Penn State wrestling injuries, finalists, and those still alive headline US Open Day 1 takeaways

Two Penn State wrestlers, plus one member of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, will compete for a spot at Final X during the US Open Senior Men’s Freestyle division finals on Saturday night in Las Vegas. That is the good news coming out of Friday’s opening day. The bad news, however, is that one certain 2026-2027 starter and one likely one left the second session with injuries.

Let’s start with the positive:

Reigning 125-pound NCAA champ Luke Lilledahl cruised to a 57-kilogram finals matchup opposite reigning Team USA member Spencer Lee. The Penn State standout won his first match by technical fall, beat incoming Ohio State wrestler Antonio Mills by decision, 3-1, in a bout that was not as close as the final score indicates, and then beat former Nebraska All-American Liam Cronin by technical fall, 10-0, in the semis to put himself one step away from a spot at Final X, which will set this year’s Senior Team USA in June.

Penn State All-American Marcus Blaze is also wrestling for a spot at Final X on Saturday. He will face a familiar foe, Ben Davino of Ohio State, in the 61-kilogram title bout. Blaze put himself in the finals by winning his first two matches by technical fall before topping Wisconsin RTC member Seth Gross by decision, 6-1, in the semis.

Last but not least, former Olympic medalist Kyle Dake will face UNI’s Parker Keckeisen in the 86-kilogram final. He won his first match by technical fall before picking up a pair of decisions to make the finals.

Now, for the bad news

Penn State had three other semifinalists. Rocco Welsh, at least, came out of his looking healthy. The other two cannot say the same.

Still, Welsh dropped an 11-4 decision to the aforementioned Keckeisen. He will wrestle in the 86-kilogram consolation semifinals on Saturday against a to-be-determined opponent.

Josh Barr might wrestle in the 92-kilogram consolation semifinals. After picking up two easy technical fall wins to reach the semifinals, the Penn State 197-pound NCAA champ came up from a scramble opposite Michael Macchiavello of the Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club, favoring his right knee. After getting it looked at, Barr continued the match. But, he was hardly the same, and wobbled more than once before dropping a 4-1 decision. Whether or not he continues in this tournament will not be known until Saturday. But, considering he can no longer make the Senior Team USA since Trent Hidlay is already sitting at Final X, it seems highly unlikely.

The story might be different with Tyler Kasak. The Penn State 157-pound wrestler, who redshirted last season to focus on freestyle and who could start at that weight if PJ Duke redshirts this year, needed numerous injury stoppages throughout the tournament to deal with some kind of upper-body injury that appeared to be head-related. While the setbacks did not stop him from making the semifinals on the stretch of a technical fall and two decisions, he was forced to injury default to Virginia Tech’s Caleb Henson at the 1:27 mark of their 70-kilogram match.

Like Barr, his status for Saturday will be decided before session three starts at 1 p.m. ET. But, considering he’ll need to win at World Team Trials in May to get to Final X, returning for wrestlebacks seems unlikely, too.

Full Day 1 Penn State/NLWC results, plus Day 2 matchups

Nine NLWC members, plus Penn State alum Bernie Truax, are still alive for a medal. The eligibility year used is for next season. Wrestlers are still alive for Saturday unless otherwise noted.

Schedule note: The consolation bouts and medal round session is from 1 – 4 p.m. ET Saturday. The finals are 9 – 10:30 p.m. ET.

57 kilograms/125.6 pounds

No. 2 Luke Lilledahl, Penn State junior
R1: BYE
R2: Won by technical fall over Natan Cantu of Colorado Mesa Wrestling, 12-1 (3:38)
QF: Won by decision over Antonio Mills, Roundtree Wrestling, 3-1
SF: Won by technical fall over Liam Cronin of Nebraska RTC (3:52)
F: vs. Spencer Lee, Iowa

61 kilograms/134.4 pounds

No. 3 Marcus Blaze, Penn State sophomore
R1: BYE
R2: Won by technical fall over Quade Smith, Empire Wrestling, 11-0 (1:47)
QF: Won by technical fall over Michael McGee of Arizona, 10-0 (5:00)
SF: Won by decision over Seth Gross of Wisconsin RTC, 6-1
F: vs. Ben Davino, Ohio State

65 kilograms/143.3 pounds

No. 12 Nate Desmond, Nittany Lion redshirt freshman
R1: BYE
R2: Winner by technical fall over Ruben Caledron, 10-0 (1:46)
R3: Lost to Beau Bartlett, NYCRTC, by technical fall, 11-0 (3:55)
Consolation R3: Won by decision over Joe Airola, 6-5
CR4: Won by technical fall over Connor Thorpe, 10-0 (4:53)
Consolation Round of 16: Lost to Pierson Manville by technical fall, 11-1
Tournament over

Kysion Garcia, PSU redshirt sophomore
R1: BYE
R2: Lost by technical fall to David Evans of Utah Valley RTC, 10-0, in 5:02
Consolation Round 2: Won by technical fall over Colby McDermott, 10-0 (:49)
Consolation Round 3: Lost to Evan Potter by decsion, 7-3
Tournament over

