ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Penn State walked into Crisler Center on Feb. 7, 2026, and did exactly what everyone expected — then kept going.

The top-ranked Nittany Lions steamrolled Michigan in Big Ten dual action, winning nine of 10 matches and leaving the Wolverines with nothing but a heavyweight consolation prize in a 38–3 rout.

From the opening bout, this one felt inevitable. Penn State rolled through the lower and middle weights with relentless pace, stacking tech falls and bonus points while Michigan struggled just to slow things down. Nearly every match went according to the rankings, and by the time the dual reached the back half of the lineup, the team score was already out of reach.

Michigan avoided the shutout at heavyweight, but that was about the only moment that went their way.

#1 Ranked Shane Vamn Ness dominated #13 ranked Lachlan McNeil, winning 9-1. (Photo by Bill Kogerman, CWN)

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Final Score

Penn State 38, Michigan 3

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How It Happened (Bout by Bout)

125 lbs
Luke Lilledahl (PSU) overwhelmed Diego Sotelo (UM) with constant offense, rolling to a technical fall (21–5) to get Penn State going early.
PSU 6, UM 0

133 lbs
Marcus Blaze (PSU) made it look routine, piling up takedowns and turning opportunities into another tech fall (17–2) over Gauge Botero.
PSU 12, UM 0

141 lbs
This was one of the tighter matches of the night, but Nate Desmond (PSU) stayed composed and finished things in sudden victory, beating Dylan Ragusin 8–5.
PSU 15, UM 0

149 lbs
Shayne Van Ness (PSU) controlled every position against Lachlan McNeil, cruising to a major decision, 9–1.
PSU 19, UM 0

157 lbs
Fans finally got some fireworks here. PJ Duke (PSU) and Cameron Catrabone traded scores, but Duke pulled away late for a 12–10 decision.
PSU 22, UM 0

165 lbs
Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) did what Mitchell Mesenbrink does — nonstop pressure, big turns, and another technical fall (20–5) over Justin Gates.
PSU 28, UM 0

174 lbs
Levi Haines (PSU) never let Beau Mantanona get comfortable, stacking points on the way to a 19–4 tech fall.
PSU 34, UM 0

184 lbs
Rocco Welsh (PSU) slowed things down just enough to control the match, beating Brock Mantanona 8–1 in a solid decision.
PSU 37, UM 0

197 lbs
Josh Barr (PSU) added to the bonus-point parade, running up another technical fall (19–4) over Hayden Walters.
PSU 43, UM 0

285 lbs (Heavyweight)
Michigan finally got on the board when Taye Ghadiali knocked off Cole Mirasola (PSU) 5–1, breaking the shutout but little else.
Final: PSU 38, UM 3

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The Big Picture

• Penn State won 9 of 10 bouts
• Five tech falls and a major decision
• Everything went chalk, including heavyweight
• Michigan’s only win came at 285

Penn State’s depth showed up everywhere — especially through the middle weights, where matches were either controlled comfortably or ended early. Michigan competed hard in spots, but the Nittany Lions’ pace and scoring ability kept turning close moments into runaway results.

In short: Penn State looked every bit like the No. 1 team in the country, and Michigan was left chasing — literally and figuratively.