True freshman Luke Lilledahl jumps into top 3 after Big Ten title victory

This weekend, Luke Lilledahl shocked the country by winning the Big Ten Championship at 125 pounds. One of five members of the Penn State wrestling program to win individual titles, the true freshman phenom handed No. 1 Matt Ramos of Purdue his first loss of the season in a convincing 12-4 major decision before defeating then-No. 7 Caleb Smith (Nebraska) by 4-3 decision in the Big Ten Final.

Now one day before the NCAA Championships seeding is announced, Lilledahl rocketed up the latest InterMat rankings, jumping from No. 8 to No. 3 at 125.

Heading into the Big Ten Championships, some question marks still surrounded Lilledahl. The true freshman had beaten Smith and Joey Cruz (Iowa) during the dual season but had also picked up losses to Dean Peterson (Rutgers) and Brendan McCrone (Ohio State). A 16-2 record was enough to earn him the No. 4 seed at the conference tournament, but a lighter resume kept Lilledahl near the back of the top 10 in the national rankings.

However, Lilledahl’s performance last weekend elevated his ceiling. After wins over Cruz, Ramos, and Smith in Evanston, Lilledahl is now one of the favorites to bring home the national title in Philadelphia next weekend.

Penn State wrestling now has another title contender

Penn State wrestling 125-pounder Luke Lilledahl. © Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 125-pounder has consistently improved since arriving in State College and appears to be peaking at the right time. Cael Sanderson has a history of getting his young wrestlers to be at the top of their game in the postseason.

Yet, the NCAA Tournament can be unforgiving. In 2024, Braeden Davis brought home the 125-pound Big Ten Championship and earned the No. 1 seed at NCAAs before losing in the quarterfinals and ultimately getting knocked out in the round of 12.

Lilledahl’s improved standing should help to earn him a few more favorable matchups as he now makes a push for his first national championship. Seeding for the NCAA Championships will be announced at 8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Once the official bracket is established, we will know the difficulty of Lilledahl’s path to the podium in Philadelphia.

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