Penn State Athletics have continued their success from the weekend into early this week. Penn State wrestling and the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club had a lot to celebrate, men's basketball opened its season with a win, and football head coach Matt Campbell had some positive news to share.
Here's what you may have missed early on this week around Happy Valley.
Six wrestlers with Penn State ties medial at Senior World Championships
Levi Haines, Kyle Snyder, Kyle Dake, Roman Bravo-Young, Marcus Blaze, and Zain Retherford all medaled at this year's Senior World Championships.
Haines placed silver at Worlds in 2025 in the 79-kilogram bout and received a first-round bye this time around. His final round was against Iran's Mohammad Nokhodilarimi. Nokhodilarimi is a five-time World medalist who Haines had to overcome a deficit over in the match for gold. This was Haines' first World title.
Blaze was the only active Penn State wrestler on the world team, competing at 61 kilograms and taking home the bronze medal. He faced Kazakhstan’s Assyl Aitakyn in his final match of the tournament. Blaze took a 4-1 lead in the first two minutes and finished out the match with good defense.
Snyder and Dake are both members of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club and placed gold at Senior World Championships. Bravo-Young, who won silver, was formerly a member of the club as well and also competed at Penn State from 2019-23. Retherford is a former Nittany Lion and member of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. He won bronze at Worlds on Saturday.
Snyder (97 kilograms) received a first-round bye in the tournament and won his final match taking down Japan's Arash Yoshida. This was Snyder's second consecutive world title. Dake (86 kilograms) won his fifth career World title on Saturday, taking down his final opponent, Azerbaijan’s Arsenii Dzhioev. Dzhioev was the reigning bronze medalist from the year before.
Representing Mexico at 57 kilograms, Bravo-Young (57 kilograms) made history for his country as the first wrestler to ever make a World final. Retherford (70 kilograms) lost his semifinal match to Kyrgyzstan’s Ernazar Akmataliev, but held Canada’s Lachlan McNeil off as he extended his bronze medal-winning performance to 4-0.
Penn State basketball opens season with a victory over Canisius
Penn State men's basketball opened its 2026-27 season at home on Monday, Nov. 2 at the Bryce Jordan Center. The Nittany Lions beat Canisius, 97-57. They also won their exhibition matchups vs. St. Bonaventure and Drezel in October.
Roko Prkacin won his eligibility case with the NCAA and competed in Monday night's contest. He led the team with 28 points playing in just 20 minutes of the game. He was 12-of-14 shooting and four-of-five from the free throw line.
Behind Prkacin, Ivan Juric (14), Josh Reed (12), and Francois Wibaut (10) was eclipsed the 10-point mark on Monday. Juric was five-of-eight from the field, Reed was four-of-seven, and Wibaut was four-of-six. Juric also led the team in rebounds with 15. Thomas Allard and Prkacin tied for second-most with six. Brant Byers and Reggie Grodin came up with two steals apiece as well.
Matt Campbell gives injury updates on wide receivers Chase Sowell and Koby Howard
During Tuesday's media availability, Campbell gave injury updates for wide receivers Chase Sowell and Koby Howard. Both wideouts were downgraded to out for Saturday's contest vs. Purdue after both initially being listed as questionable earlier in the week.
Now in Week 10 with Washington next on the slate, Campbell said though Howard remains questionable for Saturday afternoon, Sowell is now probable. It's not the ideal update given the pass game could barely operate without either of them on the field, but with more hope for Sowell to get back out there, there should be an improved pass game against the Huskies.
After Penn State's first Big Ten win of the season, Campbell shared with media that both receivers were "close" to returning. For now, it looks like Sowell will be the first to rejoin the offense on game day.
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