EVANSTON, Ill.; January 18, 2026 – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (9-0, 3-0 B1G) shut out Northwestern (3-3, 1-2 B1G) in Big Ten road action Sunday afternoon in Evanston, Ill. Penn State won all ten bouts and picked up bonus points in each as it rolled to the 51-0 win.
Penn State, with today’s shutout victory, completed a weekend Big Ten road sweep having won 19 of 20 bouts. The Nittany Lions grabbed their second Big Ten dual shutout of the season with the lopsided victory over the homestanding Wildcats.
The dual began at 174. Senior Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 174, opened up the dual with a 19-4 tech fall over No. 32 Eddie Enright. Haines used six takedowns to secure the early tech. Sophomore Rocco Welsh, ranked No. 4 at 184, also picked up six takedowns in his bout. Welsh rolled J.D. Perez, grabbing a 22-7 tech fall at 5:27 to put Penn State up 10-0. Sophomore Josh Barr, ranked No. 1 at 197, notched his second pin of the weekend. Barr took Wildcat Alex Smith down early in the first period and quickly turned him to his back for a first period fall at 1:50.
Redshirt freshman Cole Mirasola, ranked No. 13 at 285, tallied five takedowns in the first period to roll to a 19-4 tech fall over Gabe Christenson at the 2:47 mark. Sophomore Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 2 at 125, posted Penn State’s fourth technical fall in the first half. Lilledahl used six takedowns and 2:30 in riding time to pick up a 20-5 win over No. 26 Dedrick Navarro at 7:00. Penn State led 26-0 at halftime.
True freshman Marcus Blaze, ranked No. 4 at 133, opened up the second half with four takedowns in a strong 15-4 major decision over No. 24 Sean Spidle. Junior Braeden Davis, ranked No. 7 at 141, made it two majors in a row for Penn State in the next bout. Davis used a takedown and four back points to spur him on to a 9-0 major over No. 32 Billy Dekraker to give the Lions a 34-0 lead. Junior Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 1 at 149, notched another tech fall for Penn State. Van Ness used four takedowns, a four-point turn and 4:25 in riding time to grab the 18-3 tech at 7:00.
True freshman PJ Duke, ranked No. 3 at 157, secured Penn State’s second first period fall in the dual. Duke picked up five takedowns before pinning Gunnar Myers at the 2:42 mark. Junior Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, received a victory by forfeit in the dual’s final schedule bout as the Wildcats did not weigh in anyone at this weight. The win by forfeit for Mesenbrink secured the team dual shutout and Penn State left Evanston with a 51-0 win.
Penn State amazed a 38-1 takedown advantage. Penn State won each of the ten bouts, all for bonus points. The Nittany Lions worked up 21 bonus points off a forfeit (Mesenbrink), two pins (Barr, Duke), five tech falls (Haines, Welsh, Mirasola, Lilledahl, Van Ness) and two majors (Blaze, Davis). Penn State added up some impressive numbers in its road dual weekend, including Friday night’s 32-3 victory at Iowa. Penn State had a 53-3 takedown margin (15-2 vs. Iowa, 38-1 vs. Northwestern), won 19 of 20 bouts, had had three pins, five tech falls, and four majors. Penn State grabbed its second Big Ten shutout of the year as well.
Penn State is now 9-0 on the year, 3-0 in the Big Ten. Northwestern falls to 3-3, 1-2 B1G. The Nittany Lions have two Big Ten duals once again next weekend. Penn State hosts Indiana on Friday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall and then visit Maryland on Sunday, Jan. 25, at 12 p.m.
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 51, Northwestern 0
January 18, 2026 – Evanston, Ill.
