Top 2025 Penn State wrestling commit talks ‘warrior mindset’

PJ Duke may only be a high school junior, but he has the mentality of a savvy veteran. The star 2025 Penn State wrestling commit opened up about his “warrior mindset” and long-term goals after a dominating performance at the U20 World Team Trials in Geneva, Ohio, last weekend.

Top Penn State wrestling commit explains his “warrior mindset”

PJ Duke clinched the 70 kg title at the U.S. U20 World Team Trials with 5-2 and 9-2 victories over Kannon Webster in the best two-of-three finals last weekend. He was one of five current or future Penn State wrestlers to secure one of the 10 spots on the U20 National Team.

After his clinching finals match, Duke spoke to the media about how his mental toughness has contributed to the success experienced early during his career on the mat.

“One thing I always promise is I will never lose because I quit,” Duke stated. “That is something my dad taught me since I was young, since I started the sport. It’s a warrior mindset. No matter how tired you are, you just have to keep pushing through.”

Duke went on to discuss the value of pushing through pain and how it has made him a better wrestler. Those skills were highlighted multiple times last week, as Duke also won the Junior Schalles Award for the nation’s top scholastic pinner on Wednesday.

PJ Duke is already going for Gold

The No. 1 overall recruit for 2025, PJ Duke has plenty to look forward to in the years ahead with the Penn State wrestling program. However, Duke did talk openly about his highest goal: looking beyond the Blue and White and toward the Red, White, and Blue.

“These are amazing things that I am accomplishing, but I gotta be humble, I gotta keep working,” he said. “We are not at the peak yet; we are not at the Olympic title. That’s the ultimate goal: to represent the USA at the Olympics and take home the Gold.”

Duke will have almost his entire college career completed before the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. A 2025 Penn State wrestling commit, Duke is currently the No. 1 pound-for-pound wrestler in the class.

With Luke Lilledahl arriving in the fall, Cael Sanderson is set to bring the No. 1 recruit to Happy Valley for two straight years.

The Penn State wrestling dynasty appears to be picking up even more steam as recruiting reaches heights not reached since the early days of Sanderson’s coaching tenure. The Nittany  Lions are eyeing their fourth consecutive NCAA Championship in 2025, an accomplishment that Sanderson will try to achieve for the third time as head coach in Happy Valley.

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