ALLENTOWN, Pa. — One of college wrestling’s oldest and most storied rivalries will return to Allentown's PPL Center, it was announced Monday.
Lehigh University will host three-time defending NCAA champion Penn State at the arena at 2 p.m. Dec. 8, the venue announced.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to return to PPL Center to wrestle Penn State. Our match in 2017 was an amazing event and working with the team at PPL Center was an incredible experience for everyone involved.”Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro
The match will be part of Lehigh's season ticket and flex-plan packages. Season ticket holders can begin renewing their tickets now.
Lehigh students will be admitted free with a student ticket available through LehighTickets.com, while supplies last. Student and faculty/staff tickets will be available Oct. 1.
Tickets will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 23 at PPLCenter.com, or the box office at the arena at 701 Hamilton St., Allentown.
As many as three NCAA champions and 11 All-Americans could compete in the 112th meeting between Lehigh and Penn State, according to a release.
It will be the second-ever college wrestling event in the 10,000-capacity arena. Lehigh also played host to Penn State there on Dec. 3, 2017, with 9,896 watching the then-fifth-ranked Mountain Hawks lose to the No. 1 Nittany Lions 23-19.
That match set Lehigh’s all-time home dual attendance record.
Three All-Americans return
“We’re excited about the opportunity to return to PPL Center to wrestle Penn State,” Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro said.
“Our match in 2017 was an amazing event and working with the team at PPL Center was an incredible experience for everyone involved.”
Lehigh and Penn State have met 111 times since 1911 with the Nittany Lions having a 74-34-3 advantage in the series. Penn State has won the last 13 duals.PPL Center release
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.
They are Michael Beard, Ryan Crookham and Luke Stanich, who were 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 having a 74-34-3 advantage in the series. Penn State has won the last 13 duals.
The Lehigh-Penn State match at PPL Center will be one of five home duals for the Mountain Hawks in 2024-25. The other four, plus Lehigh's annual Brown and White Intrasquad set for Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall.
The Mountain Hawks also will be host for the Sheridan
Tournament and the 121st EIWA Championships at Stabler Arena. Lehigh's complete season schedule is to be announced today.
