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It seems like forever since the Nittany Lions have delivered remarkable performances on the wrestling mat. The last time Nittany Lions showed up on the world stage was Dec 16-17 at US Senior Nationals in Men’s freestyle wrestling. While eight of the wrestlers competed at Fort Worth, Texas, the rest were either seen in the Hofstra dual or Lehigh dual in November. 

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In short, Penn State wrestling stars are not visible wrestling much this season. The major reason behind this is that for the past few years, the Penn State Wrestling team has been trying to figure out who will be starting at which weight class. Recently, the team has stormed social media by revealing an update about one of its core teammates. 

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Greg Kerkvliet’s update

At Fort Worth, Texas, Penn State Wrestling ended the anticipation of one of its remarkable wrestlers by revealing the names on the bracket. While most of the Nittany Lions were on the list, Greg Kerkvliet was not seen. However, Greg was supposed to compete in Olympic trials at the 2023 US Senior Nationals. 

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 In a recent interview with Central Daily Times, Coach Cael Sanderson said, “Lingering from his injury against Lehigh, it just didn’t make sense to jump into a big tournament. It was kind of like last-day-kind-of-decision,” Sanderson said. “He’s doing well, and ready to rock ‘n’ roll this weekend.

The major shock for spectators was the No. 2 seed of the wrestlers. Despite garnering a seed, the wrestler was not available when the tournament got underway. However, Greg was exempted from the tournaments due to his injuries. Therefore, Penn State Wrestling coach Cael decided to withdraw Greg’s name from the tournament. But Who will replace Grey at the upcoming Paris Olympics?

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Penn State Wrestling update about multiple weight classes

For the past couple of years, the Penn State Wrestling team has been trying to figure out wrestlers for multiple weight classes, especially 125 pounds and 149 pounds. Unfortunately, not only Grey but also Shayne Van Ness is out of the season. Therefore, the worries about taking up the spot extend. 

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Read more: Wisconsin Badgers Wrestling Sensation Shut Out Opponents to Concede Zero Points at Midlands Championship to Earn OW Title

After measuring the performance graphs of Evans and Kasak, Penn State Wrestling has decided that both of them will be more competent for 149 pounds. Both the wrestlers have locked horns in a dual while collecting a 19-4 tech fall over Hofstra’s Alex Turley at a smaller weight class. While Evans performed well at the US Senior Nationals, Kasak did not get a chance to hit the wrestling mat at the tournament. But the question is still the same: Who will replace Grey at the Olympics?

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Written by

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Yashika Dutta

2,141 Articles

Yashika Dutta is a Basketball Writer at EssentiallySports, covering the NCAA, WNBA, and Olympics. A member of the EssentiallySports Journalistic Excellence Program, she specializes in the high-stakes energy of college basketball, with features on the Big Ten Conference and the chaos of March Madness that bring fans right to the hardwood. Her coverage has even caught the attention of UConn coaches and Olympian Rori Dunk, earning her recognition for both accuracy and insight. A former state-level basketball player, Yashika channels her on-court experience into reporting that captures the game’s intensity beyond the box score. With a player’s sense of timing and a journalist’s instinct for storytelling, she shines a light on rising stars like Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins, while unpacking the pressures and triumphs that shape college hoops. Whether charting a Big Ten rivalry or chronicling the ethos of March Madness, Yashika connects fans to the heart of the game with energy and authenticity.

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Bhujaya Ray Chowdhury

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