2026 NCAA Championship Session IV Thread

Tom McAndrew

BWI Staff
Staff member
Oct 27, 2021
77,335
63,897
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I'm setting this up the night before so that everyone has the info, etc., and also so that I have one less thing to do tomorrow between sessions.

Please use the thread for all pre-session, in-session, and post-session discussion for the Session IV of the 2026 NCAA Championships.

This session is called the Blood Round, and it usually is bloody, both literally and figuratively.

When:
March 20, 8:00 pm EDT

Where:
Rocket Arena, Cleveland, OH

TV:
ESPN2

Video Streaming:
ESPN+. Please note that this is the only way to get access to multiple mats (They call it MatCast). As a heads up, MatCast will be available for each session (not all that necessary for Session VI on Saturday evening, as there is only one mat being used in that session. However, the Trophy Presentation at the end of Session VI will be on ESPN+, and not ESPN. You can subscribe to ESPN+ for $12.99 a month, and cancel your subscription in a week, and only pay for 1 month. To do so, go to:

https://support.espn.com/hc/en-us/articles/40375475974036-ESPN-Select-or-Unlimited-Plans-and-Prices

Audio Streaming:
The radio PBP, with Jeff Byers at the mic, will be streamed for free. The pre-Session portion of the broadcast will start at 7:40 pm EDT, with the actual wrestling taking place at 8:00 pm EDT. To access the audio PBP, go to:

gopsusports.com

Lion Vision


gopsusports.com
gopsusports.com

Once there, click on the arrow inside the button, to the left of "Wrestling: NCAA Championships - Session 4"

Team Scores:

The best place to track the team scoring is the Penn State Wrestling Club web site. It appears that they have reverted back to prior practice, and are making the team race info available to all during the NCAAs. You can find their site at:


PBP:
@SlipperyPete will be available for PBP. I'll be available for PBP if we have any situations where two PSU wrestlers are competing at the same time. @GregPickel will be in the Rocket Arena, and providing his thoughts, observations, information, interviews, etc. from there. We always encourage others to provide their insight, analysis, reactions, and PBP if they so desire. As always, I remind you to please include the score for the match, or provide some context (wrestler, school, and weight class) beyond just "that's not a takedown."

Mat Assignments:
It also helps to give folks a heads up as to what mat a PSU wrestler will be wrestling on. You can usually get that info from Ironhead's audio PBP, from Penn State Wrestling's twitter account, or from TrackWrestling/FloArena. Anybody is welcome to post such info as it becomes available, as it will benefit all of us that are trying to watch the action on TV or via a video stream.

Let's have some fun discussing what usually is the most dramatic Session of NCAAs.
 

Tom McAndrew

BWI Staff
Staff member
Oct 27, 2021
77,335
63,897
113
Scheduled PSU Matches For Session IV

125 Semis: #1 seed Luke Lilledahl vs. #5 seed Troy Spratley (Oklahoma St.)

133 Semis: #3 seed Marcus Blaze vs. #2 seed Ben Davino (Ohio St.)

149 Semis: #1 seed Shayne Van Ness vs. #20 seed Chance Lamer (Nebraska)

157 Semis: #1 seed P.J. Duke vs. #5 seed Landon Robideau (Oklahoma St.)

165 Semis: #1 seed Mitchell Mesenbrink vs. #12 seed Cesar Alvan (Columbia)

174 Semis: #1 seed Levi Haines vs. #5 seed Patrick Kennedy (Iowa)

184 Semis; #1 seed Rocco Welsh vs. #5 seed Brock Mantanona (Michigan)

197 Semis: #1 seed Josh Barr vs. #5 seed Joey Novak (Wyoming)
 

Tom McAndrew

BWI Staff
Staff member
Oct 27, 2021
77,335
63,897
113
Team Scores Heading Into Session IV

PlaceTeamScore# in Semis# in Consi R4
1PSU105.580
2Nebraska6653
3Oklahoma St.6552
4Iowa50.536
5Ohio St.4424
6Michigan4132
7Iowa St.30.513
8Stanford2915
9Virginia Tech2812
10NC St.2513
11Wyoming24.513
12Lehigh2213
13Minnesota2113
14Columbia20.511
15Arizona St.19.505
15Indiana19.510
15Missouri19.511

Mathematically, all teams in the field have been eliminated except for:
- PSU
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma St.
- Iowa
- Ohio St.
- Michigan
- Stanford
- Arizona St.
 
