Penn State sophomore wrestler Luke Lilledahl has just become the man to beat at 125 pounds. After defeating Oklahoma’s Conrad Hendrickson in a 14-4 major decision, Lilledahl has officially taken the No. 1 spot in this week’s InterMat rankings. Despite reaching the top, Lilledahl’s mindset has not changed. Even after another strong early-season performance, he remains focused on growth.   

“I think I wrestled well on Friday,” Lilledahl said. “Still some stuff to focus on.”   

Head coach Cael Sanderson and his team pride themselves on constant improvement, and Lilledahl’s mindset reflects that. His confidence and constant evaluation have been key factors in his rapid rise at the collegiate level. Even after his win this past weekend, Lilledahl recognized there are still some adjustments he needs to make.  
 
“For me, I think I need to work on getting to my offense against guys that are just holding position and not really trying to create action,” Lilledahl said. “Obviously, I still got some takedowns and scored a lot of points, but I feel like I could have scored more in that match.”   
 
In the offseason, Lilledahl competed in multiple freestyle tournaments, taking home gold at the United World Wrestling Ranking Series and the U23 World Championships. His U23 World Championship win made him the first American wrestler to win world titles at U17, U20, and U23 in freestyle. Lilledahl believes his decision to compete in the offseason will have a direct impact on his performance this season.  
 
“I feel like competing over the summer is a big aspect of me continuing to grow, because you get to see the things you need to work on and the things you are doing well,” he said. “Me wrestling three or four tournaments over the summer in freestyle, I think it just helped me stay sharp and see my weaknesses.”  
Coming off highly successful freestyle and folkstyle seasons, Lilledahl feels he has seen tremendous growth in himself as a wrestler and as a person. The constant competition allowed him to grow not only in technique but also in mindset.  
 
“I felt like last year there were a couple of things on the mat that I struggled with, and some things off the mat,” Lilledahl said. “So, I have been taking a step back and looking at those things and seeing if they are going to benefit me in my goals and what I want to accomplish, and just seeing where I can improve.”   
 
This weekend, Lilledahl and the team will head to West Point, New York, to compete in the Black Knight Invitational. As the Nittany Lions prepare, he looks forward to the tournament format, knowing it will showcase his ability to build momentum.  
 
“I feel like I compete better in tournaments, especially from the first match to the finals,” the wrestler said. “I feel like I get better every match and I pick up some steam, and once I get rolling, it is pretty hard to stop me.”  
 
With this past weekend’s National Duals offering a preview of the 125-pound weight class, Lilledahl isn’t spending too much time analyzing his future opponents.  
 
“It is going to be a fun year. I don’t really like to get into my opponents too much. Can’t really let the results from the other guys affect me,” Lilledahl said. “I look at the rankings, obviously, but I just go out there and do what I do. That is wrestling my style and not letting those guys control the match.”

Lilledahl and several Penn State wrestlers are set to compete in the Black Knight Invitational this weekend in West Point, New York. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Sunday, November 23.