With the Big Ten wrestling season officially underway, No. 3 Penn State won its first two matches of the season during Saturday’s tri-meet, beating Indiana 24-15 and Northwestern 29-13.

After a long-awaited premier thanks to some COVID-19-related delays, Penn State’s return to the mat was greatly appreciated. Here are five important takeaways from Saturday’s duals:

Aaron Brooks Is A Stud

After becoming the first freshman in Penn State wrestling history to win the Big Ten tournament last season, the expectations were high for 184-pounder Aaron Brooks heading into the year. For the Nittany Lions to be competitive in a loaded Big Ten conference, Brooks will be key for winning big matches.

During Saturday’s tri-meet, Brooks did just that. He looked like a man among boys, beating Drayton Harris of Indiana by major decision 18-5 and tech falling Northwestern’s Jack Jessen 21-6.

Brooks scored takedowns with ease in his first two matches of the year. Although he was able to get only one turn on top during the two matches, his riding time was impressive. Brooks rode Harris for more than four minutes and received a bonus point for his riding time against Jessen, which gave him the extra point needed for a tech fall victory.

With a meeting with Michigan’s No. 1 Miles Amine on the horizon, Brooks should continue to dominate like he’s been since the end of last season and right off the bat this year.

Freshmen Will Need To Step Up

In Saturday’s duals, Penn State wrestled four freshmen in its starting lineup, something that’s unusual for a Cael Sanderson squad.

Joe Lee, Carter Starroci, Terrell Barraclough, and Donovan Ball all saw mat time. Fellow freshmen Robbie Howard, Baylor Shunk, Greg Kerkvliet, and Michael Beard should see some action this year as well. For Penn State to be successful, the young guns will need to prove themselves.

Lee, ranked sixth at 165 lbs., won both his matches by decision on Saturday. Lee wrestled solid for his first dual meet appearance but will need to improve throughout the season to compete with the top guys in his weight class. He nearly dropped his second match against Northwestern’s David Ferrante, who is unranked at the weight.

No. 5 Starroci got a taste of what it’s like to wrestle in the Big Ten after an upset by Indiana’s DJ Washington in his first match. He lost by decision 10-9 but was down 10-1 early on in the match. Despite the loss, Starroci didn’t give up and battled back to give himself a chance to win. He bounced back in his second match with a 4-1 victory.

Barraclough and Ball both suffered losses in their matches against Northwestern. The two are unlikely to start later on in the season.

Greg Kerkvliet’s Absence Felt Easily

Penn State has some question marks surrounding who will be the starter at heavyweight.

Kerkvliet is currently ranked No. 5 in the country, but it was sophomore Seth Nevills who took the mat for Saturday’s tri-meet. While Kerkvliet is expected to be a stud over the next four years, Nevills is still a solid option for the Nittany Lions.

Nevills wrestled tough as a true freshman last year with a record of 13-4. He also dominated both his matches over the weekend with tech fall and a first-period pin that secured the win in Penn State’s match against Indiana.

Sanderson commented earlier this month that he’s not sure when we’ll see the freshman Kerkvliet in action this season.

Who Will Start At 125?

The Nittany Lions had to forfeit at 125 lbs. for both matches on Saturday after no wrestlers in the weight class were cleared. For Penn State’s next dual against Wisconsin, we could see either Robbie Howard or Baylor Shunk at 125, assuming both get cleared.

Howard was a huge recruit coming out of high school. The two-time New Jersey state champ would have been a redshirt this season, but he could very well be the starter in an uncertain year due to COVID-19. Howard is also a three-time World Team member and was apart of a Gold Medal Youth Olympic Team. The true freshman could make a big impact for the Nittany Lions this year.

Shunk, a redshirt freshman, posted a 12-9 record in open tournaments as an unattached wrestler last season. The Pennsylvania native was a three-time state qualifier and two-time state place winner in high school. Shunk could be another solid option at 125 lbs. for Sanderson.

Don’t be surprised to see Brandon Meredith in the lineup at 125 as well. The sophomore is listed at both 125 and 133. Meredith went 13-16 as the starter at 125 last season. Although his record doesn’t stand out, he did upset Penn’s No. 10 Michael Colaicco in his dual meet debut and No. 11 Pat Mckee of Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament.

Veterans Key To Winning Big Ten Matches

If Penn State is going to compete with No. 1 Iowa and No. 2 Michigan, experienced leaders will need to shine in the big matches. The team is young, but stars like Nick Lee, Roman Bravo-Young, and Aaron Brooks can give it a chance.

Out of the six matches among the three on Saturday, they scored bonus points in all but one. Bravo-Young won his first match by decision and his second match via pinfall. Lee added a tech fall and stall-out victory, while Brooks had a major decision and a tech fall as well.

When Penn State goes up against the top-notch Big Ten teams later in the season, the three will likely draw some of the hardest matches. Winning and possibly getting bonus points in those matches are key for the Nittany Lions.