Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez beat Iowa’s Kale Peterson 21-3 on senior night Friday at the Covelli Center. Credit: Dominic Ferraro | Lantern Photographer
The lights in the Covelli Center went black.
The PA announcer’s voice boomed as the white-clad home crowd rose to its feet.
“At 141 pounds, senior… Jesse Mendez!”
Mendez emerged from the locker room in a gray singlet and white gear, sprinting toward the center of the floor and high-fiving fans along the way.
He stood tall on the mat and shook Iowa’s Kale Petersen’s hand before the referee blew his whistle to signal the start of the match.
The result of it was a familiar one. Domination.
Mendez capped off his final home bout with a 21-3 tech fall victory against Petersen Friday in No. 2 Ohio State’s 24-9 win over No. 5 Iowa on senior night. It was Mendez’s 97th career win and the closing chapter for a historic run at the Covelli Center.
“It’s a little bit bittersweet, a little sad,” Mendez said. “I’m so grateful I ended up here.”
A four-time Indiana state champion, Mendez arrived in Columbus as one of the nation’s top recruits, drawing offers from programs across the country. He chose Ohio State and made an immediate impact.
Mendez stepped into the Buckeyes’ lineup as a freshman and earned All-America honors, quickly establishing himself as one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the country at 141 pounds.
“He was ready from day one,” head coach Tom Ryan said. “And every year, he’s continued to grow.”
From there, the accolades followed.
Mendez became a three-time All-American, captured a Big Ten championship in 2024 and became the third wrestler in Ohio State history to win back-to-back NCAA national titles when he claimed championships in 2024 and 2025.
That success carried into his senior season.
Mendez entered Friday night unbeaten at 16-0, ranked No. 1 in the country at 141 pounds and No. 2 pound-for-pound.
The sophomore Petersen was no match for Mendez.
The senior scored two takedowns in the opening period to take a 6-1 lead, then added an escape and another takedown in the second. In the third, Mendez closed the bout with a takedown and a four-point near fall, sealing the technical fall and clinching the dual for Ohio State.
While the dominant performance reflected everything Mendez accomplished on the mat as a Buckeye, his focus has always extended beyond individual results.
“I hope people look back and think I left this program in good shape,” Mendez said. “I hope we start a dynasty
