NCAA wrestling: Penn State's Mitchell Mesenbrink wins a national title over Mikey Caliendo

PHILADELPHIA − Mitchell Mesenbrink was one point away as a freshman.

One single, excruciating point is what kept the Penn State 165-pounder from winning an NCAA wrestling national title last March in Kansas City.

So, this second chance on Saturday night?

Mesenbrink was the favorite this time as one of the most fast-attacking, high-scoring dominant wrestlers in the nation in his second year in Penn State's dynastic lineup.

And so, in these NCAA Wrestling Championships here, he made good on what he nearly accomplished last year. He defeated Iowa's Mikey Caliendo, once again, to win his first national championship − doing so in front of President Donald Trump in a packed Wells Fargo Center.

Mesenbrink hit one takedown early and another late to win, 8-2, to a rousing approval from the pro-Penn State crowd.

Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink reacts after defeating Iowa's Michael Caliendo by tech fall 19-4 in the 165-pound bout on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in State College, Pa. The Nittany Lions won 30-8.

Mesenbrink grabbed the lead early, as could be expected, considering his typical furious-scoring pattern this season. He leads the nation with 18 technical falls, rarely even having to finish one of his matches.

With Saturday's victory, Mesenbrink finishes the season as a perfect 27-0. It was the sixth time he had beaten Caliendo over the past two years.

Mesenbrink has rather quietly turned into one of the top wrestlers on the nation's No. 1 team − the one that just broke it's own NCAA team points record and won its 12th national championship in the past 14 years. He's been overshadowed the past two years by legendary teammates and national title winners like Aaron Brooks, Carter Starocci and heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet.

NCAA wrestling: What makes Mitchell Mesenbrink so special?

Mar 20, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Mitchell Mesenbrink of Penn State wrestles duringn day one of the NCAA Wrestling championships at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

But he certainly may be one of the team's most affable, thoughtful personalities. And one of its top wrestlers. He's only now lost one match in his college career.

This from the former Wisconsin high school champion, who first wrestled in college for California-Baptist and wanted to be an orthodontist one day.

Earlier this week, he was asked about wearing a T-shirt that read, "Win Mitchell Win."

"There is only one end goal that's promised, and that's death. So it's kind of, just go out there and bring it. That's what I'm thinking, right? If I go out there and I win, but I don't bring it, I would rather bring it and lose, which sounds insane, but that's it. ... I enjoy the process more than winning ..."

Frank Bodani covers Penn State wrestling for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: NCAA wrestling, Penn State: Mitchell Mesenbrink wins national title

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