PHILADELPHIA – Penn State wrestling (2-0, 0-0 B1G) dominated homestanding Drexel (2-1) in non-conference action on Friday night in Philadelphia. Penn State won nine of ten bouts to post a 43-3 victory in Drexel’s sold out Daskalaskis Athletic Center.

The sellout crowd watched as Penn State won all but one but, and each for bonus points. The dual began at 125. Nittany Lion sophomore Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 2 at 125, tallied five takedowns in a 19-7 major decision victory over Desmond Pleasant. True freshman Marcus Blaze, ranked No. 11 at 133, followed that up by pinning Kyle Waterman at 4:33 to put Penn State up 10-0 early. With No. 8 Aaron Nagao not competing, Cael Nasdeo took to the mat at 141. Nasdeo dropped a tough 8-5 decision to Drexel’s Jordan Soriano.

Junior Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 1 at 149, used four takedowns and a couple turns to roll to a 20-4 technical fall over Patrick Kelly at 6:52. True freshman PJ Duke, ranked No. 15 at 157, roared in his Penn State dual meet debut, notching four first period takedowns before wrapping up a cradle on the last and pinning Luke Nichter at the 1:15 mark. Penn State led 21-3 at halftime.

Junior Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, racked up five takedowns in the first period and dominated the action in a 19-4 tech fall at 5:13. Senior Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 174, followed that up with a dominant win. Haines posted a 12-1 major decision over No. 17 Jasaiah Queen, including three takedowns and 2:20 in riding time, to put Penn State on top 30-3.

Sophomore Rocco Welsh, ranked No. 4 at 184, pressured Ethan Wilson for seven minutes, picking up a handful of stall points and notching three takedowns in a 13-3 major decision. Redshirt freshman Connor Mirasola tallied seven takedowns on his way to a convincing 22-5 tech fall over Justin Griffith at 197. He got the tech at the 5:38 mark in the third period. Redshirt freshman Cole Mirasola, ranked No. 10 at 285, capped off the dual with a strong 10-2 major decision over Nate Schon, picking up the major clinching takedown in the final seconds.

Penn State won the takedown battle as well, 38-2. The Nittany Lions tallied 16 bonus points off two pins (Blaze, Duke), three tech falls (Van Ness, Mesenbrink, Connor Mirasola) and four majors (Lilledahl, Haines, Welsh, Cole Mirasola).

Penn State is now 2-0 on the year, 0-0 in the Big Ten. Drexel falls to 2-1. The Nittany Lions return home to host No. 13 Lehigh on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 1 p.m. in Rec Hall.

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 43, Drexel 3

December 5, 2025 – Daskalaskis Athletic Center – Philadelphia, Pa.

125: #2 Luke Lilledahl PSU maj. dec. Desmond Pleasant DREX, 19-7 4-0

133: #11 Marcus Blaze PSU pinned Kyle Waterman DREX, WBF (4:33) 10-0

141: Jordan Soriano DREX dec. Cael Nasdeo PSU, 8-5 10-3

149: #1 Shayne Van Ness PSU tech fall Patrick Kelly DREX, 20-4 (TF; 6:52) 15-3

157: #15 PJ Duke PSU pinned Luke Nichter DREX, WBF (1:15) 21-3

165: #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink PSU tech fall Cody Walsh, 19-4 (5:13) 26-3

174: #1 Levi Haines PSU maj. dec. #17 Jasaiah Queen DREX, 12-1 30-3

184: #4 Rocco Welsh PSU maj. dec. Ethan Wilson DREX, 13-3 34-3

197: Connor Mirasola PSU tech fall Justin Griffith DREX, 22-5 (TF; 5:38) 39-3

285: #10 Cole Mirasola PSU maj. dec. Nate Schon DREX, 10-2 43-3

Attendance: 2,217 (sell out)

Records: Penn State (2-0, 0-0 B1G); Drexel (2-1)

Up Next for Penn State: home vs. Lehigh, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025 – Rec Hall

DUAL MEET BOUT-BY-BOUT:

125: Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 2 at 125, took on Drexel’s Desmond Pleasant. Lilledahl wasted no time getting in on a low single, taking Pleasant down for an early 3-0 lead. Pleasant reversed Lilledahl to cut the lead to a 3-2 but Lilledahl returned the favor to up his lead to 5-2 at 1:34. Pleasant escaped to a 5-3 score at 1:15 and then forced a scramble with a low shot. Lilledahl forced a stalemate at :48. Lilledahl took Pleasant down at :18 to extend his lead to 8-3 after the first period. Pleasant chose down to start the second period and escaped to an 8-4 score. Lilledahl worked in neutral through the 1:00 mark and then turned a low single into a takedown and an 11-4 lead with :40 on the clock. Pleasant escaped to an 11-5 score after the second period. Lilledahl escaped quickly to start the third period, countered a Pleasant shot at 1:40 and took a 15-5 lead with 1:36 left to wrestle. Lilledahl cut Pleasant loose, scored again to open up an 18-6 lead. Pleasant added an escaped, Lilledahl 2:33 in riding time and the Nittany Lion posted the 19-7 major decision.

133: True freshman Marcus Blaze, ranked No. 11 at 133, met senior Kyle Waterman. Blaze opened the bout with a quick takedown at the 2:41 mark. He worked on top, looking for a turn while building up riding time. Waterman escaped to a 3-1 score and Blaze immediately moved in for a second takedown and a 6-1 lead. Blaze worked his time up to 1:16 before cutting Waterman loose. Blaze used a quick low single to open up a 9-2 lead and carried it plus 1:52 in riding time into the second period. Blaze escaped to a 10-2 lead to open up the second stanza. He worked his way around Waterman for another takedown and a 14-2 lead at 1:30, forced a stall warning, cut the Dragon loose and went back to work on offense. Blaze took Waterman down and then locked up a cradle on the takedown, getting the fall at 4:33.

141: Cael Nasdeo took on Dragon Jordan Soriano at 141. Nasdeo notched the first takedown of the bout, taking a 3-0 lead at 2:30 in the first period. Nasdeo worked up over a minute of riding time, looking for a chance to turn Soriano. The Dragon was able to escape to a 3-1 score at 1:11. Nasdeo and Soriano worked on their feet through the :30 mark, trading quick shots at :20. Nasdeo fired off a late shot, forcing a scramble as the period ended but did not get the takedown and led 3-1 after one. Nasdeo chose down to start the second period. Soriano was able to maintain control to the 1:12 mark before Nasdeo escaped to a 4-1 lead. Soriano got in on a single and took Nasdeo down to tie the bout at 4-4 with :46 left in the second period. Soriano was able to ride the Lion out and the bout moved to the third period tied 4-4. Soriano chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 5-4 lead at 1:40. Nasdeo appeared to have a takedown as the clock moved through the :40 mark but none was called and Penn State threw the brick, challenging the no call. The call was upheld and Nasdeo trailed by one at :30. Nasdeo took a late shot that Soriano countered and the Dragon won 8-5.

149: Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 1 at 149, met Patrick Kelly. Van Ness scored quickly, taking Kelly down in the opening :30 to lead 3-0. Kelly scrambled to a reversal at 2:18 and Van Ness returned the favor, reversing Kelly to open up a 5-2 lead at :42. Van Ness controlled Kelly for the rest of the period and led 5-2 after one. Kelly chose down to start the second period, Van Ness, cut him loose and moved in on offense. He took Kelly down and turned him to his back, working for a pin but settling for four back points and a 12-3 lead after two periods. Van Ness chose neutral to start the third period. He worked a low double into a scramble and another takedown with 1:15 on the clock, taking a 15-3 lead. He locked up riding time and added two back points to lead 17-3 at :30. He cut Kelly loose once more and iced the tech fall with :08 on the clock, winning 20-4 at 6:52.

157: True freshman PJ Duke, ranked No. 15 at 157, battled Luke Nichter. Duke took a 3-1 lead with a quick takedown and cut, a second, then a third, then a fourth before he locked up a cradle and got the first period pin. Duke picked up the fall at 1:15 in the opening stanza.

