Penn State wrestling is sending one current Nittany Lion to the Senior World Championships.
Marcus Blaze, who just finished his freshman season in Happy Valley, won his men's freestyle best-of-three matchup versus Jax Forrest. The Oklahoma State rising sophomore has faced off with Blaze four times since the 2024 Olympic Trials. This marks Blaze's third time beating Forrest since their first meeting.
The two didn't meet during their first collegiate season. Forrest was eventually crowned the 2026 NCAA champion in the 133-pound weight class and Blaze finished fourth. The Cowboy was also the previous 61-kilogram wrestler for the Senior World Team last year.
“He was the best folkstyle wrestler this year, so I tip my hat to him,” Blaze said after his most recent meeting with Forrest. “And he’s one of the best freestyle wrestlers I’ve ever wrestled in my life too. So he’s just a great wrestler and it always feels better when you beat a great wrestler like him.”
At Final X on Friday, Blaze outmatched Forrest and knocked him out of that spot. The Penn Stater's victory in three matches punched his ticket to the world championships, taking over Forrest's spot in the 61-kilogram weight class.
Blaze won the first third matches of their meeting. He took Match 1 based on criteria after a 2-2 finish, fell 6-1 in Match 2, then redeemed himself before the Oklahoma Stater could find his footing. Blaze won Match 3, 5-2, after trailing 0-1 to start the third bout. A takedown gave him a 4-1 lead quickly and soon after, Blaze was crowned the winner of the matchup.
While the current Nittany Lion roster only has one member representing the blue and white on the mat at the Senior World Championships, other alumni and members of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club (NLWC) will join Blaze on the team.
NLWC member Kyle Snyder will make his 12th World Championships appearance in the 97-kilogram weight class. He beat Stephen Buchanan for the spot. Kyle Dake, another NLWC member, will compete in the 86-kilogram weight class. Zain Rutherford, the NLWC coach, will compete in the 70-kilogram weight class.
Levi Haines, who just graduated from Penn State this past year, beat Chance Marstellar and will compete in the 79-kilogram weight class.
Rising junior Luke Lilledahl lost his best-of-three matchup in the 57-kilogram bout to Spencer Lee.
Here is the full list of wrestlers for Team USA:
57 kilograms: Spencer Lee
61 kilograms: Marcus Blaze
65 kilograms: Real Woods OR Bo Bassett (match date TBD)
70 kilograms: Zain Retherford
74 kilograms: James Green
79 kilograms: Levi Haines
86 kilograms: Kyle Dake
92 kilograms: Trent Hidlay
97 kilograms: Kyle Snyder
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