Right now, Penn State wrestling is getting exactly what it hoped for-and maybe even a little more-from two of its true freshmen: Marcus Blaze and PJ Duke. These aren’t just any young prospects.
They arrived in Happy Valley with sky-high expectations, the kind usually reserved for future NCAA champions and world-level threats. And while it’s still early in their collegiate careers, their performance under the Friday night lights at Carver-Hawkeye Arena suggests they’re not just handling the pressure-they’re thriving in it.
Carver-Hawkeye is no easy place to make a statement. It’s one of college wrestling’s most electric and intimidating venues, a cauldron of noise and intensity where even seasoned veterans can get rattled. But if Blaze and Duke were feeling the heat, they sure didn’t show it.
Blaze, currently ranked No. 4 at 133 pounds, went toe-to-toe with Iowa’s Drake Ayala, who came into the match ranked No. 8.
It was a gritty, hard-fought bout-exactly the kind you expect between two top-10 wrestlers. Blaze didn’t dominate, but he didn’t need to.
He controlled the pace, stayed composed, and walked away with a 4-2 win that showed maturity beyond his years.
At 157 pounds, Duke-ranked No. 3-faced off against No. 12 Jordan Williams.
And just like his teammate, Duke delivered. Another 4-2 decision, another poised performance in hostile territory.
These weren’t flashy blowouts, but they were the kind of wins that matter in duals like this-tough, disciplined, and earned against high-level competition.
Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson has never been shy about praising talent when he sees it, and he’s been bullish on Blaze from the jump.
“Marcus Blaze is just one of those guys,” Sanderson said back in November. “He’s as good of a wrestler as there’s ever been.
Just a great kid, great person, tremendous competitor. And we have all the confidence in the world in Marcus.”
That’s not just coach-speak. Coming from someone like Sanderson-a legend in his own right-that kind of endorsement carries weight. Blaze is already starting to prove why he’s earned that trust.
And then there’s Duke, who’s been turning heads long before he stepped onto a college mat. Kyle Dake, one of the most decorated American wrestlers of all time, spoke glowingly about him after watching Duke compete on the international stage.
“He won the Junior World Championship,” Dake said. “He competed at the Senior World Championships, he competed at the U23 World Championships.
For him to go out and compete at three different world championships in one summer is a lot. So for him, it’s just kind of managing what he already does really well.”
That kind of resume doesn’t come around often, especially for someone who’s still a teenager. It speaks to Duke’s ability not just to wrestle with the best, but to do it consistently across multiple age groups and styles.
Are Blaze and Duke destined to become the next greats in a Penn State program that’s already stacked with legends? That chapter is still being written.
But what we’ve seen so far-especially in a pressure-packed environment like Carver-Hawkeye-is a strong early indication that these two aren’t just living up to the hype. They’re setting the tone for what could be a pair of special collegiate careers.
For now, they’ve earned the spotlight. And if their performances in Iowa City are any indication, they’ll be holding onto it for a while.