Seven Blue Devils Tabbed to All-ACC Academic Team
DURHAM, N.C. — The ACC announced Wednesday members of the 2025-26 All-ACC Academic Wrestling team with seven Duke grapplers earning honors.
Receiving accolades for Duke were Raymond Adams, Connor Barket, David Hussey, Owen McGrory, Dylan Ross, Riley Rowan and Spencer von Savoye.
Adams and Barket received recognition for the third year in a row, while Hussey earned honors for the second time. McGrory, Ross, Rowan and von Savoye earned accolades for the first time in their careers.
Duke’s seven selections led all teams in the league, while Pitt and Stanford were second with six each. The Blue Devils have featured at least one All-ACC Academic Team selection in each of the last 19 years.
Academic requirements for selection to the All-ACC Academic Team include a 3.0 grade point average for the previous two semesters and 3.0 cumulative average during one’s academic career, while being enrolled at the institution for at least one year and being classified as an undergraduate student. In addition, student-athletes must compete in at least 50 percent of their team’s athletic contests. … more at … https://goduke.com/news/2026/4/22/wrestling-seven-blue-devils-tabbed-to-all-acc-academic-team
N.C. State Set to Compete at U.S. Open in Las Vegas
RALEIGH – Between current members of the Pack and graduated alumni, 11 wrestlers are set to compete across various freestyle divisions and weight classes at the 2026 U.S. Open in Las Vegas, starting Wednesday, April 22.
With the collegiate season all wrapped up, freestyle season is officially upon us and kicking off with the U.S. Open in Las Vegas. The tournament at The Expo at World Market Center will run from Wednesday, April 22 to Sunday, April 26.
The full schedule for the event and streaming options can be found on FloWrestling here.
Nine wrestlers are representatives of the Wolfpack RTC right here in Raleigh, guided by RTC coach Jamil Kelly as well as NC State wrestling staff: Pat Popolizio, Zack Esposito, Hayden Hidlay, and Malik McDonald.
In the U-20 division, the rising freshman class of Brogan Tucker, Will Denny, Jason Kwaak, and Cason Howle will represent the Wolfpack RTC. Denny, coming off an impressive collegiate debut in the Wolfpack’s lineup, placed third at 74 kg at the U.S. Open last year.
The senior division features notable names of the NC State lineup – Koy Buesgens, Matty Singleton, and Patrick Brophy, who are also representing the in-house RTC program in Raleigh. … more at … https://gopack.com/news/2026/4/20/wrestling-wrestlers-set-to-compete-at-us-open-in-las-vegas
New Girls Post-Season Wrestling Rankings Shake Up After Women’s Nationals Results
With post-season performances reshaping the landscape, High School On SI’s latest rankings reveal rising stars, tough calls and why every match—win or loss—matters.
This update contains everything since the high school season ended up through the Women’s Nationals. That took us well over a week to go over and led to new candidates emerging and farther research, which led to other shifting in the weight classes.
No Formulas, No Bias—Just Results on the Mat
A few things we want to point out are next. They are procedural and address our approach to the rankings. There is no formula. We don’t have any numerical system. Our rankings are 100% based off the results on the mats. We keep detailed sheets for every wrestler and use ALL matches, not just one result.
Why Losses Matter More Than You Think
You can’t cherry pick and your losses count too. If you have four to five “bad” or losses to unranked girls, one or two, heck sometimes three wins can’t negate those. You will certainly move up but might be behind someone you have a win over because you have losses that outweigh that one win.
Recency Rules: The Weight of Fresh Results
We typically honor the most recent wins over older results. The old results are still there but their importance fades over time as new date takes precedence. Sometimes the only meeting between two wrestlers is an old one, and we will use it. Why not? It’s a data point to be used in the analysis process.
95-Pound Division Still Taking Shape
The 95-pound weight class is growing (up to 17 now). We will not speculate to fill the slots. Eventually, the results on the mat will give us the other candidates. Girls who have been 95 pounds in the past may have grown out of the weight, so we are taking a wait and see approach.
