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2025-26 PSU Roster/Lineup thread

I'm fairly certain they are looking to add a 285. They are almost always looking to add 285 AND 125, they don't like just having one guy at these weights, it leaves you with no alternatives if something goes wrong. Pretty sure they wanted the guy who went to Michigan, but NIL works a little different here than at other schools (not that we have a lack of it).

And before all the nervous Nellie's here get their panties in a wad, yes, this has been discussed with the Mirasola's. They have high confidence that they can turn Cole into a national champ, but that's part of the deal here. If you don't want to compete, you can go, but the competition is what gets you to the top of the podium.

A lot more wrestlers understand this than message board posters, both here or on GIA.
Understood -- but people here expect a transfer who will supplant Mirasola. Not someone who will compete with him and/or serve as quality depth.

And folks here are setting themselves up for disappointment. That type of guy is unlikely to become available for any school to pick up.

A Catka type is more likely and for the board, completely unsatisfying.

That is, unless that Vake Jarner guy still has eligibility. He's supposedly pretty good.
 
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I don’t think Barr drops either. I believe he becomes a 215 pound dude who cuts to 197 and just literally mauls people next year. I put it that way because it is a possibility and sometimes I am wrong. If Welsh were to transfer to PSU the 184 battle becomes Welsh, Ryder and Mirasola/Barr. Wrestling 184 at OSU is much easier then it will be at PSU.
See, I disagree. I think Josh went up because Cael and Casey asked him to. I still think he COULD go down, but I also don't believe he WILL go down.

I will say though, I think he is the only guy who can beat either McInally or Angelo in the nation next year.
 
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I keep recalling when Carter said before Nationals last year "Josh Barr will win multiple national championships starting next year at 184"
 
the take is that these things have a way of working themselves out among the team members
Most people don't get this part. The guys on the team work a ton of this out amongst themselves. Levi and Mitchell figured out between the two of them who was going to wrestle 165 and 174. Van Ness coming back so Tyler eats and lifts. Carter to 184, Josh eats and lifts right next to Tyler.
Nothing assumed and nothing given.
 
assuming no redshirts, no transfers, and no major injuries PSU will be returning 6 title contenders in:

125- LL
149- SVN
157- Kasak
165- MM
174- Haines
197- Barr

Have to assume 1 of Ono or Blaze wrestles next year, which should give them 7 title contenders. I think Blaze redshirts if Ono is on roster, but perhaps not, which would give you 8 contenders

If only one of Ono/Blaze wrestles, that leaves AA contender in Davis. Unless he makes significant jump, Davis still among a very large group that will be in contention to AA at 133 next year. 133 gets no easier. Still, I’d bet on him to AA every time. Nagao could challenge, and perhaps this spot will be 141 instead of 133.

Now for the remaining spots, here’s how I see the tiers playing out, with Ryder probably having the best chance to jump tiers

285:

Trumble
Bastida
Ghadiali
Kueter

Taylor
Feldman

Mullen
Pitzer
Mirasola
Tinker
Colbert
Hopke
Amos/Dillan Johnson (if he ever wrestles)

Could see Ferrari bumping up with weight clearing out, but leaving him at 197 for now.

184:

McEnelly
Ferrari

Welsh

Berge
Jaxon Smith
Allred/Pinto
Sinclair
Ryder (FS wins over Arnold, Norman. Folkstyle wins over Parker, Stewart, SCW)
Norman

Parker
Fishback
Brenot
Neitenbach
Cartagena-Welsh
Thompson
Stewart
Good post.

Only disagreement from me is I will be surprised if Sinclair and Welsh are outside Tier 1 at 184. Possibly whoever PSU wrestles there as well. Will be deep and young.
 
Barr could definitely make 184. I think he’ll make 86kg relatively easily. Just don’t know that he will want to. Especially being close friends with Ryder. But NIL talks. Could definitely leverage some extra cash by going back down.
 
See, I disagree. I think Josh went up because Cael and Casey asked him to. I still think he COULD go down, but I also don't believe he WILL go down.

I will say though, I think he is the only guy who can beat either McInally or Angelo in the nation next year.
They might have ask him to go up, but I believe Carter told him he was going to be at 184. Carter at 184 makes eating steak and lifting extra hard, looking to gain as much good weight as possible an easy choice.
 
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They might have ask him to go up, but I believe Carter told him he was going to be at 184. Carter at 184 makes eating steak and lifting extra hard, looking to gain as much good weight as possible an easy choice.
Yes indeed. Let me add that I don't think Ryders few matches should be considered here. We know that between the first and second year, he is going to jump levels. Same for the Mirasola guys.
 
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They might have ask him to go up, but I believe Carter told him he was going to be at 184. Carter at 184 makes eating steak and lifting extra hard, looking to gain as much good weight as possible an easy choice.
THIS.

The staff can and will advise, but decisions on weight classes generally get worked out among the kids on the team. They know who is going where and where they can fit in or what they have to do to get on the mat.

