Penn State wrestling opens its 2026 season Thursday night at Rec Hall with Bloomsburg back on the schedule for the first time since 2011, and the timing gives fans an early look at a lineup with several fresh wrinkles before a tougher test arrives Sunday in Norman, Oklahoma.
That matchup with the Huskies is the first step in what figures to be a busy opening stretch for Cael Sanderson’s group. Penn State heads to face No.
13 Oklahoma on Sunday, a trip that could end up being the most difficult non-conference meet of the regular season. But first comes Bloomsburg, and for anyone wanting a first glance at the Nittany Lions this year, Thursday offers plenty to watch.
Sanderson is entering Year 18 in Happy Valley, and the opener comes with the program still operating at the standard he’s built over time. The last time Penn State saw Bloomsburg, in 2011, it came during Sanderson’s second season and preceded the first of his 13 national championships.
The lineup itself has a few notable changes, especially in the middle and at the lower weights. PJ Duke is moving up to 165, Tyler Kasak is back in the lineup after redshirting last season, and Mitchell Mesenbrink - last year’s Hodge Trophy winner - shifts to 174, where he is ranked No. 1 in the country. Levi Haines could complicate that arrangement if his NCAA eligibility dispute is resolved in his favor, and Sanderson has made it clear he would welcome that return.
There’s also movement at 141, where Marcus Blaze is sliding up. At 133, Masanosuke Ono is set for his collegiate debut and is competing with Nate Desmond for the spot. Will Henkel and Cole Mirasola are stepping away from the program to serve religious missions, which opens the door for Cole’s twin brother Connor to take over at heavyweight.
Ono is the biggest debut name on the board. The Japanese World Champion and 2024 senior world champion is making the jump from freestyle to NCAA folkstyle, and that transition will be one of the key storylines to follow as Penn State’s season unfolds. Sanderson recently said that he and Desmond are the frontrunners at 133, and that Ono has made major strides after early struggles.
Connor Mirasola’s move is another one to keep an eye on. He spent his sophomore season at 197 while Cole handled heavyweight, but this offseason he won the U23 national title and now has to make the shift to the top of the lineup stick with Cole away from the team.
Penn State and Bloomsburg have met 22 times overall. The Nittany Lions hold a 16-5-1 edge, and the teams last wrestled in 2011.
Bloomsburg has already logged some results this season. The Huskies opened on November 1 at Wisconsin and lost 32-7, then swept Sacred Heart and Duke during “Wrangle Mania” on Saturday, beating Sacred Heart 45-0 and Duke 41-0.
Freshman Morgan Schwarz has been one of the early names to know for Bloomsburg. The 165-pounder, a top recruit for the Huskies, is 3-0 and has already beaten Wisconsin’s Cody Goebel, who is ranked No. 26 by InterMat. Duke, meanwhile, is ranked No. 1 at 165 by InterMat even though he moved up from 157, where he wrestled last season.
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