The prodigious Penn State wrestling team just got stronger, stunningly so.
Former Ohio State All-American Rocco Welsh is joining coach Cael Sanderson's Nittany Lions. The redshirt freshman from Waynesburg, Pa. announced his transfer move on a podcast with national wrestling insider Justin Basch.
The addition further solidifies Penn State as the runaway national title favorite in 2025-26. The Lions already were returning seven of 10 starters from the team that just won its 12th national championship in the past 14 years in history-making fashion.
The Lions tied an NCAA record with 10 All-Americans two weekends ago in Philadelphia and broke their own record for most team points. Penn State's Carter Starocci also became the first five-time individual title winner in NCAA history.
Welsh's commitment comes less than a week after Penn State landed Japanese world freestyle champion Masanosuke Ono, who figures to wrestle next season at 133 or 141 pounds.
Welsh expects to compete at 184 pounds, replacing Starocci − the PSU wrestler he lost to in the NCAA finals, 2-0, last year in Kansas City. (Both were at 174 pounds then).
Welsh redshirted this past season after moving up in weight, wrestling only in open tournaments at 184 pounds. He'll have three years of eligibility with the Lions.
Welsh said this about his decision on the Sunday podcast:
"It really is just (about) being in the room with all those really good (training) partners and the coaches. They’ve accomplished all the stuff that I want to accomplish there, and I think it’s going to be a confidence thing. ... So it’s like, it can be done there."