Last edited:

jp99FFPA

Redshirt
Jan 1, 2026
5
7
3
Scheduled PSU Matches For Session IV

125 Semis: #1 seed Luke Lilledahl vs. #5 seed Troy Spratley (Oklahoma St.)

133 Semis: #3 seed Marcus Blaze vs. #2 seed Ben Davino (Ohio St.)

149 Semis: #1 seed Shayne Van Ness vs. #20 seed Chance Lamer (Nebraska)

157 Semis: #1 seed P.J. Duke vs. #5 seed Landon Robideau (Oklahoma St.)

165 Semis: #1 seed Mitchell Mesenbrink vs. #12 seed Cesar Alvan (Columbia)

174 Semis: #1 seed Levi Haines vs. #5 seed Patrick Kennedy (Iowa)

184 Semis; #1 seed Rocco Welsh vs. #5 seed Brock Mantanona (Michigan)
Josh Barr?
 
Feb 10, 2020
86
266
53
Team Scores Heading Into Session IV

PlaceTeamScore# in Semis# in Consi R4
1PSU105.580
2Nebraska6653
3Oklahoma St.6554
4Iowa50.536
5Ohio St.4424
6Michigan4132
7Iowa St.30.513
8Stanford2915
9Virginia Tech2812
10NC St.2513
11Wyoming24.513
12Lehigh2213
13Minnesota2113
14Columbia20.511
15Arizona St.19.505
15Indiana19.510
15Missouri19.511

Mathematically, all teams in the field have been eliminated except for:
- PSU
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma St.
- Iowa
- Ohio St.
- Michigan
- Stanford
- Arizona St.
Oklahoma State cant have 9 still alive. I watched Lockett and Facundo both lose in the consis. 10-2 = 8.
 

Tom McAndrew

BWI Staff
Staff member
Oct 27, 2021
77,335
63,897
113
Oklahoma State cant have 9 still alive. I watched Lockett and Facundo both lose in the consis. 10-2 = 8.

Yeah, you must be right, as I saw those two lose as well. I took the numbers from the PSWC chart. I guess it's 5 in Semis and 2 in Consi R4 (without going through all the brackets to confirm).
 
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Misalorales

All-Conference
Jun 3, 2025
1,117
3,448
113
This allred likely default has me wondering. What would happen if Ryder would have gravely injured himself as he secured the winning takedown and neither guy could actually wrestle? Rock paper scissors?
 
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razpsu

Heisman
Jan 13, 2004
13,998
13,996
113
Some tough matches tonight. 133 is ridiculous. Top 4 anything can happen. I think Davino is peaking though. Blaze will have to be at his offensive best to win. Forest vs number 4, he was losing earlier in the year and had to come back to win.

Haines. He has to wrestle psu style. He cannot!! Wrestle Kennedy Iowa style. Comes down to luck. Don’t want kennedy to get lucky.

other than these two matches in the semis the rest should be wins.
 
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Headlock

All-Conference
Dec 28, 2023
661
1,382
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Reflecting on the Burroughs commentary about mandating the top ten finishers attend the national duals, I'd like to recommend an alternate action. My thought is that the tourney be mandatory for the rest of Division One schools except for PSU and be renamed, The Best of the Rest! Just a thought.
 

lionlover

All-American
Jul 8, 2001
3,396
6,690
113
Looking at the team scores it seems like peaking for national duals might be a bad thing?! Who would’ve guessed? tOSU is limping through the finish line
Why should PSU compete in a tournament that it knows it will win?

All of the top ten teams want to give their wrestlers as many looks against PSU wrestlers as they can, because they know that they will most likely wrestle them in the NCAA's.
 

OldAndInTheWay

Freshman
Nov 11, 2021
35
72
18
Regarding Corby2s constant judgment of others the Stoic philosophy views habitual judging of others as a foolish waste of energy and a sign of personal insecurity. Constantly judging others often stems from a self-righteous sense of superiority and does not actually solve any problems. It wastes mental energy. The Stoics perspective is, "The ones that constantly judge are the ones that have the real problem".
 

