No. 1 Penn State wrestling's Rocco Welsh is a new face to the Nittany Lions' roster in 2025-26, though head coach Cael Sanderson always believed the redshirt sophomore belonged in blue and white.
2 Nittany Lions improve their rankings heading into final regular season matchup
Over two seasons, 2023-24 and 2024-25, Sanderson remained patient, waiting for a second chance at bringing Welsh to Happy Valley. During his true freshman and redshirt seasons, respectively, the 184-pound weight class wrestler repped Penn State's Big Ten foe: Ohio State. The Waynesburg, Penn. native entered the Transfer Portal and came back home.
“[Sanderson] did recruit me. I was young and didn’t really know what I was doing. I committed too soon," Welsh told media on Wednesday, Feb. 18. "I don't regret it, but if I could go back, I would definitely come [to Penn State] from the beginning . . . I was thinking about who was here and if I would have to fight to make a spot [and] stuff like that, but it all worked out perfectly. I'm glad I'm here now."
Rocco Welsh comments on originally spurning Penn State for Ohio State
— Evan Smith (@EvanRGSmith) February 18, 2026
“I was young and didn’t really know what I was doing”
Says he doesn’t regret going to Ohio State but feels like God led him back to the Nittany Lions pic.twitter.com/GsNyhtb8L6
Rocco Welsh says he would come to Penn State from the beginning if he could travel back in time
Welsh helped the Nittany Lions clinch the Big Ten Regular Season Championship as they finished with a 36-5 win over No. 2 Ohio State. He faced his former teammates and ultimately took down Dylan Fishback in a 7-6 decision. Welsh remains the No. 1 wrestler in his weight class.
As a Buckeye, Welsh started out in the 174-pound weight class and was an All-American second team selection as a true freshman. He advanced to the national finalist dual and ultimately lost to Penn State's Carter Starocci, 2-0. In 2023-24, he finished 24-5 overall and placed third in the Big Ten tournament. During the 2024-25 season, Welsh jumped to the 184-pound weight class and he finished with an undefeated, 12-0 record while maintaining his redshirt status. Welsh won three titles that season as well.
As a redshirt sophomore with the Nittany Lions, Welsh is tied for second on the team in wins with Levi Haines and Shayne Van Ness with 17. He also has four technical falls, four major decisions, and one fall to his record with the blue and white. Welsh holds a 43-4 total record in dual takedowns, including a 22-2 first round record, 9-0 second round record, and 12-2 third round record. From the 184-pound weight class, Penn State is 54-0 on the 2025-26 season.