The 2024-25 Penn State Wrestling schedule is starting to take shape.
Late last month, we found out who Penn State’s Big Ten opponents would be.
Earlier this week, we found out that Penn State will be facing Wyoming in a December dual meet at Rec Hall.
Now, we know that Penn State will compete in a tournament in Nashville days before Christmas.
Penn State wrestling will be one of eight programs to compete at the Collegiate Wrestling duals in Nashville. Iowa State, Missouri and Ohio State among other schools. https://t.co/9CdmjzndEQ
— Joe Smeltzer (@joesmeltzer775) September 12, 2024
Cael Sanderson’s wrestling empire will be one of eight schools competing, with other notable ones being Iowa State, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio State. This creates some fascinating matchup possibilities. If Mitchell Mesenbrink stays at 165 pounds, he could face Missouri’s Keegan O’Toole, a two-time national champ who Mesenbrink would have wrestled in last year’s title match if not for former Iowa State star David Carr’s narrow win over O’Toole in the semifinals.
The two trained together at the Askern Academy in Hartland, Wisconsin, where they both grew up and attended Arrowhead High School.
Growing up, O’Toole’s coach was John Mesenbrink, Mitchell’s father.
John Mesenbrink wasn’t O’Toole’s high school coach, but is in the Wisconsin Wrestling Hall of Fame largely due to his coaching.
Leading into last year’s NCAA Championships, FloWrestling asked O’Toole about the possibility of wrestling for his third national title against a close friend.
“Yeah, we’ll see what happens,” he said. “But I mean it’s going to be weird. I mean, his dad, John Messenbrink, was my coach growing up and literally someone that I look up to.”
Of course, Ohio State’s presence is also notable.
Also on the schedule, Penn State wrestling will be taking on the Buckeyes in Columbus at a date yet to be determined.
