Penn State wrestling widens gap on NCAA Tournament field in latest rankings

Penn State wrestling put the country on notice with a 30-8 rout of No. 2 Iowa last week at the Bryce Jordan Center. Not only is there a large gap between the Nittany Lions and everyone else, it may be much larger than we originally thought.

The Nittany Lions won eight of ten matches against the Hawkeyes last Friday night, including two upsets at 149 and 157 pounds. The dominant win shifted the national rankings around this week and gave us an updated look at just how good this Penn State team can be come March.

Penn State wrestling widens gap on field in NCAA Tournament projections

Heading into the dual against Iowa, InterMat projected Penn State would score 136 points at the NCAA Championships. Iowa, with 107.5 projected points, was the second-place team.

After Tyler Kasak and Shayne Van Ness pulled off their upsets, that gap has now widened. The Nittany Lions sit at a projected 144.5 points compared to the Hawkeyes’ 96.5.

The projected number doesn’t take into account all of the potential bonus points that could be scored in the tournament, so it isn’t unreasonable to think that Penn State wrestling could break its own 172.5-point NCAA record set in 2024.

As it currently stands, all ten Penn State starting wrestlers would be All-Americans this spring, something that has never happened under Cael Sanderson. The Nittany Lions also project to send eight wrestlers to the Semifinals and five to the Finals. Three will take home a title if all of the rankings hold firm.

Mitchell Mesenbrink in a class of his own

© Chris Eutsler / Basic Blues Nation, 2025.

The matchup between No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink and No. 2 Mikey Caliendo should have been one of the featured matches of last week’s dual. However, all the match did was show just how far above Mesenbrink is from everyone else in his weight.

The Penn State standout easily picked up a 19-4 tech fall win and continued his 100% bonus streak. Not only has the sophomore scored bonus points on every opponent, but he has also managed tech falls on all 12 of his opponents and hasn’t given up a takedown all season.

The dominance is truly impressive to watch. For Mesenbrink to do it against his toughest opponent of the season proves how much separation there is at 165 pounds. Mesenbrink is on a path towards an undefeated NCAA Championship and will be one of the key pieces if Penn State wrestling can break its own NCAA Tournament points record.

Tyler Kasak continues to improve

Tyler Kasak is off to a 13-0 start after taking down No. 1 Jacori Teemer by a 5-2 decision on Friday night. He is now one of the favorites to win a national championship at 157 pounds alongside Meyer Shapiro of Cornell.

The win continues a progression that started with a 24-5 record and third-place finish during his freshman season at 149 pounds. The win also gives Penn State wrestling another projected finalist at the NCAA Championships.

Winning a national title as a sophomore could help set up Penn State with an opportunity to extend its national championship winning streak beyond 2025. As a heavy favorite to win a fourth title this March, the question becomes just how many the Nittany Lions can win in a row.

With Kasak, Van Ness, and Mesenbrink all being sophomores, the window for at least two more after this year is certainly open.

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned and operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on social media.