Penn State wrestling offseason notes: Schedule updates, Senior Worlds preview, and more

Penn State wrestling is set to attend another prestigious early-season tournament run by Journeymen Wrestling. According to a graphic posted by the event organizer, the Nittany Lions will be one of 17 programs at the Collegiate Classic on Nov. 12 at Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Pa. Ticket information is not yet available. But, wrestling will begin at 9 a.m. ET.

Head coach Cael Sanderson first took his team to a Journeymen event, the Journeymen Duals, during the 2021-2022 season. Then, it knocked out Sacred Heart 47-3 and Oregon State 32-7 at the Spooky Nook complex in Manheim, Pa. Last year, the Lions traveled to the Collegiate Wrestling Duals in December. There, they beat Central Michigan 50-3, North Carolina 37-3, and Iowa State 22-12 in New Orleans.

This year’s list of teams coming to the individual and not dual meet tournament includes North Carolina State, Arizona State, Lehigh, Purdue, Long Island University, Lock Haven, Harvard, Franklin & Marshall College, Bloomsburg, Pitt-Johnstown, Buffalo, Sacred Hart, Army, the University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell. The event’s official website will post additional details when available.

Penn State will not release its full schedule until later this year as Sanderson and co., aim to defend their Big Ten regular and postseason titles in addition to their NCAA crown. We do already know, however, that the Lions will host Lehigh in State College for a non-conference dual meet on Dec. 3. A time is not yet known. it will attend the Army Black Knight Invitational, as well, on Sun., Nov. 19. The team will also travel to Iowa, Michigan, Maryland, and Michigan State for Big Ten matches during the 2023-2024 season. It will host Rutgers, Nebraska, Indiana, and Ohio State for conference duals. It is unclear how many of those will be at the Bryce Jordan Center versus Rec Hall.

Mesenbrink wins a gold medal

Penn State added wrestler Mitchell Mesenbrink out of the transfer portal from Cal Baptist earlier this year. The Wisconsin native is showing why the Lions wanted him by starring on the International stage. Mesenbrink won his first gold medal at the U20 World Championships on Wednesday. He beat Hossein Mohammad Aghaei of Iran in the 74 kilograms (163 pounds) finals in Amman, Jordan by a final score of 16-5.

Mesenbrink rolled through the elite international freestyle tournament. He beat his first four opponents on Tuesday by a combined score of 43-1 while notching four straight technical fall victories and finished the tournament 5-0 with a point differential of 59-6. This year’s result is an improvement over last year, when he finished second at 70 kilograms. The new Nittany Lion also won the U20 Pan-American 74-kilogram title earlier this year.

Mesenbrink was one of two Penn State connections to hit the medal stand at this year’s U20 event. Class of 2024 commit Luke Lilledahl finished second in the 57-kilogram weight class. After winning his first three matches by a combined score of 23-6, the senior-to-be pinned his semifinal opponent with just 10 seconds left in the match to complete an incredible comeback. But, his magical run ended in the championship bout, which he lost 5-0 to Yuto Nishiuchi of Japan. Lilledahl, like Mesenbrink, also won a U20 Pan-Am title earlier this year.

Former Penn State wrestlers set to compete at Senior Worlds

Numerous former collegiate star wrestlers, most of whom competed for Penn State, from the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club will represent Team USA at Senior Worlds Sept. 16-24 in Belgrade, Serbia. Kyle Snyder is the No. 1 seed at 97 kilograms. Zain Retherford and Kyle Dake are the No. 2 seed at 65 and 74 kilograms, respectively. Lions great David Taylor is the No. 7 seed in the 86-kilogram division.

Initial college wrestling rankings are out

Both Flo and InterMat released their first college wrestling weight-by-weight predictions ahead of the 2023-2024 season. Both outlets call Penn State the top team in the country. Flo ranked a Penn State wrestler in every weight class but 125 pounds. It calls sophomore Levi Haines, senior Carter Starocci, graduate senior Aaron Brooks, and senior Greg Kerkvliet the top-ranked wrestlers at 157, 174, 197 pounds, and heavyweight, respectively. Redshirt sophomore Shayne Van Ness is No. 2 at 149 pounds, and transfer Bernie Truax IV is the same at 184 pounds. Minnesota transfer Aaron Nagao is No. 3 at 133 pounds, while senior Beau Bartlett is No. 4 at 141 pounds. Last but not least, redshirt freshman Alex Facundo is No. 12 at 165 pounds.

Junior Robbie Howard makes Flo’s 125-pound rankings at No. 19. The outlet has Nagao and Bartlett third, Van Ness second, Haines first, Facundo 14th, Starocci first, Truax second, and Brooks and Kerkvliet first. 

Penn State commits split at Who’s Number One

Two Penn State commits competed at Flo Wrestling’s Who’s Number One event. Pa., senior Joe Sealey claimed the top spot at 160 pounds by beating William Henckel of New Jersey 4-2. It avenges a U20 Teams Trial loss by the future Nittany Lion to Henckel. At 195 pounds, senior Connor Mirasola lost a 5-1 decision to Aeoden Sinclair of Wisconsin. 

Flo updates 2024 Big Board

Penn State has commitments from three of the country’s top 10 Class of 2024 wrestlers, according to the latest Flo Wrestling big board. Wyoming Seminary standouts Luke Lilledahl and Joe Sealey are Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, in the pound-for-pound rankings. The former is No. 1 at 120 pounds and the latter No. 2 at 160 pounds behind only Melissa, Tex.,senior Angelo Ferrari, who number one in the outlet’s pound-for-pound rankings. Minisink Valley, N.Y., senior Zack Ryder is No. 6 overall and No. 2 at 182 pounds. Finally, Mason Gibson from Bishop McCort in Pennsylvania is No. 7 overall and No. 2 at 126 pounds.