Penn State wrestling electrifies Bryce Jordan Center en route to victory over Rutgers
Usually limited to 6,502 fans for a sold-out Rec Hall crowd, No. 1 Penn State gained more than just the luxury of more seats to fill in its annual Bryce Jordan Center dual on Monday night.
Pink and white spotlights illuminated the arena during warmups. Red flares were sparked during the national anthem. And each Nittany Lion was introduced to booming, pulsing music and bursts of fire around the arena — the kind of amenities you just won’t find in the much-older Rec Hall.
Penn State was fueled by the support of 12,049 fans on Monday, defeating Rutgers 35-3 on the eve of potential snowfall in Happy Valley.
The Nittany Lions used the large crowd and unique atmosphere of the BJC to build momentum on the mat as the night went on. As senior Beau Bartlett (141) earned a victory in the final seconds against Max Hermes, he took a look around the crowd, met by an explosion of intense cheering and loud music, and fist-bumped the Nittany Lion mascot as he made his way off of the floor.
Bartlett would be one of many Nittany Lions to earn an eruption of cheers from the fans, who were sent into a frenzy a few times while equipped with Beaver Stadium-style pink shakers.
However, the cheers found around the BJC on Monday were just as loud as any boos, “oohs” and “aahs.” Rutgers’ Dylan Shawver (133) was met with a loud collection of jeers as he defeated Penn State’s Aaron Nagao 9-6 early on and egged on the crowd by pumping his arms to get the fans louder. The Scarlet Knights’ coaches heard the same sea of boos as they debated with officials.
Sophomore Lucas Cochran, who won his matchup 8-3, said that the many distractions within the BJC on Monday didn’t affect his locked-in mentality.
“I’m just kind of zoned in,” Cochran said. “All of that, it just doesn’t even cross my mind, really.”
No. 1 Levi Haines (157) took quick advantage of the fired-up crowd, bringing it to its feet with a fast pin in his matchup against unranked Dylan Weaver. Haines gave Penn State a 15-3 advantage — a significant one that it never looked back from.
Perhaps the loudest crowd pop of the night came from Nittany Lions senior Terrell Barraclough’s 4-3 upset win over No. 13 Jackson Turley at 174 lbs. Tied at 3-3 going into the final period, the crowd’s applause of Barraclough, who’s listed at 165 lbs, gradually grew louder until he won by decision and pumped his first toward his coaches and the fans.
Barraclough described the energy he felt between the environment and beating someone bigger than him.
“It was sweet. I’ve been bumping up a weight,” Barraclough said.
While Monday didn’t quite bring the common sold-out crowd that the BJC dual has in past years, it still gave Penn State a significant home advantage through loud support and a unique, hyped-up environment. Typically, the BJC dual has been held on a weekend, a likely reason there wasn’t a sold-out crowd — not to mention the impending snowfall.
“We appreciate the fans that came out. I know Monday night is not ideal (for) travel,” coach Cael Sanderson said.
When asked how he felt about some rare Monday night wrestling, Barraclough joked that he has an exam on Thursday to worry about.
“I gotta study,” Barraclough said.
The Nittany Lions’ evening at the BJC was the first matchup in a swap of homes between Penn State’s wrestling and basketball programs in February — next week, Penn State men’s and women’s basketball will host games in Rec Hall.
Even through the spectacles of the arena and a crowd that was double the size of a usual Penn State home dual, Barraclough and the Nittany Lions remained focused en route to another dominant win.
“I’m just kind of thinking about my system and what I want to do in the match,” Barraclough said of entering the arena for his matchup. “That was fun.”