165: Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, met Cody Walsh. Mesenbrink took the Dragon down quickly to open up a 3-1 lead. He took Walsh down a second time at the 2:00 mark, cut him loose and added a third takedown to lead 9-2 with 1:06 on the clock. Walsh escaped a third time at :30 but Mesenbrink quickly moved in for a fourth takedown to lead 12-3 with nearly 2:00 in riding time after one. Mesenbrink chose down to start the second period and scrambled his way to a reversal and a 14-3 lead. He forced a stall, cut Walsh and then took him down to lead 17-4 at :58. Mesenbrink controlled action on top for the rest of the period and led 17-4 after two. Walsh chose top to start the third period. Mesenbrink quickly rolled to a reversal and clinched the tech fall with the move, winning 19-4 at 5:13.

174: Senior Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 174, faced No. 17 Jasaiah Queen. Haines and Queen battled evenly for the first two minutes before Haines picked up the bout’s first takedown at :51 to lead 3-0. Haines forced a stall warning and then rode Queen out to lead by three after one. Haines chose down to start the second period. He escaped to a 4-0 lead then fought off a Queen shot and picked up a point on a second stall call on the Dragon. Haines turned a high shot into a scramble and a second takedown to open up an 8-0 lead at the :48 mark. Haines finished the period on top and led 8-0 after two. Queen chose down to start the third period and Haines cut him loose. He quickly moved in on offense. Queen was able to flee the mat without giving up a stall call and Haines led 8-1 at the 1:18 mark. Haines continued to work on offense, turning a low shot into another takedown to lead 11-1 with :50 left to wrestle. Haines finished the period on top and added 2:20 in riding time to roll to the 12-1 major.

184: Sophomore Rocco Welsh, ranked No. 4 at 184, battled Ethan Wilson. The duo worked in neutral through the 2:00 mark before Welsh used a high single to take Wilson down for a 3-0 lead at 1:58. Wilson escaped to a 3-1 score and Welsh moved in on offense. Walsh forced a stall at :20 and led 3-1 after the opening period. Welsh chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-1 lead. Wilson fought off a solid Welsh shot at 1:20 then took a 5-1 lead on another Wilson stall. Walsh blew through a low double to take an 8-1 lead as the period ended. Wilson chose down to start the third period and escaped to an 8-2 score. Welsh used a quick low shot for another takedown and an 11-2 lead with 1:33 on the clock. Wilson escaped to a 12-3 score and Welsh picked up another point on another Wilson stall to lead 13-3. The Lion sophomore continued to pressure Wilson for the rest of the bout and rolled to a 13-3 major decision.

197: Redshirt freshman Connor Mirasola took on Justin Griffith. Mirasola scored quickly, taking a 3-0 lead at 2:34 in the opening stanza. Leading 3-1, Mirasola notched a second takedown at 1:28 to lead 6-2 after cutting Griffith loose. He added a third takedown and a rideout to lead 9-2 after one. Griffith chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 9-3 score. Mirasola quickly took the Dragon down and opened up a 12-3 lead at 1:32. Mirasola cut Griffith loose and then moved in for another takedown and cut to lead 15-5. Mirasola fought off a quick Griffith shot at :35 and then picked pa stall point to lead 16-5 with :21 on the clock. Mirasola finished off the second with a late takedown and led 19-4 after two. Mirasola chose neutral to start the third period and ended the match with a final takedown, posting the 22-5 tech fall at 5:28.

285: Redshirt freshman Cole Mirasola, ranked No. 10 at 285, battled Nate Schon. Mirasola took Schon down quickly to open up a 3-1 lead early in the first period. The duo battled evenly in the center of the mat through the 1:00 mark, working in neutral. Schon got hit with an illegal hold at :31 and Mirasola led 4-1. Mirasola fought off a solid Schon shot and nearly countered down the stretch but settled for a 4-1 lead after the opening period. Mirasola chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 5-1 lead. He worked the middle of the mat for the next minute plus, looking for a chance to break through Schon’s defense but the Dragon was able to defend his way to the third period. Schon chose down to start the final stanza and escaped to a 5-2 score. Mirasola continued to pressure the Dragon towards the outside circle. Schon gave up a stall point took injury time at 1:09 and chose down on the reset. Mirasola escaped to a 7-2 lead and then finished off the major with a late takedown to win 10-2.