174: #1 Levi Haines PSU tech fall #32 Eddie Enright NU, 19-4 (TF; 6:48) 5-0
184: #4 Rocco Welsh PSU tech fall J.D. Perez NU, 22-7 (TF; 5:27) 10-0
197: #1 Josh Barr PSU pinned Alex Smith NU, WBF (1:50) 16-0
285: #13 Cole Mirasola PSU tech fall Gabe Christenson NU, 19-4 (TF; 2:47) 21-0
125: #2 Luke Lilledahl PSU tech fall #26 Dedrick Navarro NU, 20-5 (TF; 7:00) 26-0
133: #4 Marcus Blaze PSU maj. dec. #24 Sean Spidle NU, 15-4 30-0
141: #7 Braeden Davis PSU maj. dec. #32 Billy Dekraker NU, 9-0 34-0
149: #1 Shayne Van Ness PSU tech fall August Hibler, 18-3 (TF; 7:00) 39-0
157: #3 PJ Duke PSU pinned Gunnr Myers NU, WBF (2:42) 45-0
165: #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink PSU win by forfeit 51-0
Attendance: 1,335
Records: Penn State 9-0, 3-0 B1G; Northwestern 3-3, 1-2 B1G
Up Next for Penn State: home vs. Indiana, Friday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m. in Rec Hall; at Maryland, Sunday, Jan. 25, 12 p.m.
DUAL MEET BOUT-BY-BOUT:
174: Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 174, faced off against No. 32 Eddie Enright. Haines worked the center of the mat, taking numerous shots and forcing Enright backwards through the first minute-plus. He forced a stall warning at 1:50, worked his way in on a low single and muscled through the move for a takedown and a 3-0 lead. Haines maintained control for the remainder of the period and carried that lead, plus 1:26 in riding time, into the second stanza. Haines chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-0 lead. He quickly moved in with a low shot, picking up a second takedown at 1:30 to lead 7-0. Enright escaped to a 7-1 score midway through the period and Haines blew through a quick low double for a third takedown late in the period to lead 10-1 with 1:48 in time after two. Enright chose down to start the third period. Haines cut him loose to a 10-2 score, then used a high double for a fourth takedown and a 13-2 lead with clinched riding time. Haines cut Enright loose again at :56. He picked up another takedown at :25, cut Enright once more, and finished off the technical fall with a takedown at 6:48 and posted the 19-4 win.
184: Rocco Welsh, ranked No. 4 at 184, battled J.D. Perez. Welsh took an early 3-0 lead with a takedown at the 2:33 mark. He worked on top for a turning combination and rolled Perez to his back briefly for two back points. Perez rolled out of trouble for an escape and Welsh quickly too him down to lead 8-2 after a Perez escape. The Wildcat notched a takedown to cut Walsh’s lead to 9-5 after Welsh escaped. Welsh shot, lifted Perez off the ground and took him down again for a 12-5 lead after the opening period. Perez chose down to start the second period and Welsh cut him loose. The Lion took him down, cut him loose and took him down once more to open up an 18-7 lead with over 2:00 in riding time after two periods. Welsh chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 19-7 lead. Welsh quickly ended the bout with another takedown, winning by tech fall, 22-7 at 5:27.
197: Josh Barr, ranked No. 1 at 197, faced Alex Smith. Barr took Smith down at the 2:18 mark to open up an early 3-0 lead. He began working to turn the Wildcat for back points. Smith battled Barr for a minute before the Nittany Lion locked up a cradle and pinned Smith at the 1:50 mark.
285: Cole Mirasola, ranked No. 13 at 285, met Gabe Christenson. Mirasola scored quickly, taking a 3-0 lead with a fast shot, then cutting Christensen loose. He added a second takedown and cut, then a third takedown to lead 9-2. He rolled Christensen to his back to open up a 13-3 lead after an NU escape. Mirasola continued his takedown barrage, picking up two more in quick succession. The final one ended the bout as Mirasola posted a 19-4 tech fall at the 2:47 mark in the first period.
125: Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 2 at 125, battled No. 26 Dedrick Navarro. Lilledahl took Navarro down early the bout, using leg control and working his way to the takedown to lead 3-0 lead 2:27. Navarro escaped to a 3-1 score and action resumed in the center of the mat. Lilledahl nearly added a second takedown late in the period, but Navarro was able to battle his way to a stalemate and the bout moved to the second stanza with Lilledahl leading 3-1. Navarro chose down to start the second period. Lilledahl nearly locked a cradle early in his ride. Navarro was able to battle to an escape and a 3-2 score. Lilledahl notched a second takedown and opened up a 6-3 lead, then a third to lead 9-3 after two periods with 2:11 in time. Lilledahl chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped to a 10-3 lead. Lilledahl shot, re-attacked and took a 13-4 lead after another takedown and cut. With riding time clinched, Lilledahl forced a stall warning, then took him down for another takedown to lead 16-5 at :30. He added a final takedown and rode Navarro out. With 2:30 in riding time adding a final point, Lilledahl picked up the 20-5 tech fall at 7:00.
