UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; January 10, 2026 – The Penn State Nittany Lions (7-0, 1-0 B1G) shut out Rutgers (6-3, 0-1 B1G) in the Big Ten dual meet opener for both teams Saturday in Rec Hall. The Nittany Lions rode the wave of three pins to roll to a 46-0 win over the visiting Scarlet Knights in front of a sold out Rec Hall crowd of nearly 6,500 fans.
The dual began at 125. Sophomore Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 2 at 125, turned two takedowns into an 8-3 win over No. 29 Ayden Smith. True freshman Marcus Blaze, ranked No. 5 at 133, dominated No. 24 Dylan Shawver, tallying three takedowns in a 12-2 major to put Penn State up 7-0. Junior Braeden Davis made his season dual debut at 141 and was impressive, rolling to an 18-7 major with nearly 3:00 in riding time.
Junior Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. at 149, built up a big lead midway through the second period before taking Devon Magro to his back for a pin at 4:54 to put the Nittany Lions on top 17-0. True freshman PJ Duke, ranked No. 4 at 157, blazed his way to six takedowns in just over a period to post a 19-4 technical fall over Easton Doster at the 3:18 mark. Penn State led 22-0 at halftime.
Junior Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, began the second half with another fall for Penn State, pinning Ryan Ford in the first period at 2:28. Senior Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 174, picked up the Nittany Lions’ third fall of the dual, pinning RU’s Jordan Chapman at the 4:49 mark to put Penn State up 34-0. Sophomore Rocco Welsh, ranked No. 4 at 184, dominated No. 15 Shane Cartagena-Welsh, posting the 13-3 major decision in one of the dual’s most anticipated match-ups.
Sophomore Josh Barr, ranked No. 1 at 197, rolled up four takedowns on his way to an 18-3 technical fall (7:00) over No. 18 Remy Cotton in his first match in Rec Hall this season. Redshirt freshman Cole Mirasola, ranked No. 15 at 285, finished off the Nittany Lion shutout with a strong 4-2 win over No. 21 Hunter Catka, using a third period takedown to get the win. The Nittany Lions walked away with the 46-0 shutout, their fourth shutout of the year.
Penn State won the takedown battle 31-1. The Nittany Lions picked up 16 bonus points off three falls (Haines, Mesenbrink, Van Ness), two tech falls (Barr, Duke) and three majors (Welsh, Davis, Blaze).
Penn State is now 7-0 on the year, 1-0 in the Big Ten. Rutgers falls to 6-3, 0-1 B1G. The Nittany Lions return to action next weekend with a two dual Big Ten road swing. Penn State is at Iowa on Friday, Jan. 16, for a 7 p.m. Eastern dual (6 p.m. local). The Lions then trek to Northwestern for a dual on Sunday, Jan. 18, at 3 p.m. Eastern (2 p.m. local).
Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via X/twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. The Family Clothesline is the presenting sponsor for the 2025-26 Nittany Lion wrestling season. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here.
#1 Penn State 46, #19 Rutgers 0
January 10, 2026 – Rec Hall – University Park, Pa.
