Penn State wrestling heads west for dual against Wyoming. Here’s what to know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Penn State travels to Laramie Saturday for a dual against Wyoming at 8 p.m.
- Trip offers team bonding during the long trip out West.
- Dual could feature up to seven ranked matchups; lineups list multiple top-10s.
Penn State’s wrestling team will head west this weekend to take on Wyoming in a dual that’s more than what it may appear to be on the surface.
The long trip offers a chance for the team to bond and have some fun together, and there’s also the potential for seven matchups of ranked wrestlers squaring off against one another Saturday night.
“Wyoming has some good wrestlers. It’s a great program,” Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said during Monday’s media day. “Part of your non-conference schedule, you try to get out and wrestle teams. The teams in the West have a hard time getting (opponents); it’s a long trip. There are a lot of programs out West, so think it’s good for them.”
It’ll be the first time the Nittany Lions travel out West since they went to Oregon in 2024 to face Oregon State.
Last year, the Cowboys came east and got to taste the atmosphere inside the Bryce Jordan Center, which holds nearly 16,000 people. In contrast, the UniWyo Sports Complex, which is the home arena for Wyoming, holds only 1,200 people.
“Obviously, we want to wrestle in our home spot, but it’s cool going to these other schools,” Connor Mirasola said on Monday, “and beating them in their home arena too. It’s fun traveling with the team and all that.”
Although these trips are business-minded first, Penn State’s wrestlers still seem to have fun, according to Mirasola, who will have a top-10 matchup against No. 4 Joey Novak. He said that he feels the team gets closer during these trips because they get to mess and joke around with one another during the bus rides, flights and hotels.
“It’s good for us. It’ll be a good, nice, long trip for our team,” Sanderson said. “It’s good for team bonding and all that fun stuff.”
No. 1 Penn State (3-0) at Wyoming (2-2)
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: UniWyo Sports Complex, Laramie, WY
Radio: Big Foot Legends (103.7 & 104.3 FM)
TV: None
Online: Streaming, FloWrestling; Radio, Lionvision at GoPSUsports.com
X: @byncobler, @pennstatewrest
Projected lineups: NITTANY LIONS — No. 2 Luke Lilledahl (125 pounds), No. 10 Marcus Blaze (133), No. 7 Aaron Nagao or Cael Nasdeo (141), No. 1 Shayne Van Ness (149), No. 8 PJ Duke or Joe Sealey (157), No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), No. 1 Levi Haines (174), No. 4 Rocco Welsh (184), Josh Barr or No. 8 Connor Mirasola (197), No. 11 Cole Mirasola or Lucas Cochran (285); COWBOYS — Sefton Douglass (125), No. 22 Luke Willochell (133), John Alden (141), No. 30 Gabe Willochell (149), No. 23 Jared Hill (157), Sloan Swan (165), No. 28 Riley Davis (174), No. 12 Eddie Neitenbach (184), No. 4 Joey Novak (197), No. 10 Christian Carroll (285).