Misalorales

All-Conference
Jun 3, 2025
1,117
3,448
113
Regarding Corby2s constant judgment of others the Stoic philosophy views habitual judging of others as a foolish waste of energy and a sign of personal insecurity. Constantly judging others often stems from a self-righteous sense of superiority and does not actually solve any problems. It wastes mental energy. The Stoics perspective is, "The ones that constantly judge are the ones that have the real problem".
Your username is on point my man. This has been arbitrated by the great neutral mediator switzerlorales.
 
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kadeeu

Sophomore
Aug 5, 2002
61
179
33
Something to pass along. Was walking to the arena from where I parked and while walking through the street with a number of bars I spotted Davis. Seemed to be by himself and walking around one of the establishments. Would think he shoukd be with the team in some way.
 

mcpat

All-American
Mar 12, 2021
1,764
7,108
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Something to pass along. Was walking to the arena from where I parked and while walking through the street with a number of bars I spotted Davis. Seemed to be by himself and walking around one of the establishments. Would think he shoukd be with the team in some way.
I saw several eliminated wrestlers with family after the last session. Wouldn’t read into it.
 

Tom McAndrew

BWI Staff
Staff member
Oct 27, 2021
77,335
63,897
113
I rarely provide any thoughts on matches, except for participating in KYPSW. Here's a very quick look at PSU's Session IV matches:

1) Lilledahl - Spratley: they haven't met in college. Luke's offense is key. The better opponents are diving for his ankles if he doesn't cleanly get a TD
2) Blaze - Davino: 2 TB2 matches, with scores of 3-2, which the two split this season. They are both good. Hopefully, Marcus can generate a little more O, though that's not really his norm. Definitely a tough matchup
3) SVN - Lamer: SVN beat him 12-5 in the dual this year. Lamer injury defaulted at last year's B1G Tourney. That's all of their college competitions. If SVN does his thing, he should win this match. As always, he just has to avoid getting in too much trouble with a slow start in the 1st period
4) Duke - Robideau: they've not met in college. When he's attacking, Duke is nearly unbeatable, though elite guys can make him look beatable. Robideau has elite skills, and this could be quite a battle
5) Mesenbrink - Alvan: they've not met in college. Alvan has had a heck of a tourney. Mesenbrink looked to be the surest thing in the tournament heading into NCAAs. He may still be, but Hepner made him look something less than the normal Mitch. I've barely watched Alvan, except for a few highlight videos, so I hesitate to offer much analysis on this match
6) Haines - Kennedy: they met 2 times this season (MAJ and DEC for Levi), and 1 time last season (DEC for Levi). Kennedy is a great battler, and is also tough to turn. Levi should win, but he'll have to work for it
7) Welsh - Mantanona: they met 2 times this season (DEC in the dual, and SV-1 in the B1G Tourney). Mantanona can frustrate opponents. On paper, Welsh should win this, but he'll have to work for it, and wrestle smart
9) Barr - Novak: they've not met in college, in part because Barr was still rehabbing when the PSU - Wyoming dual took place. Barr has bonused everyone he's faced this season. He'll probably have to really work tonight to keep that streak alive, but Barr should win
 
Jul 3, 2025
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First I want to Thank Braedon Davis and Cole Mirasola for giving everything they had and wrestling hard while adding to the team score. I try to keep things in perspective which I guess is easier to do given I'm old. I remember the days when it was a struggle to qualify wrestlers for nationals and getting a few AAs was a decent year for us. I'm pre BJC days. The first wrestling event to be held in the BJC was the MAWA/AAU nationals I was there and met then PSU Wrestling Coach. There was a college wrestling committee checking the place out and how things ran to determine if nationals could be held there. I also wrestled in college although not division one though I did fact D1 wrestlers in opens. I was just average it was pre internet days so much harder to scout. Penn State has always been "my team" going back to early childhood so obviously I'm excited by how we dominate my favorite sport. Savor our victories folks because we'll come back to the pack once Caels great great great grandson graduates. It's scary to think but next years team could be even better than this year. Still savor what's going on and again Thank You to all the wrestlers. Also Thank You to the folks on this site for maintaining the site and for all the great information and commentary. I've been a very long time reader but only recently started making comments. I don't buy services to watch wrestling so for a number of meets you all are how I get the results. Anyway again Thanks and lets go get er done NITTANY LIONS!!!!!!