The last time we saw Rocco Welsh on the NCAA stage, the then-Ohio State prospect nearly won it all. Unfortunately for Welsh, Carter Starocci was the immovable wall at 174 lbs, destined to make NCAA history. In a dramatic turn, fans didn’t get to see much of the promising wrestler as he officially redshirted. Yet, the buzz picked up again on March 27 when the wrestler entered the transfer portal.

And guess what? It only took Welsh a couple of days to drop some massive news. “In a stunning move, Ohio State’s Rocco Welsh transfers to Penn State,” reported Justin Basch. Now, after committing to the Nittany Lions, the former NCAA Championship runner-up is ready to make another big move. And it’s the reason why he redshirted in the first place.

“I want to wrestle 184 (Lbs) and then all summer I’ll be wrestling probably 174 (Lbs),” announced the wrestler while speaking to Justin Basch in the latest Baschamania episode. Now, you may be wondering: Why the sudden switch? Well, that’s because it wasn’t. Rocco Welsh didn’t wrestle this season because he spent the time getting comfortable at 184 lbs.

“I just decided it was best to redshirt because I wasn’t a full-size 184-pounder yet,” added the NCAA wrestler. However, after testing the waters at that weight in various non-NCAA level tournaments and racking up a 15-0 record, Welsh is fairly confident about his decision. In fact, as the All-American stated, he’d be willing to drop to 174 a “couple of times,” before next season.

Rocco Welsh’s move may prove to be more beneficial to himself and Penn State as a whole. That’s because the Nittany Lions already have top contender and former champion Levi Haines returning for next season at 174. Meanwhile, Welsh’s old rival Carter Starocci has left the 184 lbs title spot empty after graduating as a record-breaking NCAA champion. Yet no matter where he slots in, getting Welsh is another massive win for Penn State.

Rocco Welsh isn’t the only hot prospect slated to wrestle for the Lions

The Nittany Lions have been on a tear lately. While Penn State winning the national title doesn’t surprise anyone anymore, they’ve started racking up huge talents in the post-season. That’s because icons like Carter Starocci have moved on from college wrestling, and Sanderson needs to fill the void. Thankfully, Cael Sanderson’s champion-making program’s allure is something few wrestlers can deny.

And that’s exactly why prospects like Rocco Welsh and 21-year-old Masanosuke Ono committed to Penn State. Yes! That’s 2024 61 kg (134 lbs) World Champion from Japan. The champion had a simple answer when Flo Wrestling asked why he chose the Nittany Lions. “Just because Penn State is the best in the world,” said the Japanese standout.

Ono already made a massive statement after beating Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee at the Flo Wrestling: Night in America tournament. So to say the prodigy training under Cael Sanderson is an exciting prospect would be an understatement. Besides Ono and Welsh, the Lions have recruited a stellar lineup of talents.

Marcus Blaze (Ohio), Nate Desmond (Wyoming), in-state standout Dalton Perry, and more have committed to Penn State. While this is part of a big shakeup at the Nittany Lions camp, Cael Sanderson & Co. are ready for it. “We love it. We just love what we do, and we love the sport… As everything else changes, and maybe it’s hard. But it’s not hard for us,” Sanderson said as per On3. How well do you think Rocco Welsh will fare at Penn State? Let us know in the comments.