponent to his back in the semifinal during a 10-2 major decision over Purdue's Christian Brunner.

What's next: Rasheed is set to face defending Big Ten champion Kollin Moore of Ohio State. It'll be their first career meeting. However, Moore lost to Rasheed's teammate Anthony Cassar in the PSU-OSU dual meet in February, 6-3.

285 | Nick Nevills - No. 3 seed

What he did: Nevills jumped out to a 11-3 major decision against Deuce Rachal of Illinois in the first round before beating Northwestern's Conan Jennings, 5-0, in the quarterfinal. Wrestling Olympic gold medalist and defending league and national heavyweight champion Kyle Snyder in the semis, Nevills lost by major decision, 14-5.

What's next: Nevills draws Yusef Hemida of Maryland, who beat Nevills earlier in the season. The winner wrestles for third place.