Recap: Penn State wrestlers win two golds at Junior Pan-Ams: Full results
The international freestyle season continued today for Penn State wrestling. Two Nittany Lions, reigning NCAA champ Mitchell Mesenbrink and newcomer Rocco Welsh, won gold at the 2025 Junior Pan-American Games in Paraguay. Both were in an eight-man bracket, with Mesenbrink competing at 74 kilograms (163.1 pounds) and Welsh at 86 kilograms (189.5 pounds). And full results on their tournament are below.
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Rocco Welsh wins gold
08/22/2025 05:10:52 PMRocco Welsh won his final at 86 kilograms. The Penn State pair wins gold at Junior Pan-Ams, as Mitchell Mesenbrink won by technical fall and Rocco Welsh won by decision.
Mitchell Mesenbrink wins gold
08/22/2025 04:48:20 PMMitchell Mesenbrink dominated his finals opponent as expected. He beat Orislandy Perdomo Brooks of Cuba in the 74-kilogram finals 10-0 by technical fall early in the first period.
The finals are underway
08/22/2025 04:12:00 PMIt’ll be a bit until the Penn State wrestlers are up. But they are underway.
Penn State is perfect so far at Junior Pan-Ams: Session 1 recap
08/22/2025 10:30:30 AMBoth Penn State wrestlers who are competing at the 2025 Junior Pan-American Games will compete in the gold medal finals later today.
Reigning NCAA champ Mitchell Mesenbrink beat his first two opponents in the 74-kilogram bracket by technical fall with a combined score of 22-0 and needed just 2:36 of mat time to do it. Nittany Lion newcomer Rocco Welsh was also perfect in his first two bouts at 86 kilograms with a pair of technical falls. He won his quarter 13-1 and his semi 11-2.
Mesenbrink will face Orislandy Perdomo Brooks of Cuba in the 74-kilogram finals. ‘OPB’ won U23 Pan-Am gold earlier this year. The Penn State wrestler will be heavily favored to win. Welsh will be in his final, as well. He faces Geannis Garzon Tamayo of Cuba in the 86-kilogram finals, who also won U23 Pan-Ams earlier this year.
This will be the final update until the finals start at 5 p.m. ET. Check back tonight for updates from the finals plus full results.
Mesenbrink is into the semifinals
08/22/2025 10:24:45 AMMitchell Mesenbrink beat Ricardo Oyoque Vasquez of Venezuela by technical fall, 11-0, in a tidy 1:23. His 74-kilogram finals opponent is still TBD.
Welsh has his finals opponent
08/22/2025 10:21:09 AMRocco Welsh will face Geannis Garzon Tamayo of Cuba in the 86-kilogram finals. He won U23 Pan-Ams earlier this year.
Rocco Welsh is into the finals
08/22/2025 10:14:05 AMPenn State wrestler Rocco Welsh beats Max Franca Magalhaes De Almeida of Brazil by technical fall, 13-2, to advance to the 86-kilogram Junior Pan-Am Finals. The match was stopped with 2:08 to go. Welsh gave up the first two points then scored 11 unanswered The finals are tonight at 5 p.m. ET.
Mesenbrink’s semifinals opponent is in
08/22/2025 09:26:11 AMMesenbrink’s 74-kilogram semifinal opponent is Ricardo Oyoque Vasquez of Venezuela.
Welsh’s semifinal opponent is in
08/22/2025 09:19:15 AMWelsh’s 86-kilogram semifinal opponent is Max Franca Magalhaes De Almeida of Brazil, who won U20 Pan-Ams silver. That match should take place in the range of 10:30 – 10:45 a.m. ET.
Mitchell Mesenbrink wins his quarterfinal
08/22/2025 09:13:57 AMPenn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink made quick work of Arnoldo Ariel Proboste of Argentina in his 74-kilogram quarterfinal. The reigning NCAA champ quickly built an 11-0 lead to stop the match by technical fall. The Lions are two-for-two in the quarters, and he and Rocco Welsh will compete in the semis later today.
Rocco Welsh wins his quarterfinal
08/22/2025 08:52:02 AMPenn State wrestler Rocco Welsh scored early and often in what was ultimately an 11-2 technical fall triumph in his 86-kilogram Junior Pan-Ams quarterfinal with Juan Cardoza of Columbia. He’ll wrestle in the semifinals later today.
Welsh should take the mat first
08/22/2025 08:36:30 AMIt looks like the new Nittany Lion should be on the mat around 9:45 a.m. ET. Mesenbrink will be a bit later than that. We’ll keep you posted here.
Previewing Mesenbrink and Welsh’s tournaments
08/22/2025 08:33:22 AMUSA Wrestling’s Gary Abbott has a look at what both Penn State grapplers will face to start the tournament.
“2025 U.S. Senior Open champion Mitchell Mesenbrink will start his 74 kg competition against Arnoldo Proboste of Argentina,” Gary Abbott writes for USA Wrestling. “Should Mesenbrink win his opening bout, he faces the winner of Jhon Zambrano Encalada of Ecuador and Ricardo Oyoque Vasquez of Venezuela.
“2021 Junior Pan American Games champion Rocco Welsh will be seeking to win this event for the second time, competing this year at 86 kg. Welsh opens against Juan Cardoza Ibata of Colombia. If he wins, he has the winner of Fernando Ramos Arce of Paraguay and 2025 U20 Pan American silver medalist Max Franca Magalhaes De Almeida of Brazil.”