Penn State’s lineup picture got a lot clearer Friday, and Levi Haines is the reason why.
With the season opener against Bloomsburg less than a week away, the answer arrived: Haines will not be eligible for a fifth season. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the NCAA in a case that was looking to grant an extra year of eligibility to athletes from the 2022 class who did not use a redshirt.
That closes the book on Haines’ Penn State career. He spent all four of his years in Happy Valley, collecting two national titles, reaching three national title matches, winning four Big Ten titles and becoming a four-time All-American.
His Penn State run is finished, but his wrestling story is not. Haines just won a world championship at 79 KG, and that gives him two world medals already.
For the Nittany Lions, the impact shows up in the lineup shuffle. Barring a surprise, reigning Dan Hodge Trophy winner Mitchell Mesenbrink is expected to move from 165 to 174 pounds. FloWrestling has him ranked No. 1 at 174.
The ripple effect likely pushes PJ Duke up as well. He would move from 157 to 165, where Flo also has him at No. 1.
If Haines had been cleared for another year, the dominoes would have looked very different. Mesenbrink likely would have stayed at 165, which would have turned 157 into a battle between Duke and Tyler Kasak. Instead, Kasak’s spot appears secure, and he enters the season ranked No. 2 at 157.
The decision also means William Henckel keeps waiting for his chance. Henckel, a U20 World Silver Medalist, is another example of how Penn State sometimes has to leave elite wrestlers out of the lineup.
Penn State and Bloomsburg are set for a 7 p.m. start at Rec Hall on Big Ten+.
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But the first loss of the season also laid bare a problem Iowa cant brush aside. Virginia Tech shot 54% from the field, and the Hawkeyes left too many points at the line by missing 16 free throws, two issues that can undo a good offensive showing in a hurry. For a team trying to build on an unbeaten start, the margin for error just got a lot smaller. [Read more 🡒]