Rocco Welsh is going to the U23 World Championships; which Penn State wrestlers will join him there?

Penn State wrestling newcomer Rocco Welsh will represent the Nittany Lions as a member of Team USA at the U23 World Championships this October in Serbia. And, he won’t be the only connection to head coach Cael Sanderson’s team on national team.

At the start of the day, two Nittany Lions still had a chance to make the team following the preliminary rounds of competition on Saturday. Welsh, who transferred into the Penn State program this offseason after a stint at Ohio State, cruised into the 86-kilogram (189.5 pounds) quarterfinals with three technical fall triumphs by a combined score of 30-0 following a first round bye. He then beat Cornell All-American Simon Ruiz in the quarters before beating Lehigh’s Rylan Rogers in the semis before sweeping Maryland All-American Jaxon Smith in the finals with two decision wins to earn his U23 World Team spot.

Connor Pierce, an Erie native who enters his redshirt junior season in State College this winter, racked up four wins by a combined score of 51-16, which included three technical fall triumphs, to reach Sunday morning’s 70 kilogram (154.3 pounds) quarterfinal round. As we’ll discuss below, his path to a starting spot was potentially blocked by new teammate PJ Duke, who has the U23 spot in this weight class if he wants it. But, it quickly became irrelevant, as Kael Voinovich of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club knocked out championship bracket with a 5-3 decision in the quarters.

Looking ahead to the U23 Championships

The U23 World Championships take place Oct. 20-26 in Serbia. By virtue of being in next month’s Final X tournament that sets the senior Team USA, Penn State sophomore Luke Lilledahl (at 57 kilograms), freshman PJ Duke (70kg), redshirt junior Mitchell Mesenbrink (74kg), senior Levi Haines (79kg), and redshirt sophomore Josh Barr (92kg) have already earned U23 Team spots if they choose to accept them. They do not have to make that decision until after Final X, however.

Penn State finishes a successful two days in Ohio

Sunday was the icing on the cake for the Penn State wrestling program, which had a tremendous Saturday in Geneva, Ohio during the U20 World Team Trials. Six Nittany Lions, including Class of 2026 commit Jayden James, made the finals. Five earned World team spots in this age group: Freshman Marcus Blaze has the 61 kilogram spot, while classmates PJ Duke and William Henckel have the 70 and 79 kilogram spots, respectively. Then, Penn State redshirt freshmen Connor and Cole Mirasola will man the 92- and 125-kilogram spots, respectively.

“Blaze methodically advanced through the 61 kg challenge tournament with four decisive wins, three of which came by 10-0 technical fall,” USA Wrestling writes in a tournament recap. “He unseated U20 Nationals champion and 2022 U17 World Team member Kyler Larkin in the championship series by scores of 10-0 and 4-1. Blaze was a U17 World champion in 2023 before jumping up to grab bronze at the U20 Worlds last year.

“Duke, a future Penn State Nittany Lion, took a pair of decisions over incoming Oklahoma State freshman Landon Robideau in the 70 kg championship series, 7-0 and 9-4. Duke was a bronze medalist at last year’s U20 Worlds. He has been on a freestyle heater in recent months with first place finishes at the Bill Farrell Memorial International, U20 Nationals and Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament on his resume.”

Blaze, Duke, and Connor Mirasola are repeat U.S. U20 World Team members. Henckel and Cole Mirasola will represent their country in that age group at Worlds for the first time.

As for James, he will represent Penn State on Team USA in the U17 World Championships. Those are in Jordan this August.