Check out the below article for the current team scores and a breakdown of the team race at the 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships.
Mar 16-18 · Resumes Yesterday at 4:00 PM UTC
2023 NCAA Championships Watch Party
Top 10 After Session 3
Penn State Puts 7 In The Semis!
Penn State had a historic quarter-final round Friday morning putting all 7 of their quarter-finalists into the semi-finals. Roman Bravo-Young, Beau Bartlett, Shayne Van-Ness, Levi Haines, Carter Starocci, Aaron Brooks, and Greg Kerkvliet were the 7 Nittany Lion wrestlers who reached the semis. Not only does a semi-final birth guarantee them a top 6 placement, but each semi-finalist also earned Penn State 7 team points. On top of the semi-finalists, Max Dean is still alive for All-American honors and will wrestle Jaxon Smith in the round of 12 on Friday night.
The Battle For A Team Trophy Is TIGHT!
Iowa might be in second place but there are still 7-8 other teams with a realistic shot to reach the top four and bring home a team trophy. There are significant points available in the next round with 7 points on the line for a win in the semis and 3.5 points up for grabs with a win in the round of 12. With so many teams still in the hunt for a trophy, the Friday night round be crucial for every team in the top ten.
Check out the chart below to see a breakdown of the point potential for each team on Friday night:
*We’ll update this article at the end of each session so check back on Friday night for the latest update.
More Content from 2023 NCAAs:
SEE OLDER TEAM RACE UPDATES BELOW
Top 10 After Session 2
Penn State With 7 In Quarters – Iowa Trails With 5
Penn State put 7 of their 9 wrestlers into the quarter-finals and holds a 4.5-point lead over Iowa who only has 4 wrestlers in the quarter-finals. Though Alex Facundo went 0-2 and Max Dean lost to Silas Allred, the Nittany Lions built their lead with 11 bonus points from their winning wrestlers. Those bonus points alone would be enough to match to the entirety of the current 15th-place team.
Of the teams after Penn State in the top 10, Missouri has the most in the quarter-finals with 6 wrestlers competing on Friday morning for a spot in the semis. After that, the Tigers have 3 wrestlers still alive in the consolation bracket. Next, both Nebraska and Virginia have 5 wrestlers in the quarters. Nebraska only has 2 alive in the consolation bracket while Virginia Tech has 3 wrestlers fighting on the back-side still alive for All-American honors.
Iowa’s head coach Tom Brands recaps Day 1 for the Hawkeyes:
Top 10 After Session 1
Bonus Points The Difference For Penn State In Session 1
Penn State had 8 of their 9 wrestlers win matches in the first round on Thursday. NC State, Iowa, and Missouri also had 8 wrestlers win however Penn State took their lead by securing bonus points from 5 wrestlers with pins at 3 weights. Each win in the championship rounds is worth 1 point with a major decision earning an extra point, a tech-fall earning 1.5, and a pin earning 2. If the teams trailing the Nittany Lions hope to keep pace, they’ll have to step up their bonus point production.