New faces shined and veterans picked up where they left off as top-ranked Penn State wrestling dominated Oklahoma 45-0 to open the season on Friday night at the Bryce Jordan Center.
The Nittany Lions scored bonus points in eight of 10 bouts, including tech falls by true freshman Marcus Blaze, redshirt freshman Joe Sealey, Ohio State transfer Rocco Welsh, and No. 1-ranked Mitchell Mesenbrink and Shayne Van Ness. No. 1 Levi Haines had Penn State’s only pin of the night, while No. 3 Luke Lilledahl and Connor Mirasola, making his first collegiate dual meet start, scored major decisions.
Penn State had a 35-1 takedown advantage on the night.
197 Pounds
Stepping in for injured No. 1 Josh Barr to start the season, redshirt freshman Connor Mirasola made his dual meet debut and showed why he might be one of the nation’s top 197-pounders in his own right. Mirasola used a single for a takedown of No. 8 DJ Parker to open the scoring and carried a 3-1 lead into the second period. After a Parker escape to start the second, Mirasola used an ankle pick for his second takedown and tacked on another as the period ended to move ahead 9-3. One more takedown in the third and a riding time point gave the Nittany Lion a 13-3 major decision and Penn State a 4-0 lead.
285 Pounds
In his first bout as the Nittany Lions’ regular heavyweight starter, Connor Mirasola’s twin brother, No. 11 Cole Mirasola countered for a takedown against No. 24 Juan Mora and took a 3-1 lead into the second. The wrestler’s traded escapes to start the second and third, and Mirasola’s 1:06 in riding time added another point for a 5-2 decision as Penn State moved ahead 7-0.
125 Pounds
Defending Big Ten champion and NCAA third-place finisher No. 3 Luke Lilledahl went to work quickly against Oklahoma’s Conrad Hendrikson, opening up a 6-2 lead with 1:02 in riding time after one and getting an escape for the only point of the second period. After cutting Hendrikson loose for an escape in the third, Lilledahl went on the offensive for two takedowns in the final minute to claim a 14-4 major decision. Penn State led 11-0.
133 Pounds
True freshman Marcus Blaze, the No. 1 overall recruit nationally in the 2025 signing class, lived up to the hype in his Penn State debut. He used a low double for his first takedown and rode Tyson Charmoli for 1:11 for a 3-0 first-period lead. Following a quick escape at the start of the second, Blaze turned up the heat, notching two takedowns and forcing a stall point to widen his lead to 14-3. Charoli took the down position to start the third, Blaze quickly turned him for four back points to end the bout with an 18-3 tech fall. Penn State’s lead grew to 16-0.
141 Pounds
Returning to the lineup after an injury redshirt last season, No. 11 Aaron Nagao took an early 3-0 lead on Oklahoma’s Alex Braun and went to work on top for 1:11 in riding time. After a reset, Braun reversed Nagao, but the Nittany Lion turned the tables for a reversal of his own to take a 5-2 lead into the second. A Braun takedown after a neutral start to the middle period tied the bout, but another reversal put Nagao back in front 7-5. The Nittany Lion closed out the period on top and locked in the riding time point with 3:09. Nagao escaped to start the third and finished on his feet for a 9-5 decision. Penn State led 19-0 heading into the intermission.
149 Pounds
No. 1 Shayne Van Ness took control early against Oklahoma’s Layton Schneider, scoring a quick takedown and closing out the first with 2:29 in riding time. Out of a neutral start to the second, Van Ness moved in for another quick takedown, cut Schneider loose and shot in high for another score. Van Ness then worked Schneider into four back points and picked up a stall point to take a 14-1 lead into the final period. Taking the down position to start the third, Van Ness reversed Schneider and turned him for four more back points to end the bout with a 20-1 tech fall at 5:29. Penn State extended its lead to 24-0.
157 Pounds
With Tyler Kasak expected to redshirt, true freshman PJ Duke is the projected starter at 157, but it was redshirt freshman Joe Sealey who took the mat on Friday night against Oklahoma’s Landyn Sommer. An early takedown and two more in the final 40 seconds of the first gave Sealey a 9-2 lead heading into the second. After a Sommer escape, Sealey worked to his fourth takedown and tacked on another before the period ended for a 15-4 lead. Escaping to start the third, Sealey closed it out with a final takedown for a 19-4 tech fall at 5:47 and a 29-0 Penn State lead.
165 Pounds
Returning national champion Mitchell Mesenbrink made easy work of the Sooners’ Owen Eck. Mesenbrink scored three takedowns in an offensive onslaught, then after a fourth turned Eck for four back points. The Nittany Lion junior cut Eck loose and finished him off with a final takedown for a 19-4 tech fall at 2:45. Penn State led 34-0.
174 Pounds
No. 1-ranked Levi Haines used a high single for a late first period takedown of No. 33 Carter Schubert, then turned him for four back points and a 7-0 lead. Schubert took down to start the second and Haines took control, working the Sooner to his back for the night’s only pin at 4:15. Penn State’s lead was 40-0 with one bout remaining.
184 Pounds
No. 2 Rocco Welsh made his Penn State debut with an aggressive showing against Oklahoma’s Anders Thompson. Welsh turned it on in the first for three takedowns and a 9-2 lead. Escaping to start the second, Welsh moved in for another takedown, cut Thompson loose and went right back at him for another score and a 16-3 lead as the period ended. Welsh cut Thompson loose to start the third and closed out the night with a takedown for a 19-4 tech fall at 5:28, as Penn State secured a 45-0 victory to open the season.
What’s Next?
Penn State heads to the Army Black Knight Invitational at West Point on Nov. 23 before returning to dual meet action on Dec. 5 at Drexel.
