Penn State Wrestling Live Updates: Day 3 of the NCAA Wrestling Championships

The Nittany Lions have clinched their fifth consecutive team title.

Penn State wrestling fans cheer during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Rocket Arena. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

CLEVELAND | Penn State has clinched one trophy at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships. It looks for six more Saturday night in the tournament finals.

The Nittany Lions secured their fifth straight NCAA team title Saturday morning at Rocket Arena, about seven hours before the finals even begin. Tonight, six Penn State wrestlers seek to set the NCAA record for most champions in one tournament. The Nittany Lions begin the final session with 164 team points, 13 behind their 2025 record.

We're updating Saturday's action live, so follow along as the championships reach their peak. To catch up, here's the recap of what happened on Day 2 and opening day, along with a review of two controversial bouts in Friday's semifinals.

Looking ahead to the finals

Penn State Nittany Lions wrestler Shayne Van Ness shakes hands with Oklahoma Sooners Casey Swiderski after their match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Rocket Arena. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Here are Penn State's six final matches, five of which are regular-season rematches:

125. No. 1 Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) vs. No. 10 Marc-Anthony McGowan (Princeton): "I need my shot at redemption," McGowan said of wrestling Lilledahl in the final. When they wrestled in February, McGowan (19-6) was disqualified after five stalling calls. But he has made a nice run at nationals, with wins over the 2 and 7 seeds. Lilledahl (24-0) seemed to take that match in stride. " I hope that he comes out ready to wrestle, because I know I'm going to be ready to wrestle," he said.

149: No. 1 Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) vs. No. 10 Aden Valencia (Stanford): Van Ness (25-0) said the best thing that happened to him was Friday's dramatic 5-2 sudden-victory decision over Oklahoma State's Cody Swiderski. "That was one heck of a brawl," Van Ness said. "I loved every second of it." Valencia (20-7) beat second-seeded Jaxon Joy of Cornell 12-9 en route to the semis. Van Ness beat Valencia 10-4 in December.

165: No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) vs. No. 3 Mikey Caliendo (Iowa): This is the ninth meeting between the Big Ten opponents and second straight in the NCAA final. Mesenbrink (26-0) has won all eight previous bouts, including a 12-3 major in the Big Ten final. "He's a good wrestler, but sometimes all it takes is one match, right?" Caliendo said. "If there's any one time I'm going to get him, this is going to be the time."

Penn State Nittany Lions wrestler Mitchell Mesenbrink (left) controls Iowa Hawkeyes' Mikey Caliendo in the Big Ten Wrestling Championships at Bryce Jordan Center. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

174: No. 1 Levi Haines (Penn State) vs. No. 3 Christopher Minto (Nebraska): Haines (25-0) has looked so poised and polished in Cleveland, with a fall and three technicals. But Minto has tested him in 8-6 and 2-1 decisions this season. "I'm glad he made it to the finals this year," Minto said. "I have five losses this year, two are to him, and the other three I've avenged them. So I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the finals and wrestling that one out again."

184: No. 1 Rocco Welsh (Penn State) vs. No. 3 Max McEnelly (Minnesota): Welsh (24-0) gets a Big Ten final rematch with McEnelly, one of just two wrestlers to hold Welsh without a takedown this season. Welsh won their Big Ten final in a nervy 2-1 tiebreaker. "I think I did most of the stuff right," Welsh said of their previous bout. "I think I could open up a little bit more."

197: No. 1 Josh Barr (Penn State) vs. No. 7 Cody Merrill (Oklahoma State): This is Penn State's only non-rematch and the lone Penn State-Oklahoma State final. Barr (23-0) can become the nation's only wrestler to finish an undefeated season with a 100-percent bonus-point rate. Merrill, a 21-4 redshirt freshman, won two tight bouts to reach the final, including a tiebreaker decision over Arkansas Little Rock's Stephen Little.

PJ Duke places third after controversial semifinal

PJ DUKE W 🦁#PSUwr pic.twitter.com/DXcYwIPrIh

— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) March 21, 2026

Duke (157) absorbed the most difficult loss of Penn State's tournament, a 3-1 tiebreaker decision to Oklahoma State's fifth-seeded Landon Robideau in Friday's semifinals. It was a controversial result as well, as Duke had the potential winning takedown waved off in sudden victory.

But Duke responded Saturday with two impressive wins, including a 20-4 technical fall over Ohio State's Brandon Cannon, his third of the season. Duke also defeated llinois' Kannon Webster in his first bout of the day.

Duke (24-2) finished his first season at Penn State with a Big Ten title and his first an All-America medal. After the third-place win, Duke said he was healthy for the tournament and was asked whether he thought he had a takedown in the semifinal. "Doesn't really matter what I think," he said.

Duke further discussed the semifinal loss and what pushed him to return committed Saturday.

"Obviously it didn't go my way, and I can’t control … what the refs are doing," Duke said. "It's completely my fault. I should have done more on offense. I should be getting to my attacks at the start. Obviously [Robideau] wrestled a great match. He deserved to win. He did everything right.

"Next time I’m just going to be more offensive and be myself. But it’s pretty cool to bounce back and take third. Obviously I was dreading doing it, getting that weight off and all that stuff, but I was just thinking about my family and my family name. That's way more important to me than wrestling, just showing my family and how they raised me. I’m tough. I'm going to go get that third-place medal. And that’s what I did."

Penn State’s PJ Duke on his loss Friday at the NCAA Wrestling Championships and what pushed him to place third Saturday. pic.twitter.com/L7cAqMKmY4

— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) March 21, 2026

Marcus Blaze takes fourth

Let's go, Marcus! 😤💪#PSUwr pic.twitter.com/RL1Vnnxlj9

— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) March 21, 2026

Blaze (133) fell 5-0 to fellow freshman phenom Aaron Seidel of Virginia Tech in the third-place bout, ending a superb opening season as an All-American. Seidel wrestled a strong bout, riding Blaze for the entire second period and scoring a takedown midway through the third.

Earlier, Blaze looked resolute after is grueling tiebreaker loss Friday to Ohio State's Ben Davino. Blaze scored a 20-4 technical fall over Stanford's Tyler Knox to reach the third-place bout. He hit the first takedown 27 seconds into the bout and rolled on from there. Blaze scored five takedowns and two reversals for his fourth win of the championships.

"Those guys have been in those situations before, whether it's a national tournament or a youth tournament when you're a kid," Penn State's Levi Haines said of Blaze and Duke. "It's all the same. Wrestling is wrestling no matter what stage it's on. Those guys have been there, and they've been able to take care of business before. I don't expect anything different.

"I hope they're proud of the way they competed. They both competed hard and were in some really fun battles to watch. It's tough. I've been on both sides of it, but they'll take care of business and be better because of it."

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