Show notes
Mitchell Mesenbrink wins the Hodge Trophy after a dominant season for Penn State Wrestling, but the bigger question now is whether he can do it again next year.
In this episode, we break down Mesenbrink’s historic run at 165, why his bonus-rate season was so impressive, how Jax Forrest factors into the 2026 Hodge race, why Josh Barr deserved more respect, and what Penn State’s lineup could look like at 157, 165, and 174 with Tyler Kasak, PJ Duke, Jayden James, and William Henckel in the mix.
This matters for Penn State wrestling fans because Mesenbrink is now the face of one of the sport’s biggest offseason storylines: repeat Hodge potential and the lineup decision that could reshape the entire middle of Penn State’s order.
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0:00 Intro
1:04 Why Mesenbrink Was the Clear Best Wrestler
3:18 How Close He Was to a Perfect Season at 165
5:31 Jax Forrest’s Hodge Votes and Why It Matters
8:45 Can Mitchell Mesenbrink Repeat Next Season?
11:49 Jax Forrest vs Mitchell Mesenbrink in 2026
14:01 Why Forrest Could Make It a Photo Finish
16:31 Josh Barr, Luke Lilledahl and Other Hodge Threats
19:12 Why Mesenbrink Is Still the Early Favorite
21:01 Should Mesenbrink Stay at 165 or Move to 174?
23:23 How the Penn State Lineup Changes at 157-174
26:21 Would Penn State Really Redshirt PJ Duke?
27:53 The Best Version of Penn State’s 2026 Lineup
29:46 Final Prediction: Mesenbrink Stays at 165 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.