133: Marcus Blaze, ranked No. 4 at 133, faced off against No. 24 Sean Spidle. Blaze scored quickly, taking Spidle down for an early 3-1 lead after cutting the Wildcat loose at 2:00. Blaze continued to press in on offense, controlling the action on the Northwestern logo. Blaze stalked the center of the mat, forced a stall warning at :45 and then had potentially dangerous stop an offensive effort with :30 on the clock. Leading 3-1, Blaze chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-1 lead. Blaze continued to pressure Spidle as the Wildcat moved towards the outside circle. Blaze picked up a stall point at :55 and led 5-1. Blaze fought off a Spidle single for the final :15 and led 5-1 after two periods. Spidle chose down to start the third period and Blaze cut him loose to a 5-2 score. Blaze continued to force the Wildcat backwards. He received a penalty point at 1:00 to lead 6-2, then turned a fast low shot into a takedown and a 9-3 lead after cutting Spidle loose. He quickly added a two more takedowns and walked away with a 15-4 major decision.
141: Braeden Davis, ranked No. 7 at 141, took on No. 32 Billy Dekraker. Davis and Dekraker battled evenly for the first minute-plus. Davis worked to hold his position in the center of the mat and began pressuring Dekraker backwards as the clock hit 1:00. Davis turned a high double into a single and a takedown to open up a 3-0 lead at :45. Davis then took Dekraker to his back for four nearfall points and led 7-0 at the :15 mark. Davis finished the period on top and carried that lead into the second stanza. Davis chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to an 8-0 lead. Davis took a fast low shot and forced a scramble, but Dekraker battled his way to a stalemate at :40. Davis led 8-0 after two and Dekraker chose down to start the third period. Davis was able to control the Wildcat long enough to build his riding time up over 1:00. Davis kept control of the Wildcat through the :30 mark and battled through the final :30 to finish the period on top. He added 2:19 in riding time and posted a 9-0 major decision.
149: Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 1 at 149, met August Hibler. Van Ness countered a slight Hibler shot early in the first period and picked up the bout’s first takedown at the 2:24 mark. Van Ness went to work on top, looking to turn Hibler. Hibler was able to escape, but Van Ness quickly took him down a second time and went to work on top once more with 1:10 left in the opening stanza. Van Ness finished the period on top and led 6-1 with 2:19 in time. Hibler chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 6-2 score. Van Ness quickly turned a low single into a third takedown and a 9-2 lead. Van Ness used a bow and Arrow turn Hibler to his back. He picked up four nearfall before Hibler escaped to a 13-3 score late in the period. Van Ness nearly locked a cradle at the end of the period, but time ran out. Van Ness chose down to start the third and escaped to a 14-3 lead. Van Ness used a solid double leg for a fourth takedown and a 17-3 lead with clinched riding time. Van Ness worked for another turn. Hibler was able to fight off the turn and Van Ness, with 4:25 in riding time, posted the 18-3 tech fall at 7:00.
157: PJ Duke, ranked No. 3 at 157, met Gunner Myers. Duke took Myers down quickly in the match and cut him loose to a 3-1 lead. Northwestern challenged the escape call and won on review, reverting the score to 3-0. Duke cut Myers loose on the reset, moved in on a low single and picked up a second takedown at 2:02. He cut Myers loose again and added a third takedown and cut at 1:25 to lead 9-3. Duke picked up a fourth takedown, then a fifth at the :22 mark. He rolled Myers to his back and picked up the first period pin at the 2:42 mark.
165: Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, won by forfeit as Northwestern did not weigh in a competitor at 165.