I am always surprised by the amount of people on here that don't get this. Most of us wrestled. This is the way it works almost everywhere. I would say that the only thing that is different here is that our staff recognized that cutting has its consequences a little earlier than most of the old school guys. But they are not going to stand in the way of a kid's decision on where to compete even if that involves cutting.
 
Understood -- but people here expect a transfer who will supplant Mirasola. Not someone who will compete with him and/or serve as quality depth.

And folks here are setting themselves up for disappointment. That type of guy is unlikely to become available for any school to pick up.

A Catka type is more likely and for the board, completely unsatisfying.

That is, unless that Vake Jarner guy still has eligibility. He's supposedly pretty good.
Yeah, the goal is not to bring someone into supplant anyone. It never is.

The goal is to bring in kids who can compete for national championships. If that comes in the form of a one-year guy who wants to compete with Cole, great. If it comes from a kid they think can make a jump (but they don't always make it), ok. And they will be looking to recruit a heavy as well. The guy they put on the mat needs to be ready to compete for a NC and that doesn't happen without competition.

Someone posted something above that sums up the staff's philosophy perfectly - nothing is assumed or guaranteed here. If you are looking for that, PSU is not the place for you.
 
Cael should ask half the posters here "do you have a plan?"
We all have a plan, most of them are wrong. But I'll still throw my hat in with the others.

125. LL
133. Davis or Ono
141. Nagao if healthy. Otherwise Blaze
149. SVN
157. Kasak
165. Mitchell
174. Levi
184. Ryder
197. Barr
285. Mirasola

Only transfers needed are for quality depth. Which is always needed. We have enough log jams. Zero holes.

I see 8 AAs with 6 title contenders. Seven certain AAs. I question 141, 184, and 285 being AA. We haven't seen 184 and 285 in action for a full season. 141 cause of injury history. Chances are at least one of those 3 will be an AA.
 
Does anyone think Kasak should redshirt and heal up? Make sure his concussion issues are fully healed? He finished strong but down the stretch he didn’t always look like himself. Duke could go at 157 this year while Tyler gets completely healthy. Then the following year Levi is done and MM could move up and both Duke and Kasak slide in to 157-165 in some order.
 
Kasak was healthy enough to wrestle at the end of the season and is on record that he does not want to redshirt so I suspect he goes next year while Duke redshirts. Then you could possibly have Kasak, Duke and MM all in the lineup the following year like you said.
 
The argument for redshirting Kasak might have something to do with how young he is. Even as a sophomore he was one of the youngest kids competing this weekend in Philadelphia.

And remember, Cael redshrted Zain too
 
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Does anyone think Kasak should redshirt and heal up? Make sure his concussion issues are fully healed? He finished strong but down the stretch he didn’t always look like himself. Duke could go at 157 this year while Tyler gets completely healthy. Then the following year Levi is done and MM could move up and both Duke and Kasak slide in to 157-165 in some order.
like I said before protocol does not mean had was concussed he didn't mis any matchesbut he should wear some protection!
 
We will have a young lineup next year. Haines is the only senior. If they bought in a heavyweight on a one year deal, do you believe the Mirasola brothers are at risk losing to the transfer portal? 184 and 197 look like they are pretty set with younger wrestlers and lighter brother may not have a spot and heavier brother got portaled over.
 
Does anyone think Kasak should redshirt and heal up? Make sure his concussion issues are fully healed? He finished strong but down the stretch he didn’t always look like himself. Duke could go at 157 this year while Tyler gets completely healthy. Then the following year Levi is done and MM could move up and both Duke and Kasak slide in to 157-165 in some order.
Yes.
 
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What is so impressive to me is how the staff is always looking ahead. I doubt we will ever hear "wow, I we didn't see that coming". If other staffs think these guys will get complacent they will be very disappointed. They are already creating the next mold.
 
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Does anyone think Kasak should redshirt and heal up? Make sure his concussion issues are fully healed? He finished strong but down the stretch he didn’t always look like himself. Duke could go at 157 this year while Tyler gets completely healthy. Then the following year Levi is done and MM could move up and both Duke and Kasak slide in to 157-165 in some order.
The premise of this question is tantamount to accusing Cael and Monthley of abuse -- i.e., saying they sent him out to compete in a combat sport with a brain injury that wasn't fully healed.

Probably not intended that way, but that's the unavoidable conclusion from that question.

They seemed quite cautious with Berge. I don't have any reason to believe they have been any less cautious with Kasak.
 
The premise of this question is tantamount to accusing Cael and Monthley of abuse -- i.e., saying they sent him out to compete in a combat sport with a brain injury that wasn't fully healed.

Probably not intended that way, but that's the unavoidable conclusion from that question.

