UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In front of a historic crowd at the Bryce Jordan Center, top-ranked Penn State delivered a commanding 36-5 victory over No. 2 Ohio State on Friday night, securing the 2026 Big Ten regular season championship in emphatic fashion.
A record-breaking 16,006 fans packed the arena — the largest indoor crowd in NCAA wrestling history — as the Nittany Lions capped an undefeated conference campaign and claimed their sixth straight Big Ten regular season title. The championship marks the program’s 12th since head coach Cael Sanderson took over in 2009, further cementing Penn State’s dominance in the conference.
Fast Start Sets the Tone
The dual opened with fireworks at 125 pounds. No. 1 Luke Lilledahl edged No. 2 Nic Bouzakis in sudden victory, converting a scramble into a decisive takedown for a 4-1 win and an early 3-0 Penn State lead.
At 133, true freshman Marcus Blaze followed with another thriller. Locked in a tight battle with No. 2 Ben Davino, Blaze used a clutch reversal in the tiebreaker period to secure a 3-2 decision and extend the advantage.
Ohio State answered at 141 pounds, where top-ranked Jesse Mendez earned a technical fall over Braeden Davis to cut the team score to 6-5. It would be the Buckeyes’ only momentum of the night.
Bonus Points Break It Open
From there, Penn State took control.
No. 1 Shayne Van Ness overwhelmed Brogan Fielding at 149, piling up six takedowns in a 20-5 technical fall. At 157, freshman PJ Duke brought the crowd to its feet, turning a dominant second-period sequence into a pin at 3:28 to give the Nittany Lions a commanding 17-5 halftime lead.
The second half was all Penn State.
Mitchell Mesenbrink controlled Paddy Gallagher at 165, securing a 12-2 major decision. Levi Haines followed at 174 with a 16-1 technical fall, widening the gap to 26-5 and eliminating any doubt about the outcome.
Clutch Finishes Seal Statement Win
At 184, Rocco Welsh showcased grit. After falling behind early to No. 8 Dylan Fishback, Welsh stormed back and secured a dramatic last-second takedown to win 7-6.
Josh Barr added another major decision at 197, and heavyweight Cole Mirasola closed the night in style. Squaring off against No. 3 Nick Feldman, Mirasola battled to a 1-1 tie in regulation before delivering a sudden-victory takedown to punctuate the 36-5 final.
By the Numbers
Penn State won nine of 10 bouts and dominated the stat sheet with a 25-5 advantage in takedowns. Five victories produced bonus points, including:
1 pin (Duke)
2 technical falls (Van Ness, Haines)
2 major decisions (Mesenbrink, Barr)
The Nittany Lions improved to 14-0 overall and 8-0 in Big Ten competition, securing the program’s 11th unbeaten conference season.
Ohio State fell to 17-1 overall and 6-1 in league action.
Up Next:
Penn State closes its dual meet season next Friday against Princeton Tigers wrestling at Rec Hall, looking to carry its momentum into postseason competition.
On a night defined by dominance, depth, and history, Penn State once again proved why it remains the standard in collegiate wrestling.
