Penn State wrestling opens the 2026-27 season chasing a 14th national title in 16 years, and the Nittany Lions' loaded lightweight classes will once again stand between Iowa and team gold. Defending NCAA champion Luke Lilledahl headlines a 125-133-141 group that also features world-teamer Marcus Blaze and Japanese star Masanosuke Ono, per a roster preview published by Yahoo Sports.
For Hawkeye State fans, the stakes are familiar. Penn State has won 13 of the last 15 national tournaments, including last March with a record 181.5 team points, and carries an 86-dual win streak dating to January 2021. Iowa, led by the returning Ryan Crookham at 133, remains one of the few programs positioned to close the gap.
Luke Lilledahl: The Man to Beat at 125
Lilledahl, entering his third year, is the most settled piece of the Penn State puzzle. He finished third at the 2025 NCAAs, then won the 2026 NCAA and Big Ten titles at 125 pounds. He holds two more years of eligibility beyond this season.
The weight class is brutal: six of eight All Americans return. Rutgers transfer Anthony Knox and Cornell's Isaiah Cortez will push the returning wrestlers in the room.
Lilledahl has also been busy in freestyle. He won the US Open, beating Olympic and NCAA champion Spencer Lee, the former Iowa great, in the finals before Lee answered at Final X to claim the 57 kg Senior World Team spot. Lilledahl will represent Team USA at 57 kg at this week's U23 World Championships in Las Vegas, where he defends the gold he won a year ago. Teammates Jayden James (74 kg) and Joe Sealey (79 kg) will also compete.
Marcus Blaze and the 133 Pileup
Sophomore Marcus Blaze projects as the starter at 133, though 141 remains possible. A fourth-place NCAA finish as a freshman stung, but he responded by winning the US Open and beating Jax Forrest in a best-of-three Final X at 61 kg. He makes his Senior Worlds debut later this month in Kazakhstan.
The NCAA field at 133 will be deep again. The top four from last March all return, and Crookham is back from injury, now wrestling for Iowa. That sets up a marquee Big Ten and national storyline with direct implications for the Hawkeyes' title hopes.
Masanosuke Ono: The Wild Card
Where Masanosuke Ono lands is the biggest open question. Some argue the Japanese standout fits better at 133 with Blaze moving to 141. Ono dominated the All Japan Championships at 61 kg and recently beat Ohio State's Ben Davino in an RAF freestyle match. Fans have yet to see him wrestle folkstyle.
Coach Cael Sanderson says Ono has two years of eligibility, but reports of pending NCAA clearance linger. Ono owns freestyle wins over Blaze, Vito Arujau, and Spencer Lee, so a resolved eligibility case makes Penn State even harder to beat.
Depth Behind the Starters
Nate Desmond, a second-year wrestler, could slot in at 133 or 141. He owns an unofficial win over Lilledahl, a win over Cooper Flynn, and a victory over former All American Dylan Ragusin. Braedan Davis, a third-year 141 pounder, was pulled from a planned redshirt last season after Aaron Nagao's injury and exited the NCAAs in the round of 16.
Depth pieces include Cael Nasdeo, Hayden Cunningham, and Kyison Garcia at 141, Brandon Wentzel at 125/133, and freshman Braiden Weaver from Altoona, a four-time District 6 champion who flipped his commitment from Buffalo to Penn State.
Roster Rules and the Levi Haines Question
The Penn State roster sits at 31 wrestlers, one over the NCAA's 30-man limit, but existing rostered wrestlers are grandfathered in following NCAA litigation. Ongoing litigation over the