Penn State Commit PJ Duke Beats 2 NCAA Champs at USA Wrestling Senior World Trials

PJ Duke might be difficult to keep out of the Penn State wrestling lineup next season. The 2025 Nittany Lions commit, who won four New York state high school wrestling titles, is one of the lead stories at this weekend's U.S. Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament,

Duke, who will be a freshman for Penn State this fall, defeated two NCAA champions Friday at the challenge tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, to earn a spot in Saturday's final at the 70 kg freestyle weight class. Duke will meet former Virginia Tech wrestler Bryce Andonian, who was a three-time All-American, in the final Saturday afternoon.

Duke is one of four current, future or former Nittany Lions who will compete in the finals. Among them is Carter Starocci, Penn State's five-time NCAA champion who will take on fellow Nittany Lion Wrestling Club member Kyle Dake at 86 kg.

Levi Haines advanced to the 79 kg final, and Josh Barr reached the final at 92 kg. The winners of Saturday's final matches earn spots in Final X, the June tournament that will determine who represents the U.S. at the 2025 World Wrestling Championships in Croatia. Penn State's Luke Lilledahl and Mitchell Mesenbrink already have secured spots at Final X.

Duke, who recently completed his fourth high school season at Minisink Valley in New York, wrestled two tense bouts Friday against defending NCAA champions, both from Nebraska. In the quarterfinals, Duke hit a four-point move in the final minute to topple the Cornhuskers' Antrell Taylor, who won the NCAA title at 157 pounds.

With that win, Duke advanced to a semifinal bout against Nebraska's Ridge Lovett, who won the 149-pound NCAA title in Philadelphia in March. Duke took a 3-1 second-period lead against Lovett on a takedown and step-out, but Lovett appeared to tie the bout with a late takedown.

Nittany Lion Wrestling Club coach Nick Lee challenged the takedown call, which was overturned. Lovett was award a step-out point, and Duke defended the last few seconds for a 3-2 win to earn his spot in the challenge tournament finals. If he wins Saturday, Duke will face Yianni Diakomihalis in the 70 kg best-of-three series at Final X in Newark with a spot on the USA Wrestling world team on the line.