Penn State wrestling: Two freshman rise in latest national rankings

No. 1 Penn State wrestling took down No. 14 Rutgers 35-3 during Monday’s annual BJC Dual to advance to 10-0 on the season. A key to the Nittany Lions‘ success this year has been the contributions from an infusion of young wrestlers into the lineup. The victories of two Penn State freshmen were rewarded this week, as Tyler Kasak and Mitchell Mesenbrink both moved up in the national rankings for their respective weight classes.

Tyler Kasak approaches All-American status

Tyler Kasak continues to increase his national profile, as he now moves up from 10 to 9 in the latest rankings at 149 from InterMat. The true freshman is now just one spot out of being a projected All-American. Kasak’s quick success this season wasn’t something many expected when national title contender Shayne Van Ness went down earlier this year with a season-ending injury.

Kasak went 1-1 this past weekend with an 11-8 sudden victory loss to No. 8 Caleb Rathjen (Iowa) on Friday night and a 7-5 decision over No. 25 Michael Cetta (Rutgers) on Monday. Friday’s loss was only his second of the season, with the other coming to teammate Beau Bartlett at the Black Knight Invite in November at 141 pounds.

Tyler Kasak faces potentially his most difficult task of the season on Sunday against Nebraska, when he takes on No. 1 Ridge Lovett. There is a question as to whether the true freshman will even take the mat this weekend after appearing to suffer a blow to the head in Monday’s dual. Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson calmed any injury concerns for Kasak this week, but it is always possible the Nittany Lions hold him out as a precaution with the postseason rapidly approaching.

If he does wrestle, Tyler Kasak won’t be expected to win, but it will be a good measuring stick to see where he stacks up with the best of 149 pounds. If Kasak somehow does pull off the upset, that would change the true freshman’s outlook from a potential All-American to a national title contender.

Mitchell Mesenbrink continues to climb up the rankings

Mitchell Mesenbrink has been nothing but consistent this season. The redshirt freshman just keeps on winning. Mesenbrink rolled once again last weekend, securing two comfortable wins with a 12-6 decision over No. 7 Mikey Caliendo of Iowa Friday and an 18-3 tech fall win over Anthony White of Rutgers Monday.

Mesenbrink moved up one spot in this week’s InterMat Rankings for 165, now at No. 6 nationally. He touts a 17-0 record on the season and, more impressively, has a 76.47% bonus percentage in those 17 matches. Only one opponent has kept it within three points of the redshirt freshman this year, and that was teammate Terrell Barraclough back in November in the Black Knight Invite.

Many expect Mitchell Mesenbrink to be a national title contender this season. But the wrestlers in front of him just haven’t lost a much so far. One of those wrestlers is Dean Hamiti from Wisconsin, who is currently 21-1 and No. 5 in this week’s rankings. We will have to wait until at least the Big Ten Tournament to see a match between the two of them.

All Mitchell Mesenbrink can do now is continue to keep winning, and try to get as high of a seed as possible in the NCAA Tournament. He will get his opportunity to wrestle the top guys soon enough, and when he does, enjoy the show.

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