Future Penn State wrestlers shine at U20 World Team Trials
Two future Penn State wrestlers will represent the United States at the U20 World Championships in Warsaw, Poland, this August. Incoming transfer Mitchell Mesenbrink won the 74-kilogram weight class at the U.S. Team Trials on Saturday in Geneva, Ohio, while Class of 2024 star Luke Lilledahl took the top spot at 57 kilograms.
Mesenbrink, who is already a U20 silver medalist, cruised in the finals. He beat Hunter Garvin of Iowa 17-8 and 10-0 to win the best-of-three championship match with ease. The former Cal Baptist wrestler, who is 2-0 in his only pair of college matches, left that school earlier this year and will be at Penn State for the 2023-2024 season.
“Mesenbrink has big freestyle goals and prioritized improving in freestyle during his unique “redshirt” year,” Joe Kozak wrote for Flo Wrestling earlier this year. “Over the past 9 months, Mesenbrink competed on the senior level at the Bill Farrell and Dan Kolov tournament at 74kg. He also was able to attend the United States senior national team camps where he trained with the likes of Jordan Burroughs, Jason Nolf, Yianni Diakomihals, and many of Team USA’s other top wrestlers.
“According to Mesenbrink, these experiences helped him to “stop being star-struck” by those legends because he has “big goals” and desires to achieve the highest levels of the sport.”
He also told that outlet why he picked the Lions.
“I didn’t really need to see much else…I knew. I want to be there.” So what was it about Penn State that gave him that confidence? The culture, the people, and trust.”
More Penn State results from the U20 U.S. Team Trials
Lilledalh swept his best-of-three championship match by knocking off Troy Spratley, a Class of 2022 former Minnesota commit who is now at Oklahoma State.
“Lilledahl had to grind out a pair of wins against Cowboy RTC’s Troy Spratley, who finished in second place at this event for the second-straight year,” USA Wrestling writes. “Both matches came down to the wire and both times Lilledahl found the answer he needed, winning by scores of 9-4 and 4-2. Lilledahl is a two-time U17 World medalist, finishing with silver in 2021 before topping the podium last year.”
Lilledahl committed to Penn State back in April.
“I am excited to announce that I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at Penn State University,” Lilledahl wrote on social media at the time. “I have enjoyed and appreciated getting to know many coaches during my recruitment. And, I appreciate all the time and effort that they spent teaching me about their programs and getting to know me. I would also like to thank my family, my coaches, and the CBC and Wyoming Seminary families for everything they have done for me over the years. The best is yet to come!”
Penn State Class of 2024 commit Tyler Kasak finished second at 65 kilograms while future classmate Joe Sealey was third at 74 kilograms.
