The Penn State Nittany Lions and the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club affiliates showed strong representation at the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships this past weekend. The Nittany Lions had five wrestlers compete in men’s freestyle at the senior level, and six compete in the U20 division.  

The Nittany Lions’ performance at the tournament was nothing short of impressive, with all six wrestlers in the U20 division making it to the finals in their respective weight classes, and two wrestlers taking home the gold at the senior level.   

How It Happened  

57kg: Luke Lilledahl  

Fresh off his fourth career Pan American Championship title, Lilledahl kept his winning streak alive as he dominated at the U.S. Open this weekend, outscoring his opponents 40-4. He opened the tournament with a commanding 10-0 technical fall over Arizona’s Shamar Baines.

In the quarterfinals, Lilledahl faced Ohio State’s Brendan McCrone, who pinned Lilledahl in a collegiate dual meet earlier this season. This time, Lilledahl flipped the script with a decisive 10-0 victory by technical fall. Lilledahl carried that momentum into the semifinals, earning a hard-fought 10-4 victory over Nico Provo of California Regional.

In the final match, Lilledahl defeated Liam Cronin 10-0 to earn his third win by technical fall this tournament. The win marked Lilledahl’s first Senior U.S. Open title at 57kg and secured his spot at Title X, where he will face off against powerhouse Spencer Lee.  

61kg: Marcus Blaze    

Top-ranked high school wrestler, Marcus Blaze, had a strong showing at the U.S. Open, kicking off his tournament with back-to-back technical fall victories. He cruised past Juan Diaz of Gus Garage and Fernando Barreto of California in a dominant fashion before advancing to the quarterfinals.

In the quarterfinals, Blaze faced a tough test in competitor Nathan Tomasello but edged out a gritty 2-1 decision. Blaze eventually met his match in the semifinal bout, where he was pinned by Seth Gross of the MATPAC Wrestling Club, a tough ending to an otherwise standout performance.  

65kg: Beau Bartlett  

Beau Bartlett delivered a commendable performance this weekend, showcasing his skill on the national stage. He opened with a dominant 10-0 technical fall over Theodore Cha, setting the tone early. In the quarterfinals, Bartlett faced a tough challenge from Carter Young but held his ground, earning a hard-fought 5-3 decision.

In his semifinal bout, Bartlett faced Jesse Mendez, who is no stranger to Bartlett. Going into the match, Bartlett led Mendez 2-1 in matches this season. However, Mendez flipped the script, showcasing his freestyle skills and edging Bartlett in a tight 4-2 decision.  

74kg: Mitchell Mesenbrink  

Mesenbrink blew through his competition at the U.S. Open Championships, winning every match by technical fall. Mesenbrink began his scoring frenzy with two 10-0 technical fall victories over Max Brignola and Jesse Dellavecchia. In the semifinal bout, Mesenbrink didn’t hesitate to keep putting up points, cruising to a 12-1 technical fall victory against opponent Quincy Monday.

The highly anticipated final pitted Mesenbrink against David Carr, whom he had faced in a thrilling 9-8 loss at the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships. This time, Mesenbrink left no doubt, decisively defeating Carr 16-6 in yet another technical fall victory. With this impressive victory over Carr, Mesenbrink earned his spot at Final X, where he will hope to secure a spot on the U.S. Senior World Championship Team.  

86kg: Rocco Welsh  

One of Penn State’s newest transfer portal additions, Rocco Welsh, didn’t get the result he was hoping for, but still delivered a promising performance. Welsh opened the tournament with a commanding 17-4 victory by technical fall against Benjamin Mower, showcasing his offensive skillset. Unfortunately, in the quarterfinals, Welsh faced a tough test in the 2025 NCAA runner-up, Parker Keckeisen. Keckeisen managed to edge out Welsh in a hard-fought 4-1 decision.

U20 Division 

Six wrestlers with ties to Penn State wrestling and the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club also competed in the U20 Men’s Freestyle Division at the U.S. Open Championships on Saturday and Sunday. All six wrestlers also advanced to the finals.  

61kg: Sam Herring  

Penn State wrestling’s class of 2026 commit, Sam Herring, forged his way through the 61kg bracket, ultimately falling just short in a hard-fought finals match. Herring came out strong with a dominant 10-0 technical fall victory over Dean Anderson, followed by a win over Kellen Wolbert via disqualification.

In the semifinals, Herring faced Elijah Cortez in a nail-biting match but managed to hold on for a 3-1 decision. In the finals, Herring came up just short, suffering a 10-5 loss to Kyler Larkin.  

70kg: PJ Duke  

PJ Duke, a standout recruit for Penn State’s Class of 2025, captured the U20 Championship with a series of dominant performances, including a notable victory over Bishop McCort’s Melvin Miller. Duke wasted no time establishing his dominance, pinning Kane Naaktgeborne midway through the first period before cruising to a 10-0 technical fall over Collin Gaj.

In the semifinals, Duke was relentless, handling Landon Robideau in an 8-3 decision. The finals set up a highly anticipated showdown with another one of the nation’s top high school talents, Melvin Miller. Miller kept the match interesting, but despite his best efforts, he fell short to Duke, who took home the gold by way of an 8-5 decision.    

74kg: Joe Sealey  

Although true freshman Joe Sealey did not compete for the Penn State wrestling team this season, he had a promising performance at the U.S. Open this weekend, despite falling short in the finals. Sealey opened the tournament with dominant victories, securing a 12-1 technical fall over Paul Ognissanti and an 11-1 technical fall against Chase Van Hoven.

He continued his impressive run in the semifinals, overpowering Benjamin Weader with a 12-2 technical fall to advance to the finals. In a hard-fought championship match, Sealey faced Ladarion Lockett but was unable to keep pace, ultimately falling by a 5-2 decision.  

79kg: William Henckel 

Class of 2025 star William Henckel delivered an outstanding performance that will have Nittany Lion fans excited for the incoming class. Henckel opened the tournament with a quick and decisive victory over Jordan Chapman, securing a fall near the end of the first period. He continued his impressive run, defeating Waylon Cressell with a commanding 12-1 technical fall.

Henckel remained relentless in the semifinals, cruising to a 10-0 technical fall win over Travis Grace. In the final match, Henckel faced off against Brock Mantanona and sealed the championship with a hard-fought 12-8 decision, capping off a dominant tournament performance.  

92kg: Connor Mirasola  

Connor Mirasola delivered a dominant performance at the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships, following up his Pan American Championship win with a string of impressive victories. Mirasola started strong in his first match, defeating Dillon Bechtold with a 12-6 decision. He then wasted no time in his second match, securing a dominant 10-0 technical fall over Carson Gooley.

In the semifinals, Mirasola continued his aggressive approach, overpowering Sonny Sasso with an 11-0 technical fall in 4:31. The final match saw Mirasola face Cody Merrill, where he clinched the title with a solid 5-1 decision.  

125kg: Cole Mirasola  

Cole Mirasola’s performance at the U.S. Open Wrestling Championships was nothing short of impressive, despite not competing for Penn State this season. He opened the tournament with a dominant 10-0 technical fall victory over Calvin Lachman, followed by an identical 10-0 technical fall, this time over Jay Henderson.

In the semifinals, Mirasola faced a tough opponent in Michael Mocco, but managed to prevail with a 9-6 decision, showcasing his resilience and composure. In the finals, Mirasola went up against Dreshaun Ross, capping off a stellar tournament with a 7-5 championship victory.