Penn State’s week has already packed in a little of everything: medals on the world stage, a lopsided basketball win at home, and a football injury update that at least gives the offense a bit more hope.
The biggest splash came from wrestling, where six athletes with Penn State ties came away with hardware at the Senior World Championships. Levi Haines, Kyle Snyder, Kyle Dake, Roman Bravo-Young, Marcus Blaze, and Zain Retherford all reached the podium.
Haines added another major line to his résumé with a gold medal at 79 kilograms. After earning silver at Worlds in 2025, he had a first-round bye this time and finished the job against Iran’s Mohammad Nokhodilarimi. Nokhodilarimi, a five-time World medalist, pushed Haines into a fight from behind, but Haines worked back and claimed his first World title.
Blaze was the lone active Penn State wrestler on the world team, and he brought home bronze at 61 kilograms. In his final bout, he faced Kazakhstan’s Assyl Aitakyn, jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the opening two minutes, and then closed it out with steady defense.
The Nittany Lion Wrestling Club also had plenty to celebrate. Snyder and Dake both won gold, while Bravo-Young and Retherford added medals of their own.
Bravo-Young took silver and did something historic for Mexico in the process, becoming the first wrestler from the country to reach a World final. Retherford earned bronze after dropping his semifinal to Kyrgyzstan’s Ernazar Akmataliev, then holding off Canada’s Lachlan McNeil to secure the medal.
Snyder’s run at 97 kilograms ended with a win over Japan’s Arash Yoshida, giving him back-to-back World titles. Dake’s gold at 86 kilograms was his fifth career World title, and he finished the tournament by beating Azerbaijan’s Arsenii Dzhioev, last year’s bronze medalist.
On the hardwood, Penn State men’s basketball got its season started the right way Monday night at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions rolled past Canisius, 97-57, after already picking up exhibition wins over St. Bonaventure and Drezel in October.
Roko Prkacin was cleared by the NCAA and wasted no time making an impact. In just 20 minutes, he led Penn State with 28 points, going 12-of-14 from the floor and 4-of-5 at the line.
Ivan Juric added 14 points, Josh Reed scored 12, and Francois Wibaut finished with 10 as three more Nittany Lions reached double figures. Juric was 5-of-8 shooting and also controlled the glass with 15 rebounds. Thomas Allard and Prkacin each grabbed six boards, while Brant Byers and Reggie Grodin had two steals apiece.
In football, Matt Campbell’s latest injury update offered a mixed read on wide receivers Chase Sowell and Koby Howard. Both were downgraded to out for Saturday’s game against Purdue after entering the week as questionable.
Now, heading into Week 10 with Washington next on the schedule, Campbell said Howard is still questionable for Saturday afternoon, while Sowell has moved to probable. After Penn State’s first Big Ten win of the season, Campbell said both receivers were “close” to returning. For now, Sowell appears likelier to be back on the field first.
In Other News...
Penn State Just Got A Bigger Problem For Washington Trip
Washingtons quarterback situation is suddenly worth watching closely heading into Penn States trip west, because Jedd Fisch said Demond Williams is expected to start if he feels healthy. Williams has dealt with injuries and uneven play throughout the 2026 season, but he also showed why Washington wants him back on the field when he returned late in a recent game and helped finish off a win.
For Penn State, that changes the shape of the matchup in a hurry. Williams has already been through enough this season to make his availability a real week-to-week question, yet his presence gives Washington a different ceiling and a more dangerous look than the backup plan would offer. The Nittany Lions will be preparing for the possibility that the Huskies get their quarterback back at close to full strength, even if the final call still hinges on how he feels before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Biggest Injury Concern Just Got More Interesting
Penn States injury report brought a little more clarity heading into its matchup with Washington, with left tackle Malachi Goodman and receiver Chase Sowell both listed as probable. Goodman has been a steady presence up front all season, starting all eight games and leading the Nittany Lions in offensive snaps, so his status matters well beyond one lineup note. Defensive tackle Armstrong Nnodim is also probable, giving the team a better look on both sides of the ball as the week moves along.
Koby Howard is the one name still worth watching, though, after being listed as questionable. For a Penn State offense that has leaned on continuity in the trenches and depth at receiver, the final call there could shape how the staff approaches its options against Washington. The update leaves the Nittany Lions in a better spot than they might have been, but not quite out of the woods yet. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Campbell Just Gave Penn State Fans A New Reason To Hope
Matt Campbells approach against Purdue offered Penn State fans something they have not seen enough of this season: a little more edge. The fake field goal was the kind of call that immediately changes the feel of a game, and it fit with a broader willingness to take chances instead of settling into the safer, more conservative script that had defined much of the year.
Campbell also showed he was willing to trust his offense in a spot where most coaches would think twice, going for it on fourth down from his own 28-yard line. For a fan base that has spent plenty of time waiting for the Nittany Lions to play with more conviction, those choices mattered, and they left a real question hanging over the rest of the season: was this a one-game shift, or the start of a bolder Penn State identity? [Read more 🡒]