# Mitchell Mesenbrink

Mitchell Owen Mesenbrink (born 2003) is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes at 74 kilograms. In freestyle, he claimed a bronze medal at the U23 World Championships in 2024, and at the U20 World Championships, he claimed a gold medal in 2023 and a silver medal in 2022.
In folkstyle, he is an NCAA Division I National finalist and Big Ten Conference champion for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

## Career
### Early life

Born in Hartland, Wisconsin, Mesenbrink started wrestling at a young age, following the footsteps of his father, John Mesenbrink, a former wrestler at Drake University. Mesenbrink attended Arrowhead High School, where he became a three-time WIAA state champion and broke into the national high school rankings. Before his senior season, he committed to wrestle for California Baptist University.
In freestyle, Mesenbrink claimed a silver medal from the U20 World Championships and a gold medal from the U20 Pan American Championships and U20 US National Championships in 2022, at 70 kilograms.

### California Baptist University
#### 2022–2023

Mesenbrink started off the season at 2–0, however, he then decided to enter the transfer portal and moved back to Wisconsin, closing out his freshman year. In April 2023, he committed to the Penn State Nittany Lions.

### Pennsylvania State University
#### 2023–2024

Before the folkstyle season started, Mesenbrink made the jump up to 74 kilograms and repeated as U20 US National champion and U20 Pan American Champion before competing at the U20 World Championships. He once again reached the finals of the tournament, and this time became the U20 World champion at 74 kilograms.
Starting at 165 pounds, Mesenbrink claimed titles at the Journeymen Classic and Black Knight Invitational, and racked up an undefeated 12–0 dual meet record during regular season. At the Big Ten Championships, Mesenbrink claimed his first title with a come-from-behind victory over two-time All-American Dean Hamiti. At the NCAA tournament, Mesenbrink defeated All-Americans Cam Amine and Michael Caliendo in rematches, to make the finals, where he fell to NCAA champion David Carr to take runner-up honors.
In April, Mesenbrink made his senior level debut at the US Olympic Team Trials, where after a win over U17 World champion Ladarion Lockett, he fell to seven-time Olympic and World champion Jordan Burroughs in the semifinals. He then came back for third-place with wins over US National champion Quincy Monday and Jarrett Jacques, making the US National team.

#### 2024–2025

Before the season started, Mesenbrink competed at the U23 World Championships, claiming a bronze medal by defeating Asian medalist Magomedrasul Asluev from Bahrain.

## Freestyle record

Senior Freestyle Matches :
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Score | Date | Event | Location |
| 2024 U23 World Championships at 74 kg |||||||
| Win | 6–2 | Magomedrasul Asluev | 6–0 | October 25–26, 2024 | 2024 U23 World Championships | Tirana, Albania |
| Win | 5–2 | Ali Rezaei | 16–7 | October 25–26, 2024 | 2024 U23 World Championships | Tirana, Albania |
| Loss | 4–2 | Kota Takahashi | 8–11 | October 25–26, 2024 | 2024 U23 World Championships | Tirana, Albania |
| Win | 4–1 | Murat Dzhakupov | 7–2 | October 25–26, 2024 | 2024 U23 World Championships | Tirana, Albania |
| 2024 US Olympic Team Trials at 74 kg |||||||
| Win | 3–1 | Jarrett Jacques | TF 10–0 | April 19–20, 2024 | 2024 US Olympic Team Trials | State College, Pennsylvania |
| Win | 2–1 | Quincy Monday | TF 12–1 | April 19–20, 2024 | 2024 US Olympic Team Trials | State College, Pennsylvania |
| Loss | 1–1 | Jordan Burroughs | 3–8 | April 19–20, 2024 | 2024 US Olympic Team Trials | State College, Pennsylvania |
| Win | 1–0 | Ladarion Lockett | TF 13–3 | April 19–20, 2024 | 2024 US Olympic Team Trials | State College, Pennsylvania |