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Wrestling For the Second Time in the Home of the LV Phantoms
ALLENTOWN, Pa. – One of college wrestling’s oldest and most storied rivalries is returning to Downtown Allentown as Lehigh will host three-time defending NCAA champion Penn State at PPL Center on Sunday, December 8 at 2 p.m.
As many as three NCAA champions and 11 All-Americans could compete in the 112th meeting between Lehigh and Penn State, which will also be the second-ever wrestling event in the 10,000-person capacity home of the American Hockey League’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Lehigh hosted Penn State in the initial wrestling event at PPL Center on December 3, 2017 with a Lehigh home dual meet record crowd of 9,896 watching the fifth-ranked Mountain Hawks race to a 15-0 lead before the No. 1 Nittany Lions rallied to claim a 23-19 victory.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to return to PPL Center to wrestle Penn State,” said Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro. “Our match in 2017 was an amazing event and working with the team at PPL Center was an incredible experience for everyone involved.”
This match will be part of Lehigh’s season ticket and flex-plan packages. Season ticket holders can begin renewing their tickets on Monday, September 16.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Monday, September 23 at 10 a.m. through PPLCenter.com, or the PPL Center QNB Box Office.
Fans looking for group sales should contact Lehigh Ticket Services at 610-758-4263 or PPL Center. Lehigh students will be admitted free of charge with a student ticket, obtained online through LehighTickets.com, while supplies last. Student and faculty/staff tickets will be available starting October 1. All internet sales will be through PPL Center.
Lehigh’s all-time home dual attendance record of 9,896 was set during the first PPL Center dual in 2017. The top four home dual meet crowds in Lehigh history and six of the top seven have come against the Nittany Lions. Penn State’s visits to the Lehigh Valley in December 2019 and December 2022 both brought more than 6,000 fans into Stabler Arena.
Penn State has won the last three NCAA titles and seven of the last eight overall. Lehigh, which finished 15th at last year’s NCAA Championships, returns a trio of All-Americans in Michael Beard, Ryan Crookham and Luke Stanich among seven wrestlers who have previously qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Lehigh and Penn State have met 111 times since 1911 with the Nittany Lions owning a 74-34-3 advantage in the series. Penn State has won the last 13 duals, which coincides with its ascension into a national power in 15 seasons under head coach Cael Sanderson.
The Lehigh-Penn State match at PPL Center will be one of five home duals for the Mountain Hawks in 2024-25 with the other four, plus Lehigh’s annual Brown and White Intrasquad set for Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. The Mountain Hawks will also host the Sheridan Tournament and the 121st EIWA Championships at Stabler Arena. Lehigh’s complete season schedule will be announced on Monday, September 16.
The 2024-25 Lehigh wrestling season is presented by the Historic Hotel Bethlehem.
Information provided to TVL by:
Phantoms Marketing
