Penn State won the most recent Penn State vs. Iowa wrestling dual.

Quick Scoop

On January 16, 2026, No. 1 Penn State dominated No. 4 Iowa in Iowa City, winning the dual 32–3 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Penn State took nine of the ten bouts, piling up bonus points and allowing Iowa just a single individual match win.

Final score and setting

  • Final team score: Penn State 32, Iowa 3.
  • Venue: Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, with listed attendance over 12,000.
  • The dual was a Big Ten matchup, and Penn State came in ranked No. 1 nationally.

How the dual unfolded

  • Penn State jumped out early with wins at 125 and 133 pounds to build a quick 6–0 lead.
  • Iowa’s only victory came at 141 pounds, a tight 3–2 decision for Nassir Bailey over Braeden Davis.
  • From there, Penn State ran away with it, winning the remaining weights, including dominant showings at 149, 165, and 197.

Key individual highlights

  • Luke Lilledahl (125) scored an 11–5 decision to start the night for Penn State.
  • Shayne Van Ness (149) earned a major decision, 13–4, to help extend the Nittany Lions’ lead.
  • At 197, Josh Barr delivered a pin at 3:42 of the first period, effectively slamming the door on any Iowa comeback hopes.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.