Penn State Dominates Iowa Wrestling In Historic Blowout

Friday night in Iowa City brought a clash of collegiate wrestling titans, but the Carver-Hawkeye Arena faithful witnessed a result few could have anticipated in such lopsided fashion. The fourth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, a storied program with decades of dominance, suffered a resounding 32-3 defeat at the hands of the nation’s top-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions on January 16, 2026. The loss, witnessed by a packed house of 12,530 fans, marked Iowa’s largest margin of defeat in sixty years—a statistic that sent shockwaves through the wrestling community and left the Hawkeye coaching staff searching for answers.

Penn State’s victory was as comprehensive as the score suggests. The Nittany Lions captured nine of the ten contested bouts, outscoring Iowa 66-25 in total match points and notching a decisive 15-2 advantage in takedowns. The lone bright spot for Iowa came at 141 pounds, where junior Nasir Bailey delivered a gutsy 3-2 decision over Penn State’s Braeden Davis. Beyond that, it was all Penn State, with bonus points coming in bunches and a relentless offensive style that kept the Hawkeyes on their heels from start to finish.

The dual kicked off with a pair of statement wins for Penn State. At 125 pounds, sophomore Luke Lilledahl—ranked second in the nation—overpowered Iowa’s Dean Peterson, 11-5, using a mix of crisp takedowns and quick escapes to set the tone. The following bout at 133 pounds saw freshman Marcus Blaze, undefeated on the season, edge Iowa’s Drake Ayala 4-2, capitalizing on a late takedown and holding off a desperate final surge from Ayala. Just like that, Penn State seized a 6-0 team lead, and the Hawkeyes found themselves immediately playing catch-up.

Bailey’s win at 141 offered a flicker of hope for the home crowd. He struck early with a high single-leg takedown and held on through a tense third period, fending off Davis’s last-ditch efforts. The 3-2 decision trimmed the deficit to 6-3, but the Hawkeyes would not win another bout the rest of the evening.

Penn State’s response was swift and emphatic. At 149 pounds, top-ranked Shayne Van Ness showcased why he’s considered one of the nation’s most dangerous wrestlers, earning a 13-4 major decision over Iowa’s Ryder Block. Van Ness’s third-period takedown and four-point nearfall broke the match wide open and delivered the dual’s first bonus points. The Nittany Lions continued to pour it on at 157, where freshman PJ Duke—already a world champion at the age-group level—outlasted Iowa’s Jordan Williams, 4-2, thanks to a late takedown and clinical mat awareness.

The onslaught didn’t stop there. At 165, junior Mitchell Mesenbrink, ranked No. 1 nationally, delivered another major decision, 11-2, over Iowa’s Michael Caliendo. Mesenbrink’s relentless attacks kept Caliendo on the defensive, and a late takedown plus stalling points sealed the bonus. “Caliendo falls to 0-7 all-time vs. Mesenbrink, who is looking more and more like a Dan Hodge winner as the days go by,” noted one report, highlighting the growing gap at this weight class.

Gabe Arnold, making a surprise start for Iowa at 174, faced a tall order against Penn State’s Levi Haines. Haines, the No. 1 wrestler at his weight, controlled the match from the outset, using an early takedown and timely escapes to secure a 4-2 decision. Arnold fought valiantly, but Haines’s defense proved impenetrable in the closing moments.

Perhaps the most dramatic bout of the night unfolded at 184 pounds, where Iowa freshman sensation Angelo Ferrari—undefeated entering the match—squared off with Penn State’s Rocco Welsh, a 2024 NCAA finalist. The match was a chess match, with both wrestlers cautious and strategic. After three periods and sudden victory produced a 1-1 tie, the contest went to tiebreakers. Welsh managed an escape in TB1 and rode out Ferrari just long enough to claim a 2-1 victory, handing Ferrari his first collegiate loss. “Welsh moves to 10-0, but that feels like a match we could see two more times this year at Big Ten’s and NCAA’s,” observed one analyst, hinting at a budding rivalry.

The rout continued at 197 pounds, where Penn State’s Josh Barr, another top-ranked Nittany Lion, wasted little time dispatching Iowa’s Brody Sampson. Barr recorded two first-period takedowns before finishing the match with a pin at the 3:42 mark. With the outcome all but decided, heavyweight action wrapped up the dual with Penn State’s Cole Mirasola eking out a 4-3 decision over Iowa sophomore Ben Kueter. Both wrestlers were hit for stalling, but Mirasola’s timely escapes and a second-period takedown proved to be the difference.

For Iowa, the loss was more than just a setback in the standings; it was a stark reminder of the current gap between the Hawkeyes and the nation’s gold standard. “They wrestle a style where, if you’re trying to stay on the perimeter of their stalk, that’s how I would describe it, they’re going to keep taking it,” explained Iowa head coach Tom Brands. “You have to give something back. You have to stop it now. It goes from the hard slaps to the head, to dictating the pace, to how they stalk. When you’re going forward, you can score points, but when you’re on the perimeter of that stalk, it’s hard. You’re going backward when you need to be penetrating.”

Brands didn’t mince words about the challenge ahead: “I think that we have the right guys to do the job. There is a gap between Iowa and Penn State, and that is my job, the program’s job, and the coaches’ job. To close that gap and overcome. We have the right guys.”

For Penn State, the victory marked their fifth straight dual win over Iowa and further solidified their status as the team to beat in collegiate wrestling. With nearly every starter either undefeated or boasting near-perfect records, the Nittany Lions continue to set the pace in the Big Ten and nationally.

As for the Hawkeyes, the road ahead is daunting but not without opportunity. Iowa will look to regroup quickly, with a critical matchup looming against Nebraska on January 23. The coaching staff, led by Brands, faces the task of reigniting the offense and shoring up vulnerabilities exposed by Penn State’s relentless attack.

Friday night’s result may sting for the black and gold faithful, but it also sets the stage for the rest of the season—a campaign that now becomes a test of resolve, adaptation, and the pursuit of closing the gap on a Penn State program operating at the peak of its powers. With the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments on the horizon, both teams know this story is far from over.