The summerโs biggest wrestling weekend is here, and to no surprise, Penn State is well-represented.
There are nine matches scheduled for Final X in Newark, New Jersey this weekend, and seven of them feature wrestlers tied to either Penn State or the Nittany Lions wrestling club.
The competitors rang from the very young (19-year-old PJ Duke) to theโ in wrestling yearsโ old (34-year-old Kyle Dake). The prize for all of them would be to get a starting spot on Team USA at this yearโs World Championships in Croatia this September.
Hereโs a breakdown of each match that will feature a Penn State/NLWC star
LUKE LILLEDAHL VS. SPENCER LEE
At 57 KG, we have are first of two โrookie vs. vetโ type of matches. Although Lilledahl isnโt a rookie since heโs going into his second season at Penn State and has plenty of freestyle experience, and Lee is only 26, itโs clear who the more experienced wrestler is. Simply put, Lee is one of the best to ever to it. He won three national titles and two Hodge Trophies at Iowa, and in freestyle, already has an Olympic silver medal under his belt from last summerโs games in Paris. Heโll still be fairly young when the 2028 games in LA roll around, which leads many to believe that heโs the favorite to win Gold.
So, yeah, Lilledahl has his work cut out for him. But heโs no slouch, either, and Lee knows it.
What Spencer Lee Said About Penn State Wrestling Star, Final X Opponent Luke Lilledahl
PJ DUKE VS. YIANNI DIAKOMIHALIS
Similar to Lilledahl-Lee, thereโs a clear underdog in this bout. Duke has been fantastic this spring, beating two national champions in the same day en route to winning his weight class at the World Team Trials last month. But Duke also just graduated high school and is going against a four-time national champ.
Regardless of whether Duke stuns Yianni or gets swept in the best-of-three series, the experience will be invaluable. Whatโs crazy is that, because national title contender Tyler Kasak is in the fold for Penn State, Duke might not even start at 157 for PSU.
This is a first-world problem that Penn State wrestling knows better than any.
MITCHELL MESENBRINK VS. DAVID CARR
It hasnโt been long since these two met.
Mesenbrink got the best of Carr in the U.S. Open in late April, and did so in dramatic fashion, tech-falling the two-time national champ from Iowa State. But as Mesenbrink remembers better than anybody, Carr got his second national title win over him in a classic match two springโs ago in Kansas City.
As Zach Seyko of Locked On Nittany Lions pointed out in our interview with him late last week, Mesenbrink will have an advantage should the bout make it to the third fall. Because Mesenbrink is still in collegeโ just won a national title, as a matter of factโ heโs had to condition himself in ways that Carr, who is now out of college, hasnโt. So for Carr to beat Mesenbrink, it might be a good idea to do it quick.
LEVI HAINES VS. EVAN WICK
This is the first bout in which the Penn State guy is the clear favorite, at least based on their college credentials. Haines is a national champ, two-time national finalist and three-time All-American. Wick is a multi-time All-American in his own right but never won it all. But anything can happen in freestyle.
KYLE DAKE VS. ZAHID VALENCIA
Like with Mesenbrink and Carr, it hasnโt been long since these two faced off. But unlike with those two, the NLWC guy lost. Valencia got the best of Dake, who ended up qualifying through the World Team Trials.
A four-time NCAA Champ, four-time world champ and two-time Olympic Bronze Medalist, Dake is as decorated as they come. But, as Valencia fairly pointed out during an interview with reporters late last month, Dake isnโt as young as he used to be.
โI think Iโm in my prime now, and I think I could feel him kind of fading,โ Valencia said. โI think you could see it in the second period, he was kind of exhausted in my match. And then, just watching him against (Carter) Starocci, giving up that push out, caution one and then that almost takedown at the end. I feel like, if I just continue putting the pressure on him and getting to my attacks, it will be a different match going into Final X.โ
JOSH BARR VS. TRENT HIDLAY
Like with Mesenbrink against Carr, Barr has an advantage here in that heโs still wrestling in college. But Hidlay, who was a four-time All-American at NC State, wonโt be an easy out.
Barr, who was national runner-up last year at 197 pounds, is still making a name for himself.
Beating Hidlay will go a long way into Barr further establishing himself as a star.
KYLE SNYDER VS. HAYDEN ZILLMER
Snyder has had a tumultuous summer thus far.
He can improve that summer professionally in a big way by making the world teamโs starting lineup.