They seemed quite cautious with Berge. I don't have any reason to believe they have been any less cautious with Kasak.
And yet pretty much everyone on here said he didnt look quite right..at multiple times down the stretch. Obviously he looked completely normal has last number of matches and the PSU coaches and training staff would know best. That said, once you have a couple concussions they can happen easier going forward without a long period of rest. Look at Tua Tagovailoa. I was just wondering if long term it makes more sense
 
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And yet pretty much everyone on here said he didnt look quite right..at multiple times down the stretch. Obviously he looked completely normal has last number of matches and the PSU coaches and training staff would know best. That said, once you have a couple concussions they can happen easier going forward without a long period of rest. Look at Tua Tagovailoa. I was just wondering if long term it makes more sense
He seemed fine to me, and certainly appeared sharp in consci round. Friday's loss to me appeared to be get the TD and guard it to the end. He made two attempts to take Blaze down. One on the edge and one inbounds and it looked like he could have take Blaze down as often as he wanted.
He wrestled with more ease after he lost.
 
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And with only one senior next year, potentially breaking it again the following year. Reasonable likelihood of 170+ points 4 years in a row!
Team Natty daddies are good for me, I don’t need a new scoring record each year, just win, don’t care if we score 130 0r 170 , just like it when kids get their shot without injuries taking them out
 
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We all have a plan, most of them are wrong. But I'll still throw my hat in with the others.

125. LL
133. Davis or Ono
141. Nagao if healthy. Otherwise Blaze
149. SVN
157. Kasak
165. Mitchell
174. Levi
184. Ryder
197. Barr
285. Mirasola

Only transfers needed are for quality depth. Which is always needed. We have enough log jams. Zero holes.

I see 8 AAs with 6 title contenders. Seven certain AAs. I question 141, 184, and 285 being AA. We haven't seen 184 and 285 in action for a full season. 141 cause of injury history. Chances are at least one of those 3 will be an AA.
I think your lineup is pretty spot on.

125 - LL
133 - Ono
141 - Blaze
149 - SVN
157 - Kasak
165 - MM
174 - Levi
184 - Ryder
197 - Barr
285 - Mirasola
 
I think your lineup is pretty spot on.

125 - LL
133 - Ono
141 - Blaze
149 - SVN
157 - Kasak
165 - MM
174 - Levi
184 - Ryder
197 - Barr
285 - Mirasola
Nice lineup. If things our starting lineup, what would the second team look like? Assuming Facundo and Steen are gone? Any holes in that second team?
 
Really? I don’t think we need to add anyone besides maybe a depth guy or 2
Definitely could see a depth candidate at 125. We'll be real thin there -- only Lilledahl and Desmond.

Likewise 285. If Cole gets injured, the only other HWT is Dawson Bundy, unless Cochran decides to return and bulks up. Maybe Fricchione eats, but he was overmatched at 295 last year, and we need to maintain 197 depth too.
 
Definitely could see a depth candidate at 125. We'll be real thin there -- only Lilledahl and Desmond.

Likewise 285. If Cole gets injured, the only other HWT is Dawson Bundy, unless Cochran decides to return and bulks up. Maybe Fricchione eats, but he was overmatched at 295 last year, and we need to maintain 197 depth too.
Right, but the intent is for one of the Mirasolas to start, so you're not portalling in a guy you need to pay a bag and promise a starting spot. If it's a transfer, it will be a guy who can man the spot in duals but will be lucky to qualify for NCAAs if forced into action.
 
Yes indeed. Let me add that I don't think Ryders few matches should be considered here. We know that between the first and second year, he is going to jump levels. Same for the Mirasola guys.
Ryder? Do you mean Sealey? Ryder was 8-0 and won two tournaments last year as a "blue shirt" HS senior and 8-0 and won 2 tournaments as a RS this year (including the Scuffle).
 
Right, but the intent is for one of the Mirasolas to start, so you're not portalling in a guy you need to pay a bag and promise a starting spot. If it's a transfer, it will be a guy who can man the spot in duals but will be lucky to qualify for NCAAs if forced into action.
Probably not portaling that guy in anyway -- very few of them, and the few are unlikely to transfer.
 
If the starting line-up is as most expect & nobody else transfers in or out, then the back-up squad next year is quite impressive too.

Starters:
125: Luke Lilledahl (SO)
133: Masanosuke Ono (FR)
141: Marcus Blaze (FR)
149: Shayne Van Ness (JR)
157: Tyler Kasak (JR)
165: Mitchell Mesenbrink (JR)
174: Levi Haines (SR)
184: Zack Ryder (R-FR)
197: Josh Barr (R-SO)
285: Cole Mirasola (R-FR)

Back-ups:

125: Nate Desmond (FR)
133: Braeden Davis (JR), Aaron Nagao (SR)
141: Aaron Nagao (SR), Braeden Davis (JR)
149: Dalton Perry (FR)
157: PJ Duke (FR)
165: Joe Sealey (R-FR)
174: Asher Cunningham (FR)
184: William Henckel (FR)
197: Connor Mirasola (R-FR)
285: Dawson Bundy (R-FR)
 
Is Cochran returning for his last season of eligibility? He would provide some nice depth, if not challenge to start, at 285 if needed. Might need a meal plan for the latter, but we saw him beat a 285 AA in BJC last season.
One week ago Cochran was quoted as stating that next year he will not wrestle. He has been accepted in the PSU Smeal college of Business.
 
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