125: #2 Luke Lilledahl PSU dec. #29 Ayden Smith RU, 8-3 3-0
133: #5 Marcus Blaze PSU maj. dec. #24 Dylan Shawver RU, 12-2 7-0
141: Braeden Davis PSU maj. dec. Tahir Parkins RU, 18-7 11-0
149: #1 Shayne Van Ness PSU pinned Devon Magro RU, WBF (4:54) 17-0
157: #4 PJ Duke PSU tech fall Easton Doster RU, 19-4 (TF; 3:18) 22-0
165: #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink PSU pinned Ryan Ford RU, WBF (2:28) 28-0
174: #1 Levi Haines PSU pinned Jordan Chapman RU, WBF (4:49) 34-0
184: #4 Rocco Welsh PSU maj. dec. #15 Shane Cartagena-Welsh RU, 13-3 38-0
197: #1 Josh Barr PSU tech fall #18 Remy Cotton RU, 18-3 (TF; 7:00) 43-0
285: #15 Cole Mirasola PSU dec. #21 Hunter Catka RU, 4-2 46-0
Records: Penn State (7-0, 1-0 B1G); Rutgers (6-3, 0-1 B1G)
Attendance: 6,457 (Penn State has wrestled in front of 88 sellouts in its last 94 home events, including 78-straight in Rec Hall and 10 of 16 in the BJC)
Up Next for Penn State: at Iowa, Friday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. Eastern; at Northwestern, Sunday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m. Eastern
DUAL MEET BOUT-BY-BOUT:
125: Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 2 at 125, met No. 29 Ayden Smith. Lilledahl and Smith battled evenly through the first minute before Lilledahl scrambled his ay to a takedown and a 3-0 lead at 157. Lilledahl worked up a bit of riding time before cutting Smith loose. He chased Smith around the edge of the mat, forcing a stall warning at :45 and settling for a 3-1 lead after one period. Lilledahl chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-1 lead. He continued to chase Smith from center mat to the outside circle and picked up a stall point at the :35 mark and led 5-1 after two periods. Smith chose down to start the third stanza. Lilledahl built up over 1:00 in riding time before cutting Smith loose to a 5-2 score. Lilledahl blazed through a quick low double for a takedown and an 8-2 lead with :20 left on the clock. Smith picked up a final escape and Lilledahl walked away with an 8-3 win.
133: Marcus Blaze, ranked No. 5 at 133, took on No. 24 Dylan Shawver. Blaze worked the center of the mat, shooting Shawver backwards over the first two minutes. He nearly connected on a combination at :50 but Shawver defended his effort as the clock hit :45. Blaze forced a stall warning with one second left and the bout moved to the second tied 0-0. Shawver chose down to start the second period and the Lion freshman broke the RU grad student down, building up :47 in riding time before Shawver scrambled to an escape and a 1-0 lead. Blaze turned a low shot into a scrambling takedown and a 3-1 lead with :33 on the clock and carried that lead, with 1:25 in riding time into the third period. Blaze chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 4-1 lead. Blaze forced a stall and then took Shawver down to open up an 8-2 lead after cutting the Scarlet Knight wrestler loose. Shawver turned a high single into a scramble but Blaze worked his way out of trouble with :35 on the clock. Blaze forced a scramble with a high shot at :25 and finished off the takedown at :12 to lead 11-2. He added 1:42 in riding time to walk away with a 12-2 major decision.
141: Braeden Davis made his season dual debut at 141 and battled Tahir Parkins. Davis scored quickly, taking Parkins down for a 3-0 lead less than :15 into the bout. He cut Parkins loose and quickly pulled the Knight down for a second takedown and a 6-1 lead. Davis cut Parkins free after working his riding time edge to 1:43. He continued his offensive assault, tacking on a third takedown and a rideout to lead 9-2 after one period. Parkins chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 9-3 score. Davis worked the center of the mat for the period with Parkins was able to defend his way to the end of the period. Davis chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 10-3 lead. Davis countered a Parkins shot and picked up a fourth takedown to lead 13-3 with clinched riding time. Davis cut Parkins loose at :55 and led 13-4. He took a fast low shot but Parkins was able to scramble his way to a takedown. Davis escaped, took Parkins down and finished the match on top. He added 2:56 in riding time and posted the 18-7 major decision.
149: Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 1 at 149, met Devon Magro. Van Ness drew first blood with a takedown at 2:04 Magro was able to revers Van Ness, then Van Ness reversed Magro and the Lion led 5-2 with 1:22 on the clock. Van Ness took Magro down and to his back after an escaped and built his lead up to 12-3 with :40 on the clock. The Nittany Lion carried that edge, and 1:15 in riding time, into the second period. Van Ness chose down to start the second period. He worked his way to reversal at :35 and then turned Magro to his back and got the fall at 2:54.
