What's next for Penn State wrestling following the World Team Trials?

Penn State wrestlers will be back on the mat next week after some were at the World Team Trials last week in Louisville. One former Nittany Lion, Zain Retherford, punched his ticket to Final X at the trials. He and a handful of fellow Nittany Lion Wrestling Club members will compete for a spot on the senior Team USA at that event in June. Before it, U23 Nationals and the U20 Team Trials will be held May 28 – 30 in Geneva, Ohio. Both events will set the Team USA for men’s freestyle in their respective age groups for this year’s World Championships.

So far, eight Nittany Lions are registered for the U23 Nationals. The list includes:

65 kilograms/143.3 pounds: Nate Desmond, Dalton Perry, Kysion Garcia

70 kilograms/154.3 pounds: Connor Pierce

79 kilograms/174.1 pounds: William Henckel, Sean Degl, Sam Beckett

92 kilograms/202.8 pounds: Mason Ellis

125 kilograms/275.5 pounds: Connor Mirasola, Dawson Bundy

Other Penn State wrestlers can and eventually will enter the event. Incoming freshman Jayden James can take the U23 spot at 74 kilograms if he wants it without competing by virtue of finishing third at the Team Trials and thus earning a spot on the senior Team USA (albeit not the top one that goes to Worlds, of course). Similarly, Luke Lilledahl (57 kilograms) and Levi Haines (79) would all qualify for their weight’s spot on the U23 team regardless of whether they win at Final X. But, considering how close the senior and U23 Worlds are to each other, doing one or the other feels most likely.

U23 Nationals start with preliminaries and consolations all day on May 30. It concludes with quarterfinals, semifinals, and medal matches between 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. ET on May 31.

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As for U20s, that list of current or future Nittany Lions is small now but will swell by the time that action starts on May 29. It includes Class of 2027 commits Grey Burnett at 57 kilograms and Clinton Shepherd at 61, and Asher Cunningham at 79 kilograms. James would be eligible to take a spot in the 74-kilogram finals, as well, should he want to do so, by virtue of winning the U20 US Open.

Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolation & Challenge Tournament Finals are from 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET on that day. Medal matches are then 4 – 7:30 p.m. ET. It is not yet clear who will elect to take their spot in the best-of-three finals.

The next event after these two will be Final X. It is on June 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Here are the matchups (Penn State competitors are in bold):

57 kg – Luke Lilledahl (NLWC) vs. Spencer Lee (Iowa RTC)
61 kg – Marcus Blaze (NLWC) vs. Jax Forrest (Cowboy RTC)
65 kg – Real Woods (Cliff Keen WC/) vs. Bo Bassett (Windber, Pa.)
70 kg – Ridge Lovett (Nebraska WTC) vs. Zain Retherford (NLWC)
74 kg – James Green (Nebraska WTC) vs. David Carr (Cyclone RTC)
79 kg – Levi Haines (NLWC) vs. Chance Marsteller (New Jersey RTC)
86 kg – Zahid Valencia (Cowboy RTC) vs. Kyle Dake (NLWC)
92 kg – Trent Hidlay (/Wolfpack WC) vs. Michael Macchiavello (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC)
97 kg – Kyle Snyder (NLWC) vs. Stephen Buchanan (Hawkeye WC)
125 kg – Wyatt Hendrickson (Cowboy RTC) vs. Mason Parris (Cliff Keen WC)