Luke Lilledahl

Luke Joseph Lilledahl (born August 1, 2005) is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes at 57 kilograms and 125 pounds. In freestyle, he was the 2025 U23 World champion, the 2024 U20 World champion and the 2022 U17 World champion.

Competing out of the Pennsylvania State University, Lilledahl was an undefeated NCAA Division I National champion, as well as a Big Ten Conference champion during the 2025–2026 season.

Career

High school

2020–2024

Born and raised in Missouri, Lilledahl went on to attend Christian Brothers College High School in St. Louis, where he became a 2021 MSHSAA state champion as a freshman. After becoming a U17 World medalist, he moved to Wyoming Seminary, where he graduated in 2024. During his time in high school in Pennsylvania, he became a three-time Pennsylvania Independent Schools Wrestling Tournament champion, a two-time National Prep champion, a U17 World champion and a U20 World medalist. He committed to wrestle at Pennsylvania State University in April 2023.

Still in high school, Lilledahl placed third at the 2023 Bill Farrell Memorial International in his senior level debut in November, only falling to three-time NCAA champion Spencer Lee.

A month later, he went on to qualify for the 2024 US Olympic Trials, with a fifth-place finish at the US National Championships in December 2023. In April 2024, Lilledahl went 2–2 at the US Olympic Team Trials.

Pennsylvania State University

2024–2025

After winning the U20 US World Team Trials in June, Lilledahl went on to become the U20 World champion at 57 kilograms in September 2024 before his freshman season at Penn State.

Competing as a true freshman at 125 pounds, Lilledahl claimed the Black Knight Open title and went 13–2 in dual action for the Nittany Lions during regular season. He then claimed the Big Ten Conference title, before securing a third-place finish and All-American status at the NCAA National tournament.

Back to freestyle, Lilledahl claimed the gold medal at the U23 Pan American Championships in April 2025. Weeks later, he became the US National champion at 57 kilograms, claiming four wins over fellow Americans. As the winner of the tournament, Lilledahl qualified for Final X, where he faced returning Olympic finalist Spencer Lee for the US World Team spot in June. He lost two bouts in a row to claim runner-up honors.

Freestyle record

! colspan="7"| Senior Freestyle Matches |- ! Res. ! Record ! Opponent ! Score ! Date ! Event ! Location |- ! style=background:white colspan=7 | |- |Win |23-8 |align=left| Yuta Kikuchi |style="font-size:88%"|4-0 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|October 25-26, 2025 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2025 U23 World Championships |style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Novi Sad, Serbia |- |Win |22-8 |align=left| Aiandai Ondar |style="font-size:88%"|7-1 |- |Win |21-8 |align=left| Milad Valizadeh |style="font-size:88%"|11-5 |- |Win |20-8 |align=left| Liao Honghang |style="font-size:88%"|TF 10-0 |- |Loss |19–8 |align=left| Musa Mekhtikhanov |style="font-size:88%"|5-8 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=1|Jul 21, 2025 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=1|PWL 9 |style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=1| Budapest, Hungary |- ! style=background:white colspan=7 | |- |Win |19–7 |align=left| Islam Bazarganov |style="font-size:88%"|3–1 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|Jul 17-20, 2025 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=3|2025 Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial Tournament |style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=3| Budapest, Hungary |- |Win |18–7 |align=left| Rahul Rahul |style="font-size:88%"|7–6 |- |Win |17–7 |align=left| Niklas Stechele |style="font-size:88%"|4–2 |- ! style=background:white colspan=7 | |- |Loss |16–7 |align=left| Spencer Lee |style="font-size:88%"|0–6 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|June 14, 2025 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=2|2025 Final X |style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=2| Newark, New Jersey |- |Loss |16–6 |align=left| Spencer Lee |style="font-size:88%"|2–7 |- ! style=background:white colspan=7 | |- |Win |16–5 |align=left| Liam Cronin |style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|April 25–26, 2025 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2025 US Open National Championships |style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Las Vegas, Nevada |- |Win |15–5 |align=left| Nico Provo |style="font-size:88%"|10–4 |- |Win |14–5 |align=left| Brendan McCrone |style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0 |- |Win |13–5 |align=left| Shamar Baines |style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0 |- ! style=background:white colspan=7 | |- |Win | |align=left| Treye Trotman |style="font-size:88%"|FF |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|April 12, 2025 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2025 U23 Pan American Championships |style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| Queretaro, Mexico |- |Win |12–5 |align=left| Jose Falcon |style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0 |- |Win |11–5 |align=left| Danaury Rivalta |style="font-size:88%"|TF 11–0 |- |Win |10–5 |align=left| Ricardo Peña |style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0 |- ! style=background:white colspan=7 | |- |Loss |9–5 |align=left| Marcus Blaze |style="font-size:88%"|1–5 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|April 19–20, 2024 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=4|2024 US Olympic Team Trials |style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=4| State College, Pennsylvania |- |Win |9–4 |align=left| Liam Cronin |style="font-size:88%"|2–2 |- |Loss |8–4 |align=left| Zane Richards |style="font-size:88%"|3–5 |- |Win |8–3 |align=left| Daniel DeShazer |style="font-size:88%"|3–2 |- ! style=background:white colspan=7 | |- |Win |7–3 |align=left| Josh Rodriguez |style="font-size:88%"|4–2 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|December 15–17, 2023 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|2023 US National Championships |style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=5| Fort Worth, Texas |- |Loss |6–3 |align=left| Daniel DeShazer |style="font-size:88%"|1–4 |- |Loss |6–2 |align=left| Nico Megaludis |style="font-size:88%"|TF 0–10 |- |Win |6–1 |align=left| Brandon Courtney |style="font-size:88%"|6–2 |- |Win |5–1 |align=left| Terrace Andrews |style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0 |- ! style=background:white colspan=7 | |- |Win |4–1 |align=left| Muhammad Bilal |style="font-size:88%"|5–0 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|November 17–18, 2023 |style="font-size:88%" rowspan=5|2023 Bill Farrell Memorial International |style="text-align:left;font-size:88%;" rowspan=5| New York City, New York |- |Win |3–1 |align=left| Daniel DeShazer |style="font-size:88%"|2–1 |- |Loss |2–1 |align=left| Spencer Lee |style="font-size:88%"|TF 0–11 |- |Win |2–0 |align=left| Killian Delaney |style="font-size:88%"|11–4 |- |Win |1–0 |align=left| Jacob Moran |style="font-size:88%"|TF 10–0 |-

References