157: PJ Duke, ranked No. 4 at 157, faced Easton Doster. Duke scored quickly, taking Doster down and cutting him loose in the opening :30 for a 3-1 lead. Duke added a second takedown at the 1:45 mark and led 6-2 after another cut. He worked Doster to the outside circle and took a 9-3 lead with another takedown and cut. Duke continued to work on offense and turned a fast shot into a fourth takedown and a 12-4 lead. He added a fifth takedown at :41 and finished the period in control to lead 15-4 with 1:12 in time after one. Duke chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 16-4 lead. He then ended the match with a final takedown to post the 19-4 technical fall at 3:18.
165: Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, battled Ryan Ford. Ford notched the first takedown of the bout to take an early 3-0 lead. Mesenbrink escaped quickly and then took the Knight grappler down to lead 4-3. He then turned Ford to his back picked up four nearfall points to lead 8-3. He turned him once more for a 12-3 lead, reset and then locked up a cradle for the fall at 2:28.
174: Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 174, met Jordan Chapman. Haines scored quickly, lifting Chapman off the mat and returning him for an early 3-1 lead. He then added a second takedown at 1:20 and led 6-2 with 1:12 in riding time at :58. Haines continued to work on his feet through the rest of the first period and led 6-2 after one with 1:12 in time. Haines chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 7-2 lead. He then worked his way in on a high shot and finished off the move to open up a 10-2 lead at 1:11. Haines cut Chapman loose and took Chapman down late in the period. He turned the Knight to his back and picked up the fall at 4:49.
184: Rocco Welsh, ranked No. 4 at 184, took on No. 15 Shane Cartagena-Welsh. Welsh scored first, taking Cartagena Welsh down early for a 3-0 lead. He cut the Scarlet Knight loose then quickly took him down a second time to open up a 6-1 lead at 1:50. Walsh added a third takedown with :40 left in the period. He finished the period on top and led 9-2 after one. Walsh chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 10-2 lead. Walsh forced a stall warning at :30 and led 10-2 after two with 1:34 in riding time. Cartagena-Welsh chose down to start the final period and escaped to a 10-3 score. Walsh continued to shoot and picked up a stall point at 1:22 to lead 11-3. Walsh countered a Rutgers shot at :50 and the Knight fled the mat once more, giving up a stall point, and Walsh led 12-3 at :40. Welsh added the riding time point and rolled to the 13-3 major decision.
197: Josh Barr, ranked No. 1 at 197, faced No. 18 Remy Cotton. Barr took Cotton down and led 3-0 at the 1:29 mark. He then worked the Knight’s back to the mat and picked up four nearfall points to lead 7-0. He finished the period on top and carried that lead, with 1:29 in time, into the second period. Barr chose down to start the second period and steadily worked his way to an escape and an 8-0 lead. Barr turned a low single into another takedown and an 11-0 lead as the clock moved through the 1:00 mark. He cut Cotton loose and went back to work on offense. Barr led 11-1 with 1:08 in time after two periods. Cotton chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 12-1 lead. He fought off a Cotton shot at 1:30, worked his way around behind Cotton, and finished off the counter takedown with 1:01 on the clock to lead 14-3 after a quick Cut. Barr shot low and then scrambled his way to a takedown and a 17-3 lead with :30 on the clock. Barr worked to turn Cotton for back points and finished the period on top. He added 2:06 in riding time and posted the 18-3 tech fall at 7:00.
285: Cole Mirasola, ranked No. 15 at 285, battled No. 21 Hunter Catka. Mirasola controlled the pace out of the gates, forcing Catka backwards for over a minute and forcing a first stall warning at the 1:30 mark. The Scarlet Knight worked his way in on a low shot, forcing a scramble with 1:00 on the clock. Mirasola was able to counter the action and forced a reset with just :16 on the clock. Mirasola chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 1-0 lead. The Lion freshman worked the center of the mat against the RU grad student, and slipped away from a quick Catka shot at :50. The Knight shot low once again late in the period and Mirasola forced a stalemate at :30. With Mirasola leading 1-0, Catka chose down to start the third period. Mirasola controlled the action on top for :27 before the Knight escaped to a 1-1 score. Catka shot low once more and Mirasola countered the move again, this time gaining control for the counter takedown and a 4-1 lead at :45. Catka escaped to a 4-2 score with :40 on the clock.