Penn State cruises to 5th consecutive team title at NCAA men's wrestling championships
CLEVELAND (AP) — Mitchell Mesenbrink and Levi Haines each won their second individual championship on Saturday to help Penn State win its fifth consecutive team title at the NCAA men's wrestling championships. Penn State, which clinched the team title during the consolation matches earlier Saturday, finished with four national champions and a record 181. 5 points, breaking its own mark of 177 set last year .
The Nittany Lions have won 13 of the last 15 national championships. Mesenbrink, the defending national champion and No. 1 seed, beat Mikey Caliendo by technical fall (20-4) in the third round to finish the season undefeated and win the 165-pound title.
No. 1 seed Haines beat Nebraska’s Chris Minto 2-1 to take gold at 174 pounds and win his second national championship. Haines also beat the third-seeded Minto 2-1 in the Big Ten Conference finals.
Josh Barr beat Oklahoma State's Cody Merrill 6-3 at 197 pounds and Luke Lilledahl took the 125-pound title with a 2-1 win over Princeton's Marc-Anthony McGowan. Oklahoma State was second with 131 points, including three national champions, and third-place Nebraska had 100. 5.
Freshmen Sergio Vega, Landon Robideau and Jax Forrest won titles for Oklahoma State. Vega beat No. 1 seed Jesse Mendez of Ohio State 4-1 on a takedown in overtime to claim the title at 141 pounds.