The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team has clinched the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championship, securing the title early during session five in Cleveland’s Rocket Arena. Penn State, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, had two of its eight All-Americans competing in the placing matches Saturday afternoon as the event concludes tonight with the national finals at 6:30 p.m. live on ESPN.
Penn State has now won 13 of the last 15 contested NCAA Championships (no event in 2020) and its fifth straight for the first time ever. Sanderson is now second in all-time NCAA history with 13 head coaching titles to his credit. The NCAA record is 15. The Nittany Lions have won the NCAA Championship in 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 1953 (for a school total of 14). Penn State’s team point total is currently at 164.0, nearly 50 points ahead of any competitor.
• True freshman Marcus Blaze began Penn State’s day with action in the consolation semifinals at 133. Blaze took on Stanford’s Tyler Knox. Blaze scored quickly, taking Knox down at 2:35 for a 3-0 lead. Blaze quickly added a second takedown after a Knox escape to up his lead to 6-1 at 1:30. Blaze turned a low single into a third takedown with :20 left and held on to a 9-2 lead after the opening period. Blaze chose down to start the second period. Knox picked up a stall during the ride and then Blaze reversed him to an 11-3 lead after cutting the Cardinal loose. Blaze tacked on a fourth takedown at the end of the period to lead 15-3 after two. Knox chose top to start the third and Blaze reversed him once more. He cut Knox loose and capped off a 20-4 technical fall with a takedown at 5:45.
Blaze took on No. 4 Aaron Seidel of Virginia Tech for third place. Blaze and Seidel battled in the center of the mat through the first minute-plus. The duo fought for position through the 1:00 mark and the first period ended in a 0-0 tie. Blaze chose down to start the second period but was unable to escape and entered the third period still tied, but facing 2:00 in riding time to the Hokie’s favor. Seidel chose down to start the third and Blaze cut him loose to a 1-0 score. Blaze scrambled for a late takedown, but Seidel countered the frenzied effort and added a takedown, plus riding time, to post the 5-0 decision. The loss ended Blaze’s tournament at 4-2 with three tech falls and a fourth place All-American finish as a true freshman.
• True freshman PJ Duke battled in the consolation semifinals at 157 against Illinois’ Kannon Webster. Duke took an early 3-1 lead with a takedown in the opening period. The Nittany Lion battled the Illini in neutral through the rest of the opening period and led by two after one. Webster chose down to start the second stanza and escaped to a 3-2 score. Duke blew through a high double for another takedown and a 6-2 lead at 1:32. He built his time edge up to 1:07 before Webster escaped to a 6-3 score. Duke chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 7-3 lead. The Nittany Lion finished the match on his feet and moved into the third place bout with a 7-3 victory.
Duke battled No. 8 Brandon Cannon of Ohio State for third place. Duke lifted Cannon off the mat and took him down for a quick three points just :25 into the bout. He cut Cannon loose and went back to work on offense. Duke took Cannon tohis back from his feet for a takedown and two near fall points and led 8-1. Duke finished the period on top and carried that lead into the second stanza. Cannon chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to an 8-2 score. Duke had 1:17 in riding time. Duke forced a stall and then took Cannon down to an 11-2 lead. After a neutral start, Duke added another takedown to lead 14-2 with over 2:00 in riding time. Cannon escaped and Duke took the Buckeye down again at the :38 mark to lead 17-3 with clinched riding time. Duke added a final takedown to post the 20-4 tech fall at 6:37 to claim third place. Duke ended his first tournament run with a 5-1 record, including two pins and two tech falls, as the third place All-American.
The duo are true freshman All-Americans, giving the Nittany Lions eight All-Americans this season. They join Penn State’s six finalists, will compete in the national finals tonight, starting at 6:30 p.m. live on ESPN to close out the tournament. Luke Lilledahl (125), Shayne Van Ness (149), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Levi Haines (174), Rocco Welsh (184) and Josh Barr (197) will all battle for NCAA titles this evening, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Sophomore Cole Mirasola and junior Braeden Davis both went 2-2, finishing their tournaments on Friday in consolation action.
