The 2026 World Team Trials are approaching quickly, making this Penn State wrestlers' last opportunity to make Final X, the premier USA Wrestling event that ultimately determines who makes the Senior World Team. New Jersey will host Final X in June, and the 2026 Senior World Championships will take place in Manama, Bahrain.
Five Nittany Lions entered into the two-day men's freestyle tournament as of May 5 and five others are eligible to enter as well.
In the 74 kilogram weight class, sophomore PJ Duke, redshirt sophomore Joe Sealy, and freshman Jayden James are entered. Redshirt sophomores Connor and Cole Mirasola are entered in the 125 kilogram bout.
Duke previously competed in the 70 kilogram weight class. This bump up, according to Greg Pickel of Blue White Illustrated, could be a move to take over senior Mitchell Mesenbrink's spot in the 165 pound weight class in 2027-28. Mesenbrink went undefeated as a junior in 2025-26, 27-0 overall, and won the Dan Hodge Trophy award for his season.
Duke ended his freshman season with a third-place finish in the NCAA Tournament with a wrestle-back win over Ohio State's Brandon Cannon.
Sealy recently competed in the 2026 U.S. Open at the end of April. He finished third in the 74 kilogram weight class. Connor Mirasola competed in the 97 kilogram weight class in the event, finishing fifth. Cole Mirasola did not place in the U.S. Open, but competed and finished 3-2 in the event.
The deadline to enter the 2026 World Team Trials is May 13. Mesenbrink, senior Tyler Kasak, junior Josh Barr, senior Shayne Van Ness, and sophomore Will Henckel are the others eligible to enter.
Kasak and Henckel competed at the U.S. Open as well. The senior medically forfeited after winning three consecutive matchups and leading in the semifinals. Kasak placed sixth in the 70 kilogram weight class. Henckel wrestled in the 79 kilogram bouts, finishing fifth.
Senior Team USA has available spots in the 57 kilogram, 61 kilogram, 70 kilogram, 74 kilogram, and 125 kilogram weight classes.
The 2026 World Team Trials men's freestyle event starts at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday, May 14 and concludes with the final matchups at 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday, May 15.
Add us as a preferred source on Google