Penn State goes 20-0, takes lead on the opening day of Division I men's wrestling championships
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State is well-positioned to claim its fourth straight national championship after having a perfect opening day Thursday at the Division I Men's Wrestling Championships.
It was the first time the Nittany Lions went a perfect 20-0 on the first day of action and sent all 10 of its qualifiers — one in every weight class — to the quarterfinals.
Penn State seeks its 12th championship in 14 years under coach Cael Sanderson. The Nittany Lions could be a threat to eclipse the scoring record they posted last year.
Penn State's Carter Starocci remains in contention for an unprecedented fifth national title after a pair of wins at 184 pounds. His four previous wins came at 174 pounds.
Nebraska is in second place with 28 points and Oklahoma State is in third with 27.
Nebraska sent five wrestlers through to the quarterfinals. Oklahoma State, under first-year coach David Taylor, sent six wrestlers to the quarterfinals, the second-most behind Penn State.
'I thought we wrestled pretty well,' Taylor said. 'It's the national tournament. There's ups and downs, but I thought we did pretty well.'
Iowa, Minnesota and Ohio State are tied for fourth with 18 points. Minnesota's Gable Steveson, the 2021 Olympic gold medalist seeking his third national title at heavyweight, won two matches Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
‘Third-best season ever': Over 6.5 million skiers visited Utah's resorts during the season
SALT LAKE CITY () — 'Greatest snow on Earth,' Utah's long-running slogan, is proving itself true after another successful season at Utah's ski resorts. According to Ski Utah, this last season was the third-best in state history. There are 15 ski resorts across Utah, and together they recorded 6,503,635 visitors during the 2024-25 season, which has just wrapped up. According to a press release from Ski Utah, this is the third-highest number of skier visits in state history. This season's skier visits were down 3.6% from last year, the press release says, but the more than 6.5 million visitors this year show a 3.3% increase over Utah's five-year average. Utah's economy benefits greatly from recreation at the ski resorts. Ski Utah's president and CEO, Nathan Rafferty, emphasized skiing's impact on Utah. EXCLUSIVE: Utah man who underwent 120 surgeries advocates for rare disease awareness in Washington, D.C. 'To hit our third-best season ever and generate $2.51 billion for Utah's economy is a major win,' Rafferty is quoted in the release. 'The ski industry in Utah supports approximately 25,000 jobs, and with the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games on the horizon, the eyes of the world will be on us once again. We're excited about the opportunities ahead and grateful to all who helped make this season a success.' Ski Utah says that ski resorts are already hard at work to prepare for the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics. In the next two years alone, 13 new lifts are expected to finish construction and open, and many resorts are planning upgrades to their mountain areas. 'Utah's future as a global winter destination remains as promising as ever,' Ski Utah concluded. Arizona man drowns along San Juan River in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Charges for trespassing on border military zones 'not going away' Former Utah Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon Hall dies at 98 Two women charged with felonies after late-night assault in Logan, charges say Death penalty expert weighs in on Menzies competency ruling and appeal Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Mizzou QB Beau Pribula to Attend Manning Passing Academy
Mizzou QB Beau Pribula to Attend Manning Passing Academy originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula will be among the attendees at this year's prestigious Manning Passing Academy, held from June 26-29 at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. Advertisement The camp announced his invitation in an Instagram post highlighting some of the quarterbacks set to attend. Pribula, a transfer from Penn State, will join an impressive list of college quarterbacks including Texas' Arch Manning, Clemson's Cade Klubnik, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier, Texas A&M's Marcel Reed, and South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers. In total, eight SEC quarterbacks will participate in the camp. The Manning Passing Academy, operated by Manning family members including Archie, Peyton, Eli, and Cooper, focuses on refining fundamental skills for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends. It serves as one of the top offseason development opportunities for college talent ahead of the upcoming season. Quarterback Beau Pribula talks with Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK A native of York, Pennsylvania, Pribula spent two seasons backing up Drew Allar at Penn State before transferring to Mizzou this offseason. He passed for 424 yards, nine touchdowns, and one interception during his Nittany Lion career, while adding 10 rushing touchdowns. Advertisement While Missouri hasn't officially named a starter, Pribula is the favorite to lead the Tigers onto the field in 2025. With fellow quarterback competition Sam Horn drawing MLB Draft interest and lacking in-game experience, Pribula appears ready to take command of the Mizzou offense. The camp invitation is another sign that those around Pribula—and those watching—believe in his potential, but fans will still have to wait and see who takes the first snap for the Tigers this fall. Related: Mizzou's New RB Transfer Expected to Make Immediate Impact Related: Mizzou Lands Commitment from Touted Tight End in 2026 Class This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
LPGA Hall of Famer calls for more to speak out against trans athletes in girls sports
