Penn State’s PJ Duke Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week After Dominant Pin
There’s a new name making waves on the college wrestling scene, and it belongs to Penn State’s PJ Duke. The true freshman was named Big Ten Wrestling Freshman of the Week on Thursday - and it’s not hard to see why.
Duke didn’t just win his match last weekend - he owned it. Wrestling at 157 pounds, he squared off against Wyoming’s Jared Hill, who came into the bout ranked No. 23 in the nation.
But rankings didn’t matter once the whistle blew. Duke took Hill down four times before finishing the job with a second-period pin at the 4:09 mark.
That fall was one of four for Penn State in a 40-7 rout over the Cowboys.
It was a statement win for Duke, who’s now 6-0 on the season. Five of those victories have come by pin, and the sixth was via injury default. That’s the kind of start that turns heads - not just in the Big Ten, but across the national wrestling landscape.
This is Penn State’s first weekly conference honor of the season, and Duke’s performance couldn’t have come at a better time. The Nittany Lions, now 4-0 on the year, are gearing up for a big weekend in Tennessee at the 2025 Journeymen Collegiate Duals. They’ll face North Dakota State at 5 p.m. and Stanford at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
For a program that’s built a dynasty under head coach Cael Sanderson, it’s no surprise to see another young talent rising through the ranks. But Duke’s early dominance is turning potential into production - fast.
If he keeps wrestling like this, he won’t just be the Big Ten’s top freshman. He might be one of the most dangerous 157-pounders in the country.