CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Penn State wrestling team (14-0, 8-0 B1G) dominated Illinois (9-4, 4-4 B1G) 29-9 on Sunday to wrap up the Big Ten portion of its dual schedule unbeaten.

Penn State finished the Big Ten season with an 8-0 mark and won the 2025 Big Ten regular season (dual meet) championship.

It is the 11th title in Penn State history (all since head coach Cael Sanderson’s arrival) and the fifth straight. The 2025 Big Ten Championship will be contested, and crowned, at the 2025 Big Ten Championship Tournament on March 8-9 at Northwestern.

At 125, true freshman Luke Lilledahl, ranked No. 7 at 125, opened the dual meet with a dominant 19-3 technical fall over Caelen Riley at 4:19. Sophomore Braeden Davis, ranked No. 8 at 133, dropped a 7-1 decision to No. 4 Lucas Byrd in the next bout and Penn State led the dual 5-3. Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 3 at 141, turned a five-point first period into a dominating 9-2 win over No. 17 Danny Pucino to give the Nittany Lions an 8-3 lead.

Sophomore Shayne Van Ness, ranked No. 2 at 149, tallied four takedowns to dominate No. 14 Kannon Webster, 15-4. With No. 1 Tyler Kasak not competing, true freshman Joe Sealey wrestled again at 157 and dropped a tough 2-1 decision on 1:04 riding time.

Sophomore Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 at 165, forced three early stall warnings on No. 14 Braeden Scoles and chased the Illini down for a 10-1 major decision. Junior Levi Haines, ranked No. 2 at 174, used a first period takedown, an escape and riding time to post a 5-1 win over No. 23 Danny Braunagel. Graduate Carter Starocci, ranked No. 1 at 184, worked up a 17-4 lead on No. 12 Edmond Ruth late in the third period and then won by disqualification after forcing a sixth stall warning at 6:43.

Redshirt freshman Josh Barr, ranked No. 3 at 197, dominated No. 17 Zac Braunagel, using four takedowns and over 2:00 in riding time to roll to a 15-4 major decision. With No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet not competing, true freshman Cole Mirasola stepped in and lost 4-0.

Penn State closes out its dual meet season at home next Friday, when it hosts American University in Rec Hall at 7 p.m.

125–Lilledahl PSU tech fall Riley, 19-3 (TF; 4:19). 133–Byrd ILL dec. Davis PSU, 7-1. 141–Bartlett PSU dec. Pucino, 9-2. 149–Van Ness PSU maj. dec. Webster, 15-4. 157–Kraisser ILL dec. Sealey, 2-1.

165–Mesenbrink PSU maj. dec. Scoles, 10-1. 174–Haines PSU dec. Braunagel, 5-1. 184–Starocci PSU WB disq. Ruth, DQ (6:43, leading 17-4). 197–Barr PSU maj. dec. Braunagel, 15-4. 285–Luffman ILL dec. Mirasola, 4-0.

PSU Altoona fifth

ERIE — The Penn State Altoona men’s wrestling team competed in its first-ever Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championships on Saturday at Penn State Behrend’s Junker Center and totaled 7.5 points to finish in fifth place.

Penn College won the AMCC title with 191 points.

Wrestling for Penn State Altoona were Evan Davis at 125, Remington Fleck (Tyrone) at 149 and Andrew Weaver (Tyrone) at 174. Davis and Weaver each recorded a win for the Lions.

Fleck started with a loss, when Behrend’s Steffan Lynch won by fall. Fleck was eliminated in the opening consolation round, when Alfred State’s Jayden Norris won by major decision, 16-7.

Weaver started off with a loss, as Penn College’s Travis Green won by fall. Weaver then won by fall over Behrend’s Matthew Melchior in the first consolation round match. But Penn College’s Cole Shupp won in sudden victory, 6-3, against Weaver in the consolation semifinal.