U20 World Team Trials: Kyle Dake, Bo Nickal and More Penn State Wrestlers Get US Open Champion Bo Bassett Ready For Worlds

Penn State’s flag was high in the Olympic qualifiers as Aaron Brooks secured his berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is less than two months away. Now the team is trying to churn out one more champion Bishop McCort Catholic’s Bo Bassett, who is one of the frontrunners with a claim for a spot in the team. The team trials for the men’s U20 World Championships will be held in Geneva, Ohio, from May 31, and hopes are high for Basset. The sophomore star won the 2024 U20 US Open in the 65kg weight class and is expected to display his prowess on the mat in Spain in September.

Months ago, Bassett emphasized the need to stay focused and relentlessly pursue improvement. Ahead of the team trials, he’s getting in the hours to make sure his momentum isn’t lost, and what better way to gain more skills than getting some help from some of the country’s top stars belonging to the coveted Penn State wrestling program?

Bo Bassett receives aid from the best of the lot

Over the last week, as shared by Bassett on his X handle, fans saw him getting help from the likes of Olympian Kyle Dake, and other NLWC wrestlers like Mitchell Mesenbrink and alum Bo Nickal. In one post, the 17-year-old can be seen maintaining his poise as he stands beside a grinning Dake. The 33-year-old Ithaca-born went to the NLWC from Cornell in 2022 and boasts four World Championships gold medals under his belt along with an Olympic bronze. “It’s always amazing being surrounded by legends, like minded wrestlers and the best in our country,” gushed the young Turk in his post further.

However, Dake isn’t the only NLWC star who has come forward with a helping hand for Bo to secure his spot in the national team for the upcoming U20 World Championships. Mitchell Mesenbrink, another Penn State athlete and the 2023 U20 World Champion, was also seen giving Bassett tips on “hand fighting skills, moving the head & creating angles” in another post.

If they weren’t enough, Bo also shared a picture with another Penn State alum, who has been making ripples across the MMA scene for quite some years now. “This evening I got to scrap with Bo Nickal. He has some amazing little tricks and tactics,” wrote Bo in his post. While the help is undoubtedly appreciated, Bassett himself has an impressive record when it comes to exerting his dominance on the mat, amplifying his chances to do so at the upcoming team trials as well.

An impressive track record

In 2021, Bo registered an impressive 19-8 win over Illinois’ S. Mendoza with a 19-8 at the Who’s Number One Championship. In the same year, he also won the U17 World Championships title in the 55kg weight class, while picking up the Ironman Championship title the following year. At the 2023 Clarion Open, Bassett recorded five straight wins over some formidable opponents to also bag the event title. However, his biggest achievement to date came earlier this year.

The 2024 PIAA Class 2A champion won the final match against Aden Valencia (5-2) to claim the U20 US Open Championships title. However, wrestling isn’t the only thing that Bo excels in. His academic record is also beyond reproach with a 4.0 GPA and he has also received the Humanitarian Award at Forest Hills twice. “I’m preparing the best I can every single time“, noted the star about his motivation to stay on top of his game.

With an already commendable resume at such a young age, what do you think the future holds for Bo? Tell us your predictions about his future in the comments!