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Penn State wrestling notes: Super 32 roundup, early U23 Worlds preview

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel14 hours agoGregPickel
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Redshirt freshman Josh Barr, the No. 4 seed at 197, met No. 1 Jacob Cardenas of Michigan in the semifinals. Barr celebrates after moving into the NCAA finals in his first trip to nationals with a 5-3 win.The Nittany Lions moved three individuals through to the Championship Finals at the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia on Saturday March 21, 2024. (Photo by Mark Selders)

Penn State wrestling will be back on the International stage this weekend at the U23 Championships in Serbia. Seven Nittany Lions will compete at the event. We cover that in today’s notebook while also looking back at the Super 32.

Penn State Super 32 recap

Two Penn State commits ended up competing at the prestigous Super 32 event in North Carolina last weekend. A third, Class of 2026 commit Landon Sidun from Norwin, Pa., was an unexpected scratch after winning Who’s Number One two weekends ago in Iowa. The Super 32 weight class he competes in, which is 120 pounds, was ultiamtely won by Rocklin Zinkin, who Sidun beat at WNO.

Moving on to commits who were on hand, Penn State Class of 2026 commit Sam Herring of Johnstown, Pa., Bishop McCort met Class of 2027 pledge Gavin Mangano of New York in the 138-pound finals. The senior beat the junior by decision, 4-2. Herring would then go on to lose to Minnesota Class of 2026 commit Tyler Dekraker by decision in the finals, 1-0.

Full results are up at FLO.

Early U23s preview

We will have a much deeper dive on the Team USA men’s freestyle contingent going to the U23 World Wrestling Championships later this week. For now, though, we can tell you that seven of the 10 team members are Penn State wrestlers. The full team is below:

57 kg – Luke Lilledahl (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

61 kg – Jax Forrest (Johnstown, Pa./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

65 kg – Marcus Blaze (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

70 kg – PJ Duke (Slate Hill, N.Y./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

74 kg – Mitchell Mesenbrink (Bellefonte, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

79 kg – Levi Haines (Bellefonte, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

86 kg – Rocco Welsh (Fredericktown, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

92 kg – Josh Barr (Bellefonte, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

97 kg – Garavous Kouekabakilaho (San Diego, Calif./Viking WC)

125 kg – Daniel Herrera (Ames, Iowa/Cyclone RTC)

U23s are currently underway with Greco-Roman wrestling. Men’s freestyle goes last. It will take place this Friday through next Monday. Mesenrbrink and Barr will lead things off for the Penn State contingent. Their weight classes start on Friday with medal matches on Saturday. Lilledahl, Duke, and Haines start thie tournament Saturday with medal matches on Sunday. And, Blaze and Welsh start Sunday before medal matches on Monday.

Stay tuned for U23 World Championship previews this week. Penn State is aiming to add one final collection of International medals before the 2025-2026 season starts next month.