Who’s Eligible—and Who Has to Wait
The last big thing to point out is we are “High School On SI”, so therefore, only high school wrestlers will appear in our rankings unless you reside in a state that allows middle school grapplers to compete with the high school squad. … more at … https://www.si.com/high-school/wrestling/new-girls-post-season-wrestling-rankings-shake-up-after-women-s-nationals-results-01kpv3x5xhca
Chadron State Men’s Wrestling Earns 10 NWCA Scholar All-Americans
CHADRON, Neb. — Chadron State men’s wrestling earned 10 Scholar All-American awards, a program-record, from the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) on Thursday.
The 10 Eagles receiving this honor include Drew Janke, Skyler Geier-Dodson, Aidan Callahan, Wyatt McDermott, Brandon Paredes, Zane Cullers, Keegan Gehlhausen, Mason Villwok, Eli Reese and Dominic Joyce.
This is the fourth consecutive season Paredes has received this honor. Paredes, Villwok and Geier-Dodson were all mentioned in the RMAC Men’s Wrestling All-Academic Honor Roll, released earlier this week. Paredes and Villwok were on the first team, while Geier Dodson made the honor roll.
Chadron State men’s wrestling has progressed academically in recent years, setting new NWCA Scholar honor records in the past two years. The Eagles have gone from six NWCA Scholar All-American awards in 2023-24, to nine awards in 2024-2025 and now to the 10 awards in this past season.
A total of 440 student-athletes, representing 64 of the 71 Division II institutions, were honored for their success in the classroom while competing throughout the season. Leading the nation with 19 honorees was Nebraska-Kearney, followed by McKendree and Colorado Mesa with 15 selections each. … more at … https://chadroneagles.com/news/2026/4/3/mens-wrestling-earns-10-nwca-scholar-all-americans.aspx
Penn State Wrestling Is Having a Remarkable Offseason So Far
After winning their fifth straight NCAA title, the Nittany Lions and Cael Sanderson are maintaining their strong roster.
After winning its fifth straight NCAA wrestling title, Penn State is winning the offseason as well. At least so far.
The NCAA Transfer Portal for wrestling opened April 1, and through the first 10 days, no Nittany Lions have entered. Which is remarkable, considering the program returns enough talent that it could be even better next season. Penn State loses just one starter, returns three undefeated national champions and brings back eight wrestlers who have won All-America honors.
Basically, Penn State’s 10-wrestler starting lineup has one opening, yet no Nittany Lions officially have announced decisions to leave yet. That makes Penn State an outlier in the portal, which closes April 30.
Flowrestling has built an exhaustive transfer tracker listing the dozens of college wrestlers who have entered the portal. Yet none are from Penn State. In fact, Penn State is the only team ranked in InterMat Wrestling’s top 15 without a portal entrant.
“We’re a blessed program. We follow the rules,” Penn State coach Cael Sanderson said at the NCAA Championships in Cleveland. “There’s not a lot of that going on right now. And that’s one of the reasons we can sleep when the wind blows. We train hard and do the right things to the best of our ability and things will work out.”
“We’re a blessed program. We follow the rules. There’s not a lot of that going on right now, and that’s one of the reasons we can sleep when the wind blows.”
Penn State’s Cael Sanderson after winning his 13th NCAA Wrestling title. pic.twitter.com/LRet5BGyYB— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) March 22, 2026
Penn State broke the scoring record at the NCAA Wrestling Championships for the third consecutive season, finishing with 181.5 team points. Luke Lilledahl (125 pounds), … more at … https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/wrestling/penn-state-wrestling-is-having-a-remarkable-offseason-so-far
Endene Transfers to Little Rock
One of the prominent names in the transfer portal announced his next move this afternoon, as Massoma Endene announced that he’ll transfer to Little Rock.
