Penn State Dominates the 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Tournament: A Stunning Victory!

The Penn State Nittany Lions once again captured the Big Ten championship. This year, impressive performances came from wrestlers like Levi Haines, Mitchell Mesenbrink, and freshman Luke Lilledahl at 125 pounds. Tyler Kasak also secured his first Big Ten title at 157 pounds, while Carter Starocci successfully reclaimed his title after stepping back from last year’s championship due to an injury.

Lilledahl got the Nittany Lions off to a strong start with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the No. 2 seed, Caleb Smith from Nebraska. Remarkably, just one night before, Lilledahl had decisively defeated the No. 1 ranked Matt Ramos of Purdue.

Penn State’s momentum continued as they notched four consecutive wins across multiple weight classes from 157 to 184 pounds, thanks to the great efforts of Kasak, Mesenbrink, Haines, and Starocci. Kasak and Haines demonstrated their top-tier skills by winning their matches with major decisions, scoring 12-2 and 12-1, respectively. Kasak’s match was tightly contested until he seized control in the final moments. Haines similarly established early dominance that led to a secure win.

Mesenbrink’s and Starocci’s matches were more tightly contested. Mesenbrink clinched his victory with a narrow 4-1 score against Michael Caliendo. Meanwhile, Starocci needed overtime to overcome Minnesota’s Max McEnelly, finishing 8-5. Both athletes remain undefeated this season and are contenders for the prestigious Hodge Trophy, despite facing close challenges.

While Penn State’s victory was expected, the tournament was filled with unexpected twists. The highlight was Minnesota’s No. 1 Gable Steveson, who was the only top seed not affiliated with Penn State to take home the championship in his weight class. Steveson defeated Greg Kerkvliet, a wrestler from Penn State, marking his fourth Big Ten title.

Upsets were prevalent, with Nebraska’s No. 3 Brock Hardy and Ridge Lovett, also a No. 3 seed, earning titles in the 141 and 149-pound classes. Hardy overcame former champion Jesse Mendez in the semifinals and confidently pinned his finals opponent. Lovett showcased his strategic wrestling skills in a close match against Illinois’ Kannon Webster, winning by just one point.

Additionally, Illinois’ Lucas Byrd and Jacob Cardenas both claimed their first Big Ten titles, defeating top-ranked competitors in their respective matches. Byrd achieved a shocking pin against the No. 1 seed at 133 pounds, while Cardenas wrestled expertly to win at 197 pounds.

The tournament was notable for the early exits of four NCAA finalists and some former champions, including Ramos and Bartett. These athletes now aim to use their experiences to perform better at the upcoming NCAAs in Philadelphia.

Here’s a quick look at the Big Ten championship results:

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