70 kilograms/154.3 pounds

No. 3 Tyler Kasak, Penn State redshirt junior
R1: BYE
R2: Winner by technical fall over Cody Welker, 12-2 (1:20)
R3: Won by decision over Jaivon Jones, Arkansas RTC, 5-2
QF: Won by decision over Edward Scott, Brunson UVRTC, 7-76
SF: Lost by injury default to Caleb Henson, Virginia Tech (1:27)
Consolation semifinal: vs. TBD

Connor Pierce, Nittany Lion redshirt senior
R1: Win by technical fall over Jose Farias, 10-0, :31
R2: Won by technical fall over Nikolas Slatoff, 11-0 (2:26)
R3: Lost to Ian Parker, PWC, by decision, 15-8
Consolation Round 3: Won by techncial fall over Dean Noble 10-0 (1:44)
Consolation Round 4: Won by decision over Nick Sanko, 18-13
Consolation Round of 16: Lost to Ed Scott by technical fall, 10-0
Tournament over

74 kilogams/163.1 pounds

No. 13 Joe Sealey, PSU redshirt sophomore
R1: Won by technical fall over Breck Williams, 10-0 (2:48)
R2: Won by decision over Drayden Morton, 10-3
R3: Lost by decision to James Green, Nebraska RTC, 3-2
Consolation Round 3: Won by technical fall over Noah Hall, 13-2 (2:49)
Consolation Round 4: Won by technical fall over Joey Bianchi, 13-2 (5:28)
Consolation Round of 17: Won by decision over Terrell Barraclough, 7-3
Consolation quarterfinal: vs. Jarrett Jacques, Tiger Styler WC

79 kilograms/174.1 pounds

No. 8 William Henckel, Penn State redshirt freshman
R1: BYE
R2: Won by technical fall over Justin Grant, 15-3 (1:02)
R3: Won by technical fall over Brandon Murray, Cyclone RTC, 10-0 (2:46)
QF: Lost by decision to Evan Wick, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club, 5-4
Consolation Round of 16: Won by technical fall over Will Miller, 10-0 (1:01)
Consolation quarterfinal: vs. Dean Hamiti Jr., Cowboy RTC

No. 7 Bernie Truax, former Penn State wrestler
R1: BYE
R2: Won by technical fall over Jaison White, 10-0 (:25)
R3: Won by decision over Will Miller, Boone RTC, 7-6
QF: Lost by technical fall to Patrick Kennedy, Hawkeye RTC, 10-0 (3:18)
Consolation Round of 16: Won by decision over Matthew Singleton, 12-4
Consolation quarterfinal: vs. Matthew Singleton, Wolfpack RTC

86 kilograms/189.5 pounds

No. 1 Kyle Dake, NLWC member
R1: BYE
R2: Won by fall over Jackson Sapp, :33
R3: Won by technical fall over Joshua Cordio, Air Force RTC, 11-0 (1:05)
QF: Won by decision over Caleb DeVos, Jackrabbit Wrestling, 5-4
SF: Won by decision over Aeoden Sinclair, TSRT, 6-1
F: vs. Parker Keckeisen, UNI

No. 3 Rocco Welsh, PSU redshirt junior
R1: BYE
R2: Won by technical fall over Daryus Webb, 12-1 (1:52)
R3: Won by technical fall over Dylan Newsome, Cavalier Wrestling Club, 13-0 (2:53)
QF: Won by decision over Mehki Lewis, NJRTC, 5-1
SF: Lost by decision to Parker Keckeisen, PWC RTC, 11-4
Consolation semifinal: vs. TBD

92 kilograms/202.8 pounds
No. 1 Josh Barr, Penn State junior
R1: BYE
R2: Won by technical fall over Robert Bates, Cardinal Wrestling Club, 10-0 (1:08)
QF: Won by technical fall over Seth Shumate, Ohio RTC, 14-4 (5:21)
SF: Lost by decision to Michael Macchiavello of LVWRTC, 4-1
Consolation semifinal: vs. TBD

97 kilograms/213.8 pounds
No. 6 Connor Mirasola, PSU redshirt sophomore
R1: BYE
R2: Won by technical fall over William Fulgentes, 10-0 (:27)
QF: Lost by decision to Jonathan Aiello, Ohio RTC, 5-1
Consolation Round 3: Won by decision over Martin Cosgrove, 7-1
Consolation quarterfinal: vs. Nick Stemmet, California Regional

125 kilograms/275.5 pounds
Cole Mirasola, PSU redshirt sophomore
R1: Won by decision over Tyrie Houghton, Wolfpack RTC, 7-4
R2: Lost by technical fall to Coby Merrill, NYAC, 11-0 (2:33)
Consolation Round 2: Won by decision over Josh Terrill, 9-2
Consolation Round 3: Won by technical fall over Jacob Bullock, 10-0 (4:35)
Consolation Round 4: Lost by decision to Jordan Wood, 5-2
Tournament over