Penn State wrestling's pedigree helped Lions land PJ Duke, the nation's No. 1 recruit
Penn State wrestling landed the nation’s top Class of 2025 recruit on Monday. Minisink Valley, N.Y., star PJ Duke sits atop the rankings at both FloWrestling and MatScouts. Prospects pick a school for any number of reasons. Duke’s were simple, he said in an interview with the Baschamania podcast: Penn State’s success speaks for itself, and he wants to be a part of it.
“They’ve proven they can win,” Duke said. “I want to be able to win at the world level, and I think the chances fo doing that there are higher than anywhere else. They build champions. And, I want to be a champion.
“I’m a firm believer in you have to prove your talk, and they’ve done it. They have world champs everywhere. If I wasn’t a wrestler and I saw how good Penn State was, that’s where I’d want to be. And, I am a wrestler. So, that’s where I want to be.”
Duke visited Penn State last weekend and took in the football program’s White Out game. It was impressive. But, more than anything else, the Lions winning NCAA championships and then seeing former wrestlers win World titles, as Zain Retherford and David Taylor just did this month in Serbia, spoke volumes to the junior about what he could accomplish if he came to State College. He was a state champ as a freshman but an injury ended his sophomore year early. He is still regarded as the best junior in the country regardless of weight class.
More: Penn State wrestling set for west coast non-conference road trip during 2023-2024 season
“There are a lot of things I’m looking forward to, but I think the next level partners and being able to wrestle with them, I think that’s where I’m going to be able to jump levels,” Duke said. “The coaching staff is amazing. And, the coaching staff and the partners are going to change my abilities.
“I’m going to set my standards high and shoot for the stars. If there are some bumps in the road and it doesn’t happen, so be it. But there are a lot of good people in the room that can teach me about life and wrestling.”
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Duke projects as a middle weight in college.
Looking ahead to the Lions wrestling season
Penn State wrestling will meet Oregon State during the 2023-2024 season. The Beavers released their schedule for the year over the weekend. And, the Nittany Lions are on it. Head coach Cael Sanderson’s side will invade Gall Coliseum in Corvallis, Ore., on Fri., Jan 5. A match time is not yet available. Neither is any television or streaming information.
Penn State has not yet released its full 2023-2024 schedule. That should happen soon. We do already know some details, however.
The Nittany Lions will go to the Journeymen Classic on Nov. 12 in Bethlehem, Pa. 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 also be at Army’s Black Knight Invitational on Nov. 19. It hosts Lehigh on Dec. 3, Hofstra on Dec. 10, and then the Beavers on Jan. 5. At least one additional non-conference match should be scheduled before the year begins.
