Which Penn State wrestlers are going to the Senior US Open? Here's the full list

Penn State wrestling will be well represented at next week’s US Open in Las Vegas. Thirteen members of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club are entered in the senior freestyle divisions, according to BaschAMania.com. The multi-day tournament is the first step toward finalizing Team USA for this year’s World Championships. Here are the entries:

Senior level:

Luke Lilledahl: 57 kilograms

Marcus Blaze: 61 kilograms

Kysion Garcia: 65 kilograms

Nathan Desmond: 65 kilograms

Connor Pierce: 70 kilograms

Tyler Kasak: 70 kilograms

Joseph Sealey: 74 kilograms

William Henckel: 79 kilograms

Rocco Welsh: 86 kilograms

Kyle Dake: 86 kilograms

Josh Barr: 92 kilograms

Connor Mirasola: 97 kilograms

Cole Mirasola: 125 kilograms

U20:

Brock Weiss: 70 kilograms

Asher Cunningham: 79 kilograms

Mason Ellis: 92 kilograms

U17:

This list is not yet out.

Notes on the Penn State entries

Let’s address the elephant in the room: No, as of 2 p.m. ET on Sun., April 19, Penn State standouts PJ Duke and Mitchell Mesenbrink are not in the US Open field. That is not as big of a deal as it might seem, though. Both, by virtue of their finishing position at NCAAs, qualify for the World Team Trials in May. Thus, waiting to compete and try to win in that tournament allows for a larger break from the college season and more time to train freestyle. If one or the other doesn’t enter the Trials, that would be a major cause for pause, obviously. But, this is not.

Beyond that, Tyler Kasak going at 70 kilograms/154 pounds is notable if he’s going to eventually take over the 157-pound spot next fall if Duke redshirts as some expect. Desmond going at 65 kilograms/141 pounds is another indicator that his college wrestling days at 125 pounds are absolutely over, and 133 might be, as well. And Asher Cunnignham going at 79 kilograms/174 pounds would seem to signal that he’ll be throwing his hat into the race to replace Levi Haines. Henckel is the likely pick, however, but time will tell.

What’s at stake?

The Senior level weight class winners at 65, 79, 86, 92, and 97 kilograms will move on to face a pre-determined opponent at Final X in June. Winners of those best-of-three matches, which will feature two-time Penn State NCAA champ Levi Haines in the 86-kilogram division, will make the Senior Team USA.

For the rest of the weight classes at the senior level, winners of this tournament will face the winner of each bracket from May’s World Team Trial Challenge event in Kentucky.

As for the U20 and U17 bracket, next weekend’s winners will sit until the best-of-three finals at the World Team Trials for those age groups in Geneva, Ohio in late May. Their opponent for the right to represent Team USA will be determined by results earlier in the bracket at the Trials.

2026 U.S. Open Schedule

1:30 – 5:30 p.m. ET on Friday, April 24: Senior Men Freestyle – Preliminaries, Quarterfinals & Consolation

1 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 25: Senior Men Freestyle – Consolation, Consolation-Semis & Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th place matches)

1 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 25: U20 Freestyle – Preliminaries & Consolation, U17 Freestyle – Preliminaries & Consolation

7 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 25: U17 Freestyle – Championship Rounds & Consolation, U20 Freestyle – Championship Rounds & Consolation

9 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 25: Senior Men Freestyle – Championship Finals 

1 p.m. – 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 26: U17 Freestyle – Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolation & Consolation-Semis, U20 Freestyle – Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Consolation & Consolation-Semis

5 p.m. ET – 7:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 26: U17 Freestyle – Championship Finals Round 1 & 2 (Best 2/3), Round 3 (if necessary) & Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th place matches), U20 Freestyle – Championship Finals & Medal Matches (3rd, 5th, 7th place matches)