No. 1 Penn State wrestling scored bonus points in nine of 10 bouts to trample Princeton 50-0 in the final dual meet of the regular season on Friday night at Rec Hall.
The Nittany Lions (15-0, 8-0) wrapped up their sixth consecutive undefeated season with their eighth shutout of the year while extending their NCAA-record dual meet win streak to 86.
Top-ranked senior Levi Haines, wrestling in his final Rec Hall dual, pinned Princeton’s Cody Tavoso in the 174-pound bout. No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (165) and No. 1 Josh Barr (184) also won by fall.
No. 1 Luke Lilledahl (125) won by disqualification, while No. 4 PJ Duke (157), No. 1 Rocco Welsh (184) and No. 6 Cole Mirasola scored technical falls. No. 2 Marcus Blaze (133) and No. 1 Shayne Van Ness (149) claimed major decisions, and No. 12 Braeden Davis (141) won by decision.
Injured junior Aaron Nagao 141-pounder was recognized alongside Haines during the pre-meet Senior Night ceremony. Nagao, a Big Ten runner-up and All-American in 2023 while at Minnesota, is retiring from wrestling after sitting out the last two seasons with injuries, according to Penn State wrestling broadcaster Jeff Byers. Nagao placed third at Big Tens as a redshirt sophomore in his first and only full season of wrestling at Penn State in 2023-24.
The Nittany Lions will now get ready for the postseason and will host the Big Ten Championships March 7-8 at the Bryce Jordan Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED
125 Pounds
No. 1 Luke Lilledahl’s aggressive attack paid off in an unusual bout against Princeton’s No.12-ranked Marc-Anthony McGowan. Lilledahl led 5-1 late in the third period thanks to four stall calls and a technical violation against McGowan. With six seconds remaining, McGowan was hit with a fifth stall call and was disqualified by rule.
Penn State 6, Princeton 0
133 Pounds
No. 2 Marcus Blaze scored a takedown midway through the first period against No. 32 Ethan Rivera of Princeton and took a 3-1 lead into the second. A Blaze escape and takedown to open the second followed by a Rivera escape moved the Nittany Lion’s lead to 7-2 heading into the third. Rivera escaped again to start the final period, but Blaze got a late takedown at the edge and rode out the remainder, and with a riding time point claimed an 11-3 major decision.
Penn State 10, Princeton 0
141 Pounds
No. 12 Braden Davis got off to a fast start against Princeton’s Matthew Martino, using a high crotch for an opening takedown and working a head inside single for another to take a 6-1 lead after one. Davis escaped to start the second but Martino responded with the Tigers’ first takedown of the night. After an escape, Davis led 8-4 going into the third. Martino escaped and picked up a stall point before Davis earned his third and decisive takedown. Martino added an escape and another stall point late, but Davis took the 11-8 decision.
Penn State 13, Princeton 0
149 Pounds
No. 1 Shayne Van Ness used a blast double for a takedown of Princeton’s No. 14-ranked Eligh Rivera to take an early lead, but Rivera responded with an escape and a takedown of his own. Van Ness, though would move back in front with an escape and his second takedown for a 7-4 lead after one. Rivera escaped to start the middle period, but it was all Van Ness from there. The Nittany Lion got his third takedown with under a minute left in the second, then another on a counter after a neutral start to the third. Van Ness then added a stall point and riding time for a 15-6 major decision.
Penn State 17, Princeton 0
157 Pounds
No. 4 PJ Duke overwhelmed Princeton’s Gavin Hawk from the outset, scoring four first-period takedowns to carry a 12-4 lead into the second. Two more Duke takedowns extended the lead to 18-5 after two. Hawk escaped to start the third, but Duke was right back in on another shot for a takedown then cut the Tiger loose. Duke’s final takedown ended the bout with a 24-8 tech fall at 6:08.
Penn State 22, Princeton 0
165 Pounds
No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink set the tone for a thoroughly dominant back half of the meet for the Nittany Lions out of the intermission. Mesenbrink took down No. 19 Ty Whalen twice before running an arm bar and cranking him over for the fall at 3:31, his eighth pin of the season.
Penn State 28, Princeton 0
174 Pounds
No. 1 Levi Haines scored two first-period takedowns and opened the second with a reversal for an 8-1 lead against Princeton’s Cody Tavoso. After cutting Tavoso loose, Haines took him to the mat and worked his way to a fall at 4:05. Haines’ pin in his final Rec Hall dual meet with his fifth of the season and 22nd of his career.
Penn State 34, Princeton 0
184 Pound
No. 1 Rocco Welsh earned four first-period takedowns against Princeton’s Xavier Giles to open up a 12-4 lead heading into the second. Giles escaped to start the second, then Welsh played catch-and-release on two takedowns before finishing it off with his seventh for the 21-6 tech fall at 4:11.
Penn State 39, Princeton 0
197 Pounds
No. 1 Josh Barr made quick work of Princeton’s Conor McCloskey. After his second first-period takedown, Barr hit the assassin and put McCloskey on his back for the fall at 1:29, his fifth pin of the season.
Penn State 45, Princeton 0
285 Pounds
No. 6 Cole Mirasola had Princeton’s Sebastian Garibaldi reeling from the get-go, score five takedowns in the first period and taking a 15-4 lead into the second. Garibaldi escaped to start the second, but Mirasola was right back in for another takedown. After cutting Garibaldi loose, Mirasola closed it out with his seventh takedown for a 21-6 technical fall at 3:46.
Penn State 50, Princeton 0
