If you’re an avid college wrestling fan, this season, you must have heard Mitchell Mesenbrink‘s name multiple times. The sophomore is considered the best collegiate wrestler in the country in the 165-pound weight class. And for good reason. Yes, you guessed it right; he is the favorite for the 2025 Dan Hodge Trophy, equivalent to college football’s Heisman Trophy.

Heading to X, @MatScouts1 shared their thoughts on this year’s award, stating, “Mesenbrink for Heisman.” While this is a college football reference, the fans exactly knew what the account meant. Mesenbrink’s results this season have shown wrestling fans across the country why he deserved to be crowned as the best wrestler of the season.

After redshirting at Cal-Baptist in the 2022-23 season, he transferred to Penn State in 2023. And it didn’t take him long to make a mark on the team.

Do you remember the 2024 Big Ten Championships? That was a mesmerizing performance from Mitchell Mesenbrink. He won against defending champions Wisconsin Badgers‘ Dean Hamiti with a score of 13-11. It was a tough match on the mat, but he overcame all odds to get his hands on those points and helped the Nittany Lions clinch the title.

Similarly, his impact on the team has continued into this season. His latest win came during the dual meet with Ohio State, where he secured the match with a 19-4 technical fall over Brock Herman. With this victory, he has a 16-0 record, and he will also be a big asset to his program in the coming duals.

If Mesenbrink continues on his current trajectory, wrestling enthusiasts expect him to compete in this year’s Big Ten Championships. In fact, he could very well repeat history on the mat. But awards are subjective; they’re something that fandoms love to debate about. “Who deserves it the most?” is a question that fans love to weigh in on. And Mitchell Mesenbrink is no exception, even though he may seem like a lock.

Not all wrestling fans consider Mitchell Mesenbrink worthy of the award

Differences in opinion are good, as they can bring about a healthy discussion in the fandom. With the fans witnessing a highly competitive NCAA wrestling season, the debate on who will grab that Dan Hodge trophy is raging on. Many fans are in fact backing the 22-year-old, “2nd that motion.” Yes, they fully agreed with the social media post.

Other fans also had similar reactions towards Mitchell Mesenbrink getting the trophy: “The best of the best,” said one fan. He has taken the Nittany Lions by storm, and these reactions are really no exaggeration. Another user wrote, “Better than Allar…,” referring to Jake Allar from the University of Minnesota.

Over the years, the Dan Hodge Trophy in wrestling has become synonymous with the Heisman Trophy for college football players. Every time there’s a favorite among the community, and this season, it’s the Penn State wrestler who has been on a roll. However, fan opinions on social media hardly ever all share a common consensus.

Pushing back against the love for Mesenbrink, other fans had their own favorites. One particular fan wrote, “You misspelled McCrone,” showing that in the face of sporting rivalries, there will never be just one correct answer for everyone. Even if the statistics speak for Mitchell Mesenbrink, a question persisted: “Would you prefer Mesinbrink winning the Hodge over Gable for instance if he goes totally undefeated? Mesinbrink is getting bonus on everyone but HWT is undeniably deeper.”  A fair question, but it can only be answered once the results are out.

Just like any other award, the Dan Hodge Trophy will go to one wrestler. Could it be Mitchell Mesenbrink? There’s plenty of time to decide who will actually get their hands on the illustrious award, as the wrestling carries on!