LPGA Hall of Famer calls for more to speak out against trans athletes in girls sports Betsy King grew up on 30 acres of land in Reading, Pennsylvania, where she honed a golf swing that would eventually land her in the LPGA and World Golf halls of fame. But golf wasn't her only passion. When older brother Lee left the house, mom often said, 'Take your sister.' And that's how King wound up playing baseball, basketball, hockey and, in elementary school, and tackle football with the neighborhood boys. Those memories come flooding back when King, a six-time major winner, sees biological males competing against females across the country. 'You know, when I was playing with the boys,' said King, 'I mean, it definitely helped my competitiveness to play then against other girls. But I was just trying to play well enough that that they would let me play. Obviously, even at that age, there was a physical difference.' Last week, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles made headlines when she called NCAA swimmer Riley Gaines a 'bully' and 'sore loser' for her criticism of biological boys competing in women's sports – in this particular instance, a high school state championship. Four days later, Biles apologized for her comments. 'In my mind, all I could think about is if a transgender woman started competing in what she (Biles) does, I think they could dominate,' said King, 'without a doubt.' Last December, the LPGA and U.S. Golf Association announced changes to their transgender policies that prohibit athletes who have experienced male puberty from competing in women's events. The move came as transgender golfer Hailey Davidson earned status on the LPGA's developmental Epson Tour. Sources say only a handful of LPGA players were in favor of allowing transgender athletes to compete. Even so, for King, the fight is far from over. Now she'd like to see a federal law put into place that would restrict the participation of biological males in female sports. In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that called on the government to "rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities." But that hasn't kept it from happening at high school competitions across the country. President Trump said last week that California would face large-scale fines after a transgender athlete won two medals in the state's track and field championship. 'I just feel badly for the high school girls that have to face it,' said King. 'You know, I've seen a couple of them on TV talking about it. And it really bothers me that the adults haven't stood up for these girls as much as they should.' As for the LPGA's new policy, King would like to see the tour return to a female-at-birth mandate, calling the trend of childhood transitions frightening. "I don't know that at 7 years old, if you really know what you are, who you are, or know what you want to do, to make a decision that will impact you the rest of your life," said King. "We don't listen to many 7-year-olds about a lot of things, right? That you would decide to listen to them about this is kind of frightening." A New York Times/Ipsos survey released in January 2025 found that 79 percent of Americans polled were against allowing biological males who identify as women to participate in women's sports. And yet, so few Hall of Fame-caliber female athletes have come out publicly against it. King, 69, posts frequently about the topic on social media and was especially disheartened recently when, during a floor debate on the Save Women's Sports Act, Pennsylvania state senator Lindsey Williams said, 'I want all girls to know that there are elected officials like me who believe female bodies are just as strong and fast and capable as male bodies.' King said she found Williams' comments to be ridiculous and went searching to confirm they weren't a parody. Five years ago, tennis icon Billie Jean King joined World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe, the WNBA's Candace Parker and nearly 200 athletes in supporting transgender youth participation in sports as part of a response to Idaho legislation that banned trans girls from competing in schools. 'There is no place in any sport for discrimination of any kind,' Billie Jean King said in a Women's Sports Foundation release. 'I'm proud to support all transgender athletes who simply want the access and opportunity to compete in the sport they love. The global athletic community grows stronger when we welcome and champion all athletes – including LGBTQI+ athletes.' Another tennis icon, Martina Navratilova, however, sees it differently than Billie Jean and has been vocal about the subject for years. She's one of the few decorated female athletes to do so. Growing up, Betsy King didn't have the same opportunities as her brother to play organized sports. As a three-sport athlete at Furman, King recalled going to the president's office each year with other female athletes to ask for more money. Female athletes stood up more back then, she noted, out of necessity. Some in King's circle and beyond have commented that there are more pressing issues currently facing the country. Her response: It's possible to be concerned about more than one subject. For example, in September, she'll head back to Africa for the umpteenth time (26th or 27th, she's not sure) to check in on some schools her Arizona church funds in Tanzania. After winning 34 times on the LPGA, King launched her Golf Fore Africa foundation in 2007 and raised roughly $20 million for World Vision, enough to fund 400 wells, at least 50 mechanized water systems and eight maternity wings for local hospitals. Though her work with the foundation has come to an end, she's finding more ways to use her platform. 'You know, I have nothing to lose,' said King on the divisive gender topic. 'I don't have any sponsorships at this stage. I've always been kind of outspoken and strong about values that I think even if I were playing, I would speak up.' Her mother, Helen Szymkowicz King, graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 1940 and was elected into the university's Athletic Hall of Fame as a three-sport athlete. King looks at how much the landscape has changed for women's sports in recent decades and views the transgender debate as a step backward. 'Many of us fought for places to compete when none existed,' King said. 'We cannot surrender our sports or our spaces.' Put another way by one of golf's most decorated American players: It's simply not fair.
