What We Learned From Penn State Wrestling Media Day

Cael Sanderson seeks to lead the Nittany Lions to their fifth consecutive NCAA wrestling title.

Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson watches a match during the NCAA Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center. | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

STATE COLLEGE | Penn State starts the campaign for a fifth straight NCAA wrestling championship Friday with its season-opening match against Oklahoma. The Nittany Lions, who have won 71 consecutive matches, will wrestle three times this season in the Bryce Jordan Center, including Friday night’s non-conference dual.

Penn State coach Cael Sanderson met with the media on Tuesday for the first time ahead of his 17th season with the Nittany Lions. He highlighted a roster that returns two national champions and five All-Americans and brings in the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class, according to FloWrestling.

“People are coming to Penn State because this is the best place in the world to wrestle and the best place to see how good you can get in wrestling,” Sanderson said. 

Here’s what Sanderson discussed during the media session at Rec Hall.

Penn State wrestling is nearly back. Cael Sanderson is meeting with the media for the first time this season.

Here’s his opening statement: pic.twitter.com/brXzCnd5Lg

— amanda vogt (@amandav_3) November 11, 2025

RELATED: Why Penn State is skipping the National Duals Invitational

Penn State plans to redshirt some major talent

Tyler Kasak of Penn State wrestles Purdue's Joey Blaze in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Center. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

With its returning wrestlers and strong recruiting class, Penn State has depth at several weight classes that will lead to some interesting redshirt decisions. Notably, Sanderson said that Tyler Kasak, a two-time All-American, and Braeden Davis, a 2024 Big Ten champ and returning All-American, are likely to redshirt. 

Kasak, who played third at 157 pounds last season, is expected to train this season while freshman PJ Duke competes at the weight class. Davis, who was at 133 last season, also could redshirt with freshman Marcus Blaze taking that weight class and Aaron Nagao returning from a redshirt season to compete at 141.

“It’s just communication and transparency,” Sanderson said. “Our kids know that we’re honest, they know sport is sport. At the end of the day, the best guy goes. But when you have the flexibility that you have in college sports now with redshirts and different opportunities, we can be flexible, and you want guys that are team guys.”

Josh Barr returning from injury

Josh Barr of the Penn State Nittany Lions wrestles Stephen Buchanan of the Iowa Hawkeyes during the NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship at Wells Fargo Center. | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Barr, the returning NCAA runner-up at 197 pounds, sustained a rib injury at the U23 World Championships in October, Sanderson said. Barr won’t wrestle Friday against Oklahoma but will return soon, the coach said.

Sanderson noted that Barr was injured at the 2025 Big Ten Championships but returned to make the NCAA final.

“It will take him a while to get back, but he’s a tough dude,” Sanderson said. “You saw him come back from a pretty nasty injury at the Big Tens to make the finals of the national tournament. … It will take him a little time, like any rib injury. You don’t really know how annoying that is until you have one.”

Masanosuke Ono to redshirt as well

Masanosuke Ono signs autographs after the “FloWrestling Night in America” event Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two days after Penn State won its fourth straight national championship, Masanosuke Ono announced his commitment to the Nittany Lions. It was among the biggest moves of college wrestling’s offseason.

Ono, a 21-year-old wrestler from Japan, won the 2024 Senior World title in the 61 kg freestyle weight class, defeating an Olympic champ and world champ in the process. He is likely to redshirt this season as well to acclimate further to folkstyle wrestling and life in the U.S. Ono is listed as a 133-pound junior on Penn State’s wrestling roster, though Sanderson said his eligibility could change. 

“[He] has been an incredible addition, just the energy,” Sanderson said. “He loves wrestling, he loves Penn State, he loves being here. … A lot of work on his part to make it happen. He loves folkstyle, he’s spending that time training and getting better on the mat. That’s just him being a competitor and loving the sport.”

Nagao, who practices with Ono, said he has learned a lot from Ono and his style of wrestling, which Nagao described as disciplined, quick and agile.  

“Having Ono in the room is a blessing. I mean, he’s so good,” Nagao said. “He’s been helping me a lot on my feet. I think when he starts competing, he’s gonna be a terror.”

Rocco Welsh to replace Carter Starocci

Penn State Nittany Lion Carter Starocci wrestles Ohio State Buckeye Rocco Welsh in the 174-pound final at the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships. | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Former Ohio State wrestler Rocco Welsh lost to Penn State’s Carter Starocci in the 2024 NCAA final. Now, he’s going to replace Starocci at 184 pounds in the Nittany Lions’ lineup.

Welsh, a sophomore, transferred to Penn State after redshirting for the Buckeyes last season. He went 12-0 and won three tournaments wrestling in open competition.  

“He fits right in with our mentality; he’s a very hungry kid,” Sanderson said of the Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, native. “Just a very motivated, hard-working, obviously extremely talented, great competitor.”

Welsh is already fitting in and bringing “great vibes” to training, teammates said.  

“He’s great, obviously really good,” said redshirt freshman heavyweight Cole Mirasola said. “I’m looking forward to seeing him compete in the blue and white.”

Penn State has competition at heavyweight

Cole Mirasola and Lucas Cochran are Penn State’s primary options at 285 pounds. Mirasola redshirted last year, going 6-2 in open events and placin third at the U20 World Championships. Cochran, a fifth-year senior, has a career record of 22-4 but wrestled behind Greg Kerkvliet.

“[Last year] was really influential for me just to see kind of what goes on here and get used to what’s going on,” Mirasola said. “But this year, it’s go time.”

Mirasola had to put on a lot of weight to get to heavyweight. His twin brother Connor said that sometimes Cole would throw up because of how much he ate. 

“Putting on weight is harder than a lot of people think, but I put on some size since last season, so I think it’ll be good,” Cole Mirasola said. 

Who are the Nittany Lions' leaders?

Penn State’s Levi Haines is introduced before wrestling Iowa's Patrick Kennedy in the 174-pound bout in State College. | Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State doesn’t have any shortage of leaders. Sanderson expects his wrestlers to have strong character. 

“You don’t come to Penn State for the most part if that’s not your mentality, if you’re not a good dude,” Sanderson said. 

Senior Levi Haines, a 2024 NCAA champ, is a key leadership piece for Penn State. Haines is a three-time All-American who won a silver medal at the Senior World Championships this summer. Sanderson said that Haines only got better during the freestyle season. . 

“His self-worth doesn’t come from wins and losses, so that really gives him a lot of freedom to go out there and compete hard, and he’s gotten bigger and stronger,” Sanderson said. 

Sanderson also mentioned returning NCAA champ Mitchell Mesenbrink, Shayne Van Ness and Cochran as other impactful leaders. Everyone is competing for a spot in the starting lineup, which Nagao said is a “good problem” to have.

“I think it’s a blessing to sharpen each other,” he said. “I mean, that’s the quickest way to become a national champion is having people in the room that you have to compete with but also understand that it’s a game. We’re also just friends and brothers so I think it’s a blessing.”