Four Nittany Lions Win NCAA Titles for 2024 National Champion Penn State Wrestling Team
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team crowned four individual champions at the 2024 NCAA Championships in Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center. Penn State, which clinched its 11th team National Championship under head coach Cael Sanderson on Friday night, welcomed two new NCAA champions to the fold and added its first two four-time NCAA kings.

Penn State won the team title with 172.5 points, 100 points ahead of second place Cornell. Michigan was third with 71.0. The Nittany Lions leave Kansas City with eight All-Americans, four NCAA Champions including its first two four-timers in Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks.

Senior Greg Kerkvliet, the No. 1 seed at 285, battled No. 10 Lucas Davison of Michigan in the first of Penn State’s six NCAA title bouts. Kerkvliet used a low pick to snag Davison’s ankle to up his lead to 6-2.
Kerkvliet’s dominance gave the Nittany Lion his first National Championship with a resounding 13-4 major decision. He ends the tournament with a 5-0 mark, including two majors and a tech, and the season at 20-0. Kerkvliet is a four-time All-American.

Sophomore Levi Haines, the No. 1 seed at 157, met No. 2 Jacori Teemer of Arizona State in his finals match. Haines went 5-0 for his title with one major, two tech falls and a pin. He ends his season with a 23-0 record and is a two-time All-American.

Senior Carter Starocci, the No. 9 seed at 174, made his fourth straight appearance in the NCAA finals and met No. 6 Rocco Welsh of Ohio State. The Nittany Lion senior walked off the mat with a 2-0 win and became a four-time NCAA Champion. Starocci went 5-0 and ends his senior season with a 17-2 record.

Senior+ Aaron Brooks, the No. 1 seed at 197, made his fourth straight appearance in the NCAA finals and took on No. 2 Trent Hidlay of North Carolina State in the event’s final bout. Brooks, with riding time, became a four-time NCAA Champion with the strong 6-0 win. Brooks went 5-0 at the tournament with a 5-0 record, including two pins and two tech falls. Brooks ends the season with a 22-0 record and closes out his career with an 89-3 record as a five-time All-American and four-time NCAA Champion.

The Nittany Lions now have 59 NCAA Champions, 38 since Sanderson’s arrival as head coach. Starocci and Brooks became school’s first four-time NCAA Champions. At the conclusion of the tournament, Brooks was named the 2024 NCAA Most Dominant Wrestler and the 2024 NCAA Championship Outstanding Wrestler.

With this year’s championships in the books, Penn State now has 59 NCAA individual titles spread among 37 individuals. Since 2011, Penn State has the most individual titles in the nation (Penn State 38, Cornell 14, Oklahoma State 10, Ohio State 10, Iowa 7). The Nittany Lions have had 56 NCAA finalists and own a 38-18 record in the national finals. Since 2011, Penn State has won then of 11 of 13 NCAA team championships (no tournament in 2020).

The Nittany Lions have won 12 NCAA titles overall with 11 coming under Sanderson (third most in history). Penn State won four-straight titles in 2011, ’12, ’13 and ’14 and again in 2006, ’17, ’18 and ’19. The Nittany Lions have now won three straight again, 2022, ’23, ’24. Penn State also owns a championship from 1953.

Team Standings (Top 10 – FINAL)
1: PENN STATE – 172.5
2: Cornell – 72.5
3: Michigan – 71.0
4: Iowa State – 68.5
5: Iowa – 67.0
6: Arizona State – 65.5
7: Virginia Tech – 64.0
8: Ohio State – 62.0
9: Nebraska – 60.5
10: Oklahoma State – 56.0