Preview: Penn State Wrestling's 2025 Opener Against Oklahoma

Penn State returns two wrestlers with national championships and five wrestlers who finished among the top 6 at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. But with the program's depth and impressive freshman class, two All-Americans (Braeden Davis and Tyler Kasak) are likely to redshirt.

Here's a look at the Nittany Lions' probably lineup vs. Oklahoma. All rankings are via interMat.

125 | Luke Lilledahl: "Lightning Luke" is ranked third at the weight class after going 25-3 last season and placing third at the NCAA championships. Lilledahl capped his freshman season with a pin in the bronze-medal match at NCAAs, He is a three-time world age-group freestyle champion and became the first U.S. wrestler to win gold at the U17, U20 and U23 World Championships.

133 | Marcus Blaze: A true freshman, Blaze arrives at Penn State with a U20 world title and spectacular high school pedigree. He won four state titles at Perrysburg High, finishing his career with record of 196-2. Blaze also has won a U17 world title and made the U.S. National Team after placing third at the Senior championships. Blaze opens the season unranked, which likely won't last long.

141 | Aaron Nagao: The junior returns to Penn State's lineup after missing last season because of an injury that required surgery. He opens the season ranked 11th, the product of being a two-time NCAA qualifier and 2023 All-American. Nagao likely will fill this weight class ahead of Davis, who Penn State plans to redshirt this season.

149 | Shayne Van Ness: One of four Nittany Lions ranked atop their weight classes, Van Ness seeks to build on his second NCAA bronze medal. He went 25-3 last season with 21 bonus-point victories, including seven falls. Van Ness has a career record of 52-10.

157 | PJ Duke: One of two heralded true freshmen in Penn State's lineup, Duke is taking over the weight class for Kasak, a two-time All-American who is redshirting this season. Duke had an exceptional freestyle season, wrestling at three World Championships and winning his second U20 title. Duke went 173-1 at Minisink Valley High in New York, where he won four state titles.

165 | Mitchell Mesenbrink: The defending NCAA champ won his second age-group world title in October at the U23 championships, previewing another potentially dominant season. Mesenbrink produced one of the top performances in college wrestling last year, going 27-0 with 18 technical falls in winning his first national championship.

In two seasons at Penn State, Mesenbrink is 53-1, and his .981 winning percentage represents the best career start of any Nittany Lions wrestler. He has recorded bonus points in 40 of those wins. FloWrestling ranked Mesenbrink as the nation's No. 1 overall wrestler entering the 2025-26 season.

174 | Levi Haines: The 2024 NCAA champ at 157 pounds, Haines jumped two weight classes last season to 174, where he finished third. Sanderson said that Haines is now "full-size" for the weight class. He begins the season ranked No. 1 after placing second at Senior Worlds.

184 | Rocco Welsh: After redshirting at Ohio State last season, Welsh takes over Carter Starocci's former weight class. Welsh last used his eligibility in 2024, when he reached the 174-pound NCAA final and lost to Starocci. Welsh went 12-0 wrestling in open events for the Buckeyes last season. He brings a 36-5 career record to Penn State and begins the season ranked No. 2.

197 | Connor Mirasola: This will be Josh Barr's weight class soon, but the defending NCAA runner-up was injured at U23 worlds and will miss some time. Meanwhile, the redshirt freshman gets the nod. Mirasola went 8-0 last year, winning two tournaments. Barr is ranked No. 1 at the weight class.

285 | Cole Mirasola: The twin brother of Connor, Cole Mirasola leads the way in replacing former NCAA champ Greg Kerkvliet at heavyweight. Mirasola holds the advantage over senior Lucas Cochran, who also could get some reps. Mirasola went 6-2 during his redshirt season.