THE ASYLUM
Wrestlers national champs again
The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team has clinched the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championship, securing the title early during session five in Cleveland’s Rocket Arena. Penn State, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, had two of its eight All-Americans competing in the placing matches Saturday afternoon as the event concludes tonight with the national finals at 6:30 p.m. live on ESPN.
Penn State has now won 13 of the last 15 contested NCAA Championships (no event in 2020) and its fifth straight for the first time ever. Sanderson is now second in all-time NCAA history with 13 head coaching titles to his credit. The NCAA record is 15. The Nittany Lions have won the NCAA Championship in 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 1953 (for a school total of 14). Penn State’s team point total is currently at 164.0, nearly 50 points ahead of any competitor.
• True freshman Marcus Blaze began Penn State’s day with action in the consolation semifinals at 133. Blaze took on Stanford’s Tyler Knox. Blaze scored quickly, taking Knox down at 2:35 for a 3-0 lead. Blaze quickly added a second takedown after a Knox escape to up his lead to 6-1 at 1:30. Blaze turned a low single into a third takedown with :20 left and held on to a 9-2 lead after the opening period. Blaze chose down to start the second period. Knox picked up a stall during the ride and then Blaze reversed him to an 11-3 lead after cutting the Cardinal loose. Blaze tacked on a fourth takedown at the end of the period to lead 15-3 after two. Knox chose top to start the third and Blaze reversed him once more. He cut Knox loose and capped off a 20-4 technical fall with a takedown at 5:45.
Blaze took on No. 4 Aaron Seidel of Virginia Tech for third place. Blaze and Seidel battled in the center of the mat through the first minute-plus. The duo fought for position through the 1:00 mark and the first period ended in a 0-0 tie. Blaze chose down to start the second period but was unable to escape and entered the third period still tied, but facing 2:00 in riding time to the Hokie’s favor. Seidel chose down to start the third and Blaze cut him loose to a 1-0 score. Blaze scrambled for a late takedown, but Seidel countered the frenzied effort and added a takedown, plus riding time, to post the 5-0 decision. The loss ended Blaze’s tournament at 4-2 with three tech falls and a fourth place All-American finish as a true freshman.
• True freshman PJ Duke battled in the consolation semifinals at 157 against Illinois’ Kannon Webster. Duke took an early 3-1 lead with a takedown in the opening period. The Nittany Lion battled the Illini in neutral through the rest of the opening period and led by two after one. Webster chose down to start the second stanza and escaped to a 3-2 score. Duke blew through a high double for another takedown and a 6-2 lead at 1:32. He built his time edge up to 1:07 before Webster escaped to a 6-3 score. Duke chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 7-3 lead. The Nittany Lion finished the match on his feet and moved into the third place bout with a 7-3 victory.
Duke battled No. 8 Brandon Cannon of Ohio State for third place. Duke lifted Cannon off the mat and took him down for a quick three points just :25 into the bout. He cut Cannon loose and went back to work on offense. Duke took Cannon tohis back from his feet for a takedown and two near fall points and led 8-1. Duke finished the period on top and carried that lead into the second stanza. Cannon chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to an 8-2 score. Duke had 1:17 in riding time. Duke forced a stall and then took Cannon down to an 11-2 lead. After a neutral start, Duke added another takedown to lead 14-2 with over 2:00 in riding time. Cannon escaped and Duke took the Buckeye down again at the :38 mark to lead 17-3 with clinched riding time. Duke added a final takedown to post the 20-4 tech fall at 6:37 to claim third place. Duke ended his first tournament run with a 5-1 record, including two pins and two tech falls, as the third place All-American.
The duo are true freshman All-Americans, giving the Nittany Lions eight All-Americans this season. They join Penn State’s six finalists, will compete in the national finals tonight, starting at 6:30 p.m. live on ESPN to close out the tournament. Luke Lilledahl (125), Shayne Van Ness (149), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), Levi Haines (174), Rocco Welsh (184) and Josh Barr (197) will all battle for NCAA titles this evening, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Sophomore Cole Mirasola and junior Braeden Davis both went 2-2, finishing their tournaments on Friday in consolation action.
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