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What Penn State Said After Winning Its 5th Straight NCAA Wrestling Title

The Nittany Lions set another scoring record at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland.
Mark Wogenrich|
The Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling team poses with the team trophy at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships.
The Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling team poses with the team trophy at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships. | Mark Wogenrich | Penn State on SI

Penn State won its fifth straight team title at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, setting a scoring record for the third consecutive year in the process. Nittany Lions coach Cael Sanderson won his 13th title in 17 seasons, nearing the all-time record among Division I coaches.

The Nittany Lions went 4-2 in the finals, led by Mitchell Mesenbrink and Levi Haines, who became two-time champions. Mesenbrink was named the tournament's outstanding wrestler, and Penn State crowned eight All-Americans. Afterward, Sanderson and his team discussed the night and their future.

Sanderson on the season

"I think this was an incredible year. Obviously our heart and minds are with kids who didn't reach their goals, and we're here thinking about what can we do better, we've got to do this better. We've got a lot on our minds now. Happy for the team. Just really an incredible group of guys, outstanding year. Our staff is, they're all unicorns, really, up and down the lineup. ... We're very blessed. Very grateful."

On maintaing long-term consistency

"We work every day. We love what we do. We love each other, our staff. That's what, the kids in the program and the staff we work with, that's what it's all about. Seeing those guys every day is what motivates me and just continuing to learn and grow.

"We're a blessed program. We follow the rules. There's not a lot of that going on right now. And that's one of the reasons we can sleep when the wind blows. We train hard and do the right things to the best of our ability and things will work out."

On the advice he gave wrestlers who lost at NCAAs

"I don't know. I mean, each kid, it's just a process. And sometimes the best thing that can happen to you is you've got to learn, whether you win or lose, obviously, but tough losses can change a career for the better and help you make those changes that will help you reach your ultimate goal at the highest level. Losing is no fun. We hate it. It stinks and don't wish it on anybody. But it's part of life. You just keep fighting, keep getting back up, and things will work out.

On setting the team scoring record with 181 points

"Our guys move forward. You watch the matches, and our guys are moving forward the whole time. If they had a push-out rule, that would be great for our program. I hope they do. I was against that for all these years, but it's probably something to [do], because it's just really hard to call stalling.

"Refs, obviously don't want to call stalling even when they are stalling. But our guys just they look to score points. So they score points. It's really that simple. Yeah, a lot of consistency. These guys are just tough, good kids, work hard. That's what I talked about a little bit earlier."

Mitchell Mesenbrink on winning his second NCAA title

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

"I feel like my 'why' this whole season could be summed up in this quote: "Sometimes it takes obtaining the goal to realize that the goal was not the thing to be obtained." Before I lose you, let me try to explain that. I feel like sometimes we think that becoming a national champion or
an Olympic champion, or whatever your goal that you set out to be, making X amount of money or whatever, it's truly never as fulfilling as you think it is.

"And it definitely can't be the thing that you fill your soul and fill your cup with. This past year, I had some of the toughest times I've ever had in my young life, and besides making the USA team for [Senior Worlds], I won almost everything that I wanted to. And I think that sums up exactly what I was saying with that quote, that no matter how many wins or things or amount of money or whatever infinite number of something that you can gain, that was not the point of all of it.

"And this year I really, really just wanted to enjoy it. I did not come to do my will, but to do the will of the one who sent me. And that's kind of a summation of being out there, the people that are around me and this year."

Levi Haines on his legacy and bond with the team

Penn State Nittany Lions wrestler Levi Haines competes against Columbia Lions' Nick Fine at the NCAA Wrestling Championships.
Penn State Nittany Lions wrestler Levi Haines competes against Columbia Lions' Nick Fine during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Rocket Arena. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

"I don't really get too caught up in my legacy or anything. People are going to remember me just how I treated them more so than how I competed. I guess if you're going to talk about my legacy, I just hope that everybody remembers me for treating them with kindness and just being appreciative of what they've done for me.

"It's tough to speak to the brotherhood of Penn State because I would do anything for each and every one of those guys. I've had some tough moments in my career at Penn State, but there's always been somebody there to kind of pick me up along the way. And just have a lot of experience there, guys who have kind of been in your position and been there, done that. So super grateful for all my teammates. And hopefully I can give back to them just a little bit of what they've given to me. I don't know if I'll ever be able to repay any of them. But I'll try my best."

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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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