The wrestlers for Penn State wrestling coach Troy Sunderland's team had their chance to prove where they belonged Sunday in competition at the Penn State wrestle-offs.

Wrestle-offs help determine who will earn the starting spots for the Nittany Lions lineup.

"A lot of us haven't stepped on the mat since Albany [at the 2002 NCAA Wrestling Championships], last year," senior Mark Becks said. "So it's good motivation for you to get back on the mat, and see where you're at."

After the players got on the mat, Sunderland was able to get a clearer picture of the team's lineup.

157 Pounds

This weight class had the least depth on Sunday. Only two wrestlers, redshirt sophomore Jarrad Turner and senior Nate Wachter, were in competition for the starting spot at 157.

Scheduled to be a best-of-three series, Wachter took only two matches to defeat Turner, winning by decisions of 5-3 and 12-5.

165 Pounds

Senior Doc Vecchio won the most competitive weight class during wrestle-offs. Vecchio beat freshmen Brian Cantalupi and Jeremy Hart, twice, in the tournament.

"My first match I was a little tired, but that was just like a warm-up match," Vecchio said.

"[My] second and third match against Jeremy, we wrestled a lot in the room so I knew what he was gonna do and he knew what I was gonna do. He's a really good kid. I just had to be careful because he's always moving, so one bad shot and I could get taken down."

Redshirt junior Adam Shepler also competed in the 165-pound bracket.

174 Pounds

Redshirt sophomore Dan Waters beat out freshman competition to win the 174-pound bracket. Waters defeated James Yonushonis 8-2 in the title match, which came after Waters recorded a 6-3 triumph over Kyle Cathcart.

Cathcart and Yonushonis, who wrestled just an hour away from each other in high school, battled twice. They split their matches.

Cathcart and Yonushonis were just two of the many young wrestlers to compete at wrestle-offs. Despite the lack of major experience, the team has a positive outlook for the season.