The two true freshman stars of Penn State wrestling will have to wait for their time.
2025’s top two recruits, Marcus Blaze and PJ Duke, each came into the NCAA Championships as legitimate title contenders.
Blaze came in as the No. 3 seed at 133 pounds.
Duke came in as the top seed at 157.
Both won their first three matches to get to the semifinal round, but both would have their journeys end there. Blaze lost to Ohio State’s Ben Davino for the second time in two weeks, again 3-2 in a second tiebreaker. Davino won on riding time.
A few bouts later, Duke took on Oklahoma State’s Landon Robideau, who was seeded fifth.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.This match went to a tiebreaker, were Robindeau, seeded fifth, got a reversal for the win.
“Obviously we were wrestling and got in a position,” Robideau said. “He had a cradle. We do it all the time in practice, wave off takedowns. I was able to keep my foot on the outside, my arm on the outside, and wrestle through my position. Get to my base. They went and reviewed it, and no takedown.
“I kept my mindset straight. It didn’t really matter. If I had to wrestle, I had to wrestle. It mattered to me, I wanted to win, but it didn’t change anything. My mindset didn’t change. I was still focused on the match, and that kind of helped me wrestle the rest of the match.”
Penn State will have six of its 10 starters competing in championship matches Saturday.
