One of Penn State wrestling’s blockbuster recruits of the 2024 class has already wrestled his first match in the Bryce Jordan Center, even before he dons the traditional blue and white.

Connor Mirasola, a senior at West Bend West High School in Wisconsin and a member of Penn State’s newest recruiting class, has had quite the year on the resilite.

The 28th wrestler in Wisconsin state history to win his fourth state championship less than two months ago, Mirasola found himself dancing under some of the brightest lights in the wrestling world with the best wrestlers in the country: the 2024 U.S. Olympic wrestling trials in the Bryce Jordan Center.

Mirasola started the weekend off strong against the higher-seeded David McFadded of Titan Mercury WC, taking advantage of some back points and securing a 4-0 victory over the older wrestler. His day had just gotten started.

The bracket was laid out in a way that Mirasola next took on the four-time NCAA national champion and Penn State legend Aaron Brooks in his next bout. In a true past vs. future spectacle, Mirasola found himself in the lead for a small portion of the match before Brooks started to pull away and eventually took the victory over the high school senior.

“I knew it was going to be tough, he holds a pretty good position with his hand, I knew I had to keep my hand speed up and keep the pace with my hands and look for scores when I can,” Mirasola said about Brooks in a post-match interview.

“I could’ve been a little more offensive there in the second period,” he continued. “I was looking to affect his thumb block or over-tie with that right hand. He’s really good with his thumb block… I knew if I could put some weight on that hand and pull, I could get to some scores and open him up.”

Despite facing the top wrestlers in the nation, Mirasola was calm and collected.

“Yeah, it’s cool [to face a veteran like Brooks]. But it’s on to the next match, I have to keep trying to compete,” Mirasola said.

Mirasola was ultimately defeated by Nittany Lion alum Max Dean in his consolation bracket match, ending his weekend in Session I. Still, Mirasola’s future at Penn State is bright. The next time he wrestles in the Bryce Jordan Center, the words “Penn State” will be written in script across his chest.