Rocco Welsh’s first season at Penn State had just about everything a wrestler could want - until the final match.
The 184-pounder rolled into the national title bout against Minnesota’s Max McEnelly with a 25-0 record and a Big Ten championship win over McEnelly already in hand. He had been on that stage before, too, reaching the national final as a true freshman before losing to Penn State legend Carter Starocci. This time, plenty expected him to finish the job.
Instead, McEnelly handed Welsh a 4-3 loss, leaving him without a national championship as he heads toward the 2026-27 season.
That setback is still part of the story, but Welsh is already back in motion. Penn State opened its dual season Thursday against Bloomsburg, and Welsh stepped in at 184 against Gavin Hannah. He won by tech fall.
It was the kind of result he was supposed to produce, and he did. But the bigger point was simply getting back on the mat against someone in a different singlet.
After the bout, Welsh looked back on the stretch since that title-match loss and didn’t hide how it felt at first.
“It sucked for a little while,” Welsh said, “and then just try to have a good perspective on it.
Welsh also said Tuesday that he was eager to wrestle opponents outside his own room again after spending the offseason working against teammates. Thursday gave him that chance, and he said the atmosphere at Rec Hall made it even better.
“There’s no place like Rec Hall here at Penn State,” he said, “so it was awesome just getting out there in front of the fans after a long offseason. So, yeah, like I said, it’s always great wrestling other competition.
The road at 184 is only getting tougher. The weight class includes returning McEnelly, Iowa’s Angelo Ferrari, Missouri’s Aeoden Sinclair and Michigan’s Brock Mantanona.
Welsh will be in that mix again, just as he was a season ago. The question now is whether he can turn last year’s ending into a different one.
“You know, (last year’s loss is) going to push me to accomplish big things,” he said, “and I think God has a great plan for my life. So I’m just following His plan and whatever He has for me.“
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The predictions around the matchup reflect that uncertainty, with final score picks leaning on a competitive night under the lights and player of the game selections spread across the roster. For Penn State, the bigger question is not just whether it can win, but which side of the ball delivers the kind of performance that turns a nerve-racking game into a statement. [Read more 🡒]