The top-ranked Penn State wrestling team is waiting for an antitrust lawsuit resolution to determine whether two-time NCAA champion Levi Haines is eligible to compete this season. Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said that Haines, the defending NCAA champ at 174 pounds, would wrestle if granted a fifth season.
At Penn State wrestling media day, Sanderson also chastised the NCAA for its lack of rules enforcement surrouding the eligibility of fifth-year athletes, among other issues. So while Haines' future in the lineup is on pause, we'll take a tour around the Nittany Lions, who can win their sixth straight NCAA team title this season.
Mitchell Mesenbrink is waiting, too
Mitchell Mesenbrink, the two-time defending NCAA champ at 165 pounds, and Sanderson both confirmed that Mesenbrink could wrestle at 174 this season. That's contingent on whether Haines returns to Penn State's lineup.
Mesenbrink has a career record of 82-1, losing only in the 2024 NCAA final. He has competed solely at 165 pounds in his college career but said he's "very comfortable" with the potential move.
"If it's 165, if it's 174, whatever," Mesenbrink said. "If it's 157, if it's heavyweight, whatever. So we're going to make the collective decision. ... Either way, I'm excited for it."
Two key health updates
Tyler Kasak, who returns after redshirting last season, and Josh Barr, the defending NCAA runnerup at 197, are cleared to wrestle, Sanderson said. Both sustained injuries competing in freestyle during the offseason.
"They’re both doing fine,” Sanderson said. “They were temporary, as far as weeks-not-months, kinds of injuries. So they’ve both been back competing hard for a while.”
Kasak, a two-time NCAA medalist at 157 pounds, likely will return to that weight class, unless other changes unfold. The 157-74 grouping remains in flux with Kasak, PJ Duke and Mesenbink all waiting to learn about Haines' eligibility.
Barr is the no-doubt starter at 197, where he put together an undefeated regular season before falling to Oklahoma State's Cody Merrill 6-3 in the NCAA final.
Where does Masanosuke Ono slot into the lineup?
Sanderson wouldn't commit to a weight class for Masanosuke Ono, Penn State's prized Japanese transfer who did not compete in folkstyle last season. Ono has returned to freestyle competition, beating Ohio State's Ben Davino in a Real American Freestyle event in August, but has yet to make his folkstyle debut. But it's coming, Sanderson said.
"He's just a happy, hard-working, competitive guy," Sanderson said. "[He's a] world-class wrestler. He's really excited about folkstyle. He's been preparing for folkstyle for the last couple years. ...
"But just like for us, at least before [Regional Training Centers] and things, the transition from folkstyle to freestyle isn't always an easy transition. It's even more difficult to go from a life of freestyle to folkstyle. But he's he's gotten really good, and he's very disciplined and diligent in his training."
Sanderson on Jayden James' decision to 'grayshirt'
Penn State commit Jayden James announced this summer that he will delay enrolling at Penn State, a process known as "grayshirting" before the NCAA moved to a five-for-five eligibility model. James, the top-ranked recruit of Penn State's 2026 class, will join the team officially for the 2027-28 season.
James finished second at the recent U23 and U20 World Wrestling Championships competing with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, with which he will continue to train. He also is living in State College.
"Jayden's 18," Sanderson said. "He's just a young kid, so we don't know where he's going to end up weight-class wise. The idea is just keep developing, keep getting better. But we're thrilled to have Jayden coming in. He's special."
Twin brothers to compete at heavyweight
The most intriguing competition in Penn State's lineup will be at heavyweight, where twin brothers Cole and Connor Mirasola will duel for the starting role. Cole Mirasola is the returning starter who went 19-8 and made the NCAA Championships last year. Connor Mirasola competed at 197 pounds, where he went 6-1.
This offseason, Connor Mirasola made the competitive jump to heavyweight, winning the 125 kg men's freestyle weight class at U23 Nationals. Sanderson confirmed that the brothers from Wisconsin will compete for the job at 285.
“Connor doesn’t see himself as a depth guy,” Sanderson said. “He wants to be a national champion and he’s right there, obviously. ... Those guys, they've got to be pushing each other. They care more about one another than they do probably their own success, which is what brothers do. But they’re both big boys and getting better and helping each other by pushing each other.”
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