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Penn State Lands Commitment From Versatile 4-Star Minnesota Athlete

Pierce Petersohn, a three-sport high school star, joins the Nittany Lions' 2026 recruiting class.
Mark Wogenrich|
Penn State football coach James Franklin celebrates a Nittany Lions victory with students at Beaver Stadium.
Penn State football coach James Franklin celebrates a Nittany Lions victory with students at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

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Penn State revived the commitment pace of its 2026 recruiting class Wednesday, when 4-star Minnesota athlete Pierce Petersohn committed to the Nittany Lions. Petersohn announced his decision on social media via On3's Hayes Fawcett.

Petersohn, a three-sport athlete at Minnesota's Triton High School, chose Penn State over the home-state Golden Gophers. He also has received offers from Duke, Iowa, Iowa State and Kansas State, among others. Penn State football coach James Franklin offered Petersohn in March, and he took an official visit in May.

Petersohn largely is being recruited as a tight end and linebacker. He is a 4-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite, which ranks him as the No. 3 athlete in Minnesota and the No. 21 athlete nationally. On3 ranks Petersohn (6-5, 190 pounds) as the No. 12 linebacker in the 2026 recruiting class.

Petersohn is a versatile player who could fit into either room at Penn State. However, the Nittany Lions have proven skillful at putting tight ends into the NFL lately, notably with Tyler Warren signing a huge deal as the Indianapolis Colts' first-round draft pick in 2025. Penn State tight ends coach Ty Howle visited Petersohn in late April.

Petersohn played quarterback for Triton High last season, earning his district's offensive player-of-the-year award. He threw for nearly 1,500 yards and rushed for another 380. In basketball, Petersohn set the school's career-scoring record. He also has broken several records in track, including in the high jump.

"He’s a generational athlete, honestly, to come through Triton," Triton boys basketball coach Zak Hanegraaf told KTTC. "I just think he is able to maximize his talent with his work ethic.”

A welcome boost for Penn State recruiting

Petersohn's commitment was welcome news for the Nittany Lions, who had not received one since June 16, when linebacker Elijah Littlejohn announced his decision. In the interim, Penn State missed on several top national targets, notably Pennsylvania's top-ranked player Joey O'Brien, who committed to Notre Dame.

The recent string of players who committed elsewhere represented a loss of potential top talent for Penn State. O'Brien is a 5-star prospect and the No. 1 player in Pennsylvania, Elsewhere, USC swooped in to get a commitment from New Jersey defensive end Luke Wafle, a top-100 player nationally.

In addition, on the same day Petersohn committed to Penn State, another recruiting target announced his decision for a rival. Marky Walbridge, a 3-star offensive lineman from Massachusetts, committed to Michigan. Walbridge had visited Penn State in late May and also had offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Wisconsin and Nebraska, among others.

Petersohn is the 21st player to commit to Penn State's 2026 class and the first from Minnesota. the Nittany Lions' class ranks eighth nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite. Miami recently jumped ahead of Penn State into the seventh spot. The Nittany Lions trail USC (No. 1 overall) and Ohio State (No. 5) in the Big Ten rankings.

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Mark Wogenrich
MARK WOGENRICH

Mark Wogenrich is the editor and publisher of Penn State on SI, the site for Nittany Lions sports on the Sports Illustrated network. He has covered Penn State sports for more than two decades across three coaching staffs, three Rose Bowls and one College Football Playoff appearance.

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