No. 1 Penn State wrestling (11-0, 5-0 Big Ten) beat down Maryland (4-6, 0-5 Big Ten) 51-0 on Saturday evening in College Park.

The Nittany Lions won all 10 bouts, earning bonus points in each of them. Pins by PJ Duke, Rocco Welsh, and Cole Mirasola were the highlights in this one as Penn State gets its seventh shutout on the year for the team’s 82nd consecutive dual victory.

How It Happened

125 Pounds

The first bout of the night was No. 1 Luke Lilledahl facing off against Abram Cline. Lilledahl struck first with an early takedown. He amassed over a minute of riding time before Cline got the escape before the end of the first period.

Lilledahl again controlled the start of the second period, with the Nittany Lion starting on top for another 40 seconds, before letting the Terrapin go after a reset. Lilledahl was awarded a point for Cline stalling, then struck again for his second takedown. Another takedown for Lilledahl soon followed, but Cline would be saved by the bell before Lilledahl could gain any near-fall points.

Cline started the third with his third escape, and Lilledahl worked yet another takedown. Another Cline escape gave him four points, but Lilledahl was awarded another point for stalling on Cline. A final takedown, combined with secured riding time, led Lilledahl to a 19-4 tech fall.

133 Pounds

Next up was No. 4 Marcus Blaze going up against No. 15 Braxton Brown. After two minutes of back and forth in the neutral position, Blaze opened up scoring with a takedown and stayed on top for the remainder of the opening period.

Blaze got another point with an escape after starting the second on bottom. After Brown attempted a single-leg takedown, Blaze was able to circle around and finish another takedown to go up 7-0. Brown got the quick escape to close out the middle period.

Brown got his second point with an escape before being taken down by Blaze for the third time. An escape by Brown closed in on Blaze’s lead, but Blaze got the point back when he was given a point after a stall call on Brown. Blaze got yet another takedown late to seal a 14-3 major decision for the freshman.

141 Pounds

No. 11 Braeden Davis against Dario Lemus was the next contest. Davis scored first with a takedown in the opening minute. After Lemus broke free for the escape, the Nittany Lion got his second takedown late in the match and didn’t allow an escape before the end of the first period.

Lemus started on bottom and escaped after Davis secured another minute of riding time. Davis struck again for his third takedown and fourth takedown soon after to close out the second period.

Davis chose the bottom position for the final period and quickly escaped to make it 13-3. Davis got hold of Lemus’s leg and drove forward for yet another takedown. He also secured riding time with around 45 seconds left in the match. A stall call on Lemus potentially allowed for a Davis tech fall, but the Terrapin was able to get the escape late, and Davis would have to settle for a major decision.

149 Pounds

In one of the more anticipated matchups of the night, No. 1 Shayne Van Ness took on No. 7 Carter Young. Young struck first with a takedown and had the top-ranked wrestler on the ropes, but wasn’t able to secure the pin, and was able to get four near-fall points to go up 7-1 after Van Ness escaped before the end of the first.

Van Ness started the second with an escape and an early takedown. A Young escape allowed for another Van Ness takedown to tie the match. Young escaped again, but Van Ness got his third takedown. Van Ness took control late to go into the third up 17-11.

After starting in the neutral position, a stall call on Young extended Van Ness’s lead. Van Ness continued to dominate in the third and was able to get the tech fall. Van Ness closed the match with nine takedowns in a 30-15 victory.

WHAT A SHOW BY VAN NESS #PSUwr pic.twitter.com/mO9sXAF49b

— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) January 24, 2026

157 Pounds

The final match before intermission was No. 3 PJ Duke against Mehki Neal. Duke started the match with an early takedown before letting Neal go to allow for another takedown. Duke was able to get the fall and pin Neal at 1:54. Penn State would go into the break up 24-0.

PJ Duke with the first pin of the night #PSUwr pic.twitter.com/5NiFhP3awh

— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) January 24, 2026

165 Pounds

After the break, No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink wrestled AJ Rodriguez at 165 pounds. Mesenbrink opened the contest with a takedown. After a reset, Mesenbrink got a four-point near-fall. He then got three more before being awarded yet another four points while amassing over two minutes of riding time to go up 14-0 after the opening period.

Mesenbrink chose bottom to start the second period and quickly got the escape to get the 15-0 tech fall at 3:24.

174 Pounds

No. 1 Levi Haines and Seth Digby were the next wrestlers to take the mat. Haines worked an early takedown and racked up well over a minute of riding time before Digby was able to escape. Haines got another takedown to end the first period.

Haines fought for an escape to open the second, then got his third takedown. After a Digby escape, Haines managed to get another takedown, riding out the Terrapin for the final 42 seconds.

Digby started the final period with an escape and managed to take down Haines in a brief respite from the relentless attack by the top-ranked Nittany Lion. Haines escaped quickly and landed two takedowns in rapid succession before a final Haines takedown late gave him the 23-8 tech fall at 6:36.

184 Pounds

At 184 pounds, No. 1 Rocco Welsh took on Sepanta Ahanj-Elias. Welsh started with a quick takedown. After an escape, Ahanj-Elias Welsh got the double-leg takedown to go up 6-1 after the first period.

An escape by Welsh kicked off the second. Welsh worked a single leg for his third takedown before sticking Ahanj-Elias on his back and getting the fall at 3:52.

FALL FOR WELSH #PSUwr pic.twitter.com/RVrFl51oRM

— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) January 24, 2026

197 Pounds

Next up, No. 1 Josh Barr faced off against No. 13 Branson John. After some good defense by both wrestlers, Barr got a single-leg takedown late to take a 3-0 lead into the second period.

Barr started the second with an escape. Barr battled for his second takedown and tallied up almost a minute of riding time to close out the middle period.

An escape by John allowed for a third Barr takedown. A reset allowed John to get the escape. The relentless Barr worked another takedown and released John to get another quick takedown to seal the bout, a 19-4 tech fall for Barr.

Heavyweight

No. 12 Cole Mirasola wrestled against Joey Schneck in the final match of the night. Mirasola started fast, working three takedowns, each followed by escapes by Schneck in the opening minute thirty. Little offensive action occurred in the back half of the first, and Mirasola went into the second up 9-3.

After starting on bottom, Schneck got a quick takedown. Mirasola managed to get another takedown before pinning Schneck to get the fall at 3:56. Penn State takes this one 51-0.

What’s Next?

The Nittany Lions will come back home and face off against No. 6 Nebraska at the Bryce Jordan Center at 8 p.m. on Friday, January 30. The dual will be streamed on the Big Ten Network.