Will Penn State wrestling have 10 All-Americans this season?

Note: This is one of the many Penn State pieces you can read in the next edition of the Blue-White Illustrated magazine, which is available for purchase now! Click here to learn more. The Nittany Lions’ wrestling season continues Sunday when they host Wyoming. Before the match, we offer our season superlatives to date.

Three best wrestlers

Joshua Barr | R-Fr. | 197

No Nittany Lion has had a more impressive start to the season than Joshua Barr. The Davison, Mich., native entered the year battling junior Lucas Cochran for the job. Head coach Cael Sanderson has yet to name him the full-time starter. But, there is little doubt that he will be te Lions’ postseason representative in this weight class. In November, he won the Army Black Knight Invitational by beating two teammates, freshman Cole Mirasola and Cochran, both by major decision, in the semifinals and finals, respectively. Then, he dominated former Nittany Lion and then No. 6 Michael Beard of Lehigh by major decision 11-3 on Dec. 8. It makes him a bonafide All-American candidate early in the 2024-2025 season.

Mitchell Mesenbrink | So. | 165

Mesenbrink’s pursuit of his first national title is off to a roaring start. At the Army Black Knight Invitational, he earned a title by beating his four opponents by a combined score of 72-10. Each victory was by technical fall. Then, against Lehigh, he topped Thayne Lawerence by technical fall, 18-1, in 4:37. So far, the second-year Nittany Lion is putting a case together to be the nation’s most dominant wrestler by the time all is said and done in March. He is ranked No. 1 in the country and appears to be unmatched nationally in his pursuit for an NCAA title.

More: Where are Penn State wrestlers in the latest rankings before Wyoming?

Luke Lilledahl | Fr. | 125

Lilledahl has been as advertised to start his Penn State career. After earning a win by forfeit to start his time in blue and white against Drexel, Lilledah beat teammate Kurt McHenry by decision, 8-2, in the Army Black Knight invitational semifinals before beating No. 22 junior Charlie Fisher of Army by technical fall, 19-4, to earn a title. Then, at Lehigh, he beat senior Sheldon Seymour by decision, 4-1, in what was considered an upset in the rankings. Lilledahl is the Lions’ latest budding star and an answer to the team’s longstanding run of not having an All-American in the sport’s lightest weight class. He beat out McHenry for the starting spot shortly after arriving on campus and will soon be beating out national peers for the top spots in the weight class. 

Key moment

At Lehigh, Lilledahl and Seymour each earned an escape to make their 125-pound showdown 1-1 with 90 seconds left in the third period. The Mountain Hawk shot with 1:15 left to wrestle. But, he could not convert on the scoring opportunity before a stalemate was called. He got in on another good shot with 30 seconds left in regulation, but the Nittany Lion countered it, slipped behind for control, and rode out the period to win, 4-1.It marked his second win in three weeks over a ranked opponent. And, based on both his dazzling prep career and also his start in State College, it will hardly be the last. 

Best Penn State highlight

After a scoreless first period in a top 25 match at 197 pounds, Penn State freshman Josh Barr found himself trailing former Nittany Lion Michard Beard of Lehigh 2-0 early in the second period thanks to a reversal for the Mountain Hawk. However, he scored an escape and takedown before the middle stanza ended to lead 4-2 entering the third. In the final two minutes, he scored seven points, including a highlight-reel-worthy single-leg takedown with 20 seconds left to earn an 11-3 major decision victory. 

Bold prediction

Ten Nittany Lions will earn All-American honors at the national tournament in March. Penn State has never accomplished that feat despite its storied history. And only one college team, the 2001 Minnesota Golden Gophers, has done so.

But, the 2024-2025 version of head coach Cael Sanderson’s team looks poised to join them. There is talent, proven and otherwise, up and down the lineup. By the time the postseason arrives, each starter figures to be ranked in the top 10, at worst. And it’s not crazy to think that all 10 could be inside of the top five, and certainly the top eight (which is how many All-American spots there are in each weight class). This has the potential to be a record-setting season for the Lions.