Trio of Penn State wrestlers claim U23 Pan-American Games crowns for Team USA
Penn State’s wrestling season came to a close nearly a month ago, but that doesn’t mean that wrestling is over.
The Nittany Lions had Luke Lilledahl, Levi Haines and Connor Mirasola all compete for the United States in the U23 Pan-American Games Championships in Queretaro, Mexico, on Saturday.
The trio all won gold medals at their respective weight classes in dominating fashion.
Lilledahl (57 kilograms, 125 pounds), competed in a true bracket. Haines (79 kilograms, 174 pounds) and Mirasola (92 kilograms, 203 pounds) took part in a round-robin type tournament since they didn’t have enough wrestlers at their weights for a bracket.
Lilledahl, who finished third in the NCAA championships, didn’t give up a single point in his title run, outscoring his opponents, 36-0. He opened by collecting a 10-0 technical superiority over Mexico’s Ricardo Pena Valencia in 3:07.
In the quarterfinals, the Penn State wrestler hung a 11-0 technical superiority on Cuba’s Danaury Rivalta Bernaldez in 2:32. Lilledahl reached the finals, where he got an injury default win over Canada’s Treye Trotman, with a 10-0 technical superiority over Venezuela’s Jose Falcon Reyes.
Haines, who finished third in the NCAA championships, had a trio of pins, a technical superiority and an injury default victory on his way toward a crown.
He had a bye in the first round of wrestling, but took off from there. The Nittany Lion pinned Colombia’s Josue Camargo Molina.
In the third round of wrestling, Haines pinned Canada’s Jackson Glasgow, and in the next round he got the injury default victory over Guatemala’s Josue Alvarez Sintuj.
Haines’ last round saw him collect an 11-0 technical superiority on Mexico’s Alan Vera Gomez.
Mirasola, who redshirted for Penn State this season, only wrestled two matches.
His first round match was a 10-0 technical superiority win over Canada’s Joseph De Maio. Mirasola got a bye in the second round of wrestling before blanking Mexico’s Miguel Lavielle Ramirez.