Endene was a three-time DIII national champion for Wartburg and transferred to Iowa during the 2025 offseason. He quickly established himself as a high All-American candidate, at the DI level, after an undefeated showing at the National Duals Invitational. Endene’s victory over the eventual national runner-up, Cody Merrill, clinched Iowa’s win over Oklahoma State. Less than a week later, Endene knocked off returning All-American Mac Stout of Pittsburgh.
Endene’s final match in a Hawkeye singlet came in late-November in the CyHawk dual against four-time All-American Rocky Elam. Somewhere around that time, Endene suffered an injury and was no longer a member of the team in mid-January. He finished 2025-26 with a 6-1 record.
Now, Endene will use his final year of eligibility competing at heavyweight for Little Rock. He and three-time All-American Stephen Little will make for an imposing 1-2 punch at the end of the Trojan lineup. … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/pac-12/endene-transfers-to-little-rock-r100951/
Team USA Qualifying Schedule: The Meets To Know In 2026
Here’s the 2026 Team USA wrestling qualifying schedule, including the U.S. Open, Senior World Team Trials and Final X.
he road to Team USA looks a little different depending on the style, but for senior-level world team qualification in 2026, three events matter most for freestyle fans: the U.S. Open, the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, and Final X. All three are broadcast on FloWrestling.
- More Information On The US Open Wrestling Championships 2026
- Domestic Men’s Freestyle Rankings
- 2026 US Open Senior Level Wrestling Entries
Each event plays a different role in the process, from setting the field to deciding who earns a spot on the U.S. Senior World Team. For men’s and women’s freestyle wrestlers, these events make up the key stops on the road to Team USA.
*For Greco-Roman, the process is different, with the world team determined in Las Vegas rather than at Final X.
Here’s what to know about the meets that will decide Team USA in 2026.
Team USA Qualifying Schedule 2026
- April 21-26, 2026 – U.S. Open Championships
- May 14-15, 2026 – Senior World Team Trials
- June 19, 2026 – Final X
U.S. Open Championships
April 21-26, 2026 – Las Vegas, Nevada
The U.S. Open is the first major stop in the senior world team process. In men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle, champions at each weight advance directly to Final X, making it one of the most important events on the domestic calendar.
U.S. Open champions who earn Final X berths are not entered into the Senior World Team Trials.
Senior World Team Trials
May 14-15, 2026 – Louisville, Kentucky
The next stop for senior freestyle wrestlers is the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. This event is the final qualifying step into Final X for men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle athletes who did not win the U.S. Open.
The Challenge Tournament winner advances to Final X in weights where there is no returning 2025 World medalist already sitting in that Final X spot, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/15787159-team-usa-qualifying-schedule-the-meets-to-know-in-2026
Wyoming Wrestling Headed Back to National Duals Invitational
LARAMIE, Wyoming (4/14/26) – The University of Wyoming wrestling team needed to win the National Duals Invitational lottery back in 2025. This time around, that wasn’t the case. The Cowboys automatically qualified for the 2026 edition of the tournament by way of a 12th place finish at the NCAA Championships.
The 2026 National Duals Invitational will once again take place inside the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It’ll run from Dec. 12-13.
All participating teams will once again earn $20,000. More prize money is at stake for the first-place team, as $250,000 is on the line. Again, like last year, the top eight teams will gain an additional payout. … at … https://gowyo.com/news/2026/4/14/wrestling-headed-back-to-national-duals-invitational.aspx
Minnesota Headed Back to National Duals Invitational
MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota wrestling team has confirmed its participation in the second annual National Duals Invitational, scheduled for December 12-13 at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla.
The 16-team event will feature a total purse of more than $1.2 million. The top eight teams will all earn payouts, with the winning squad walking away with $250,000. The second- and third-place teams will earn $175,000, while fourth and fifth place are both set to win $100,000. Sixth through eighth place payouts will be: $40,000, $25,000 and $20,000, respectively. All participating teams will receive $20,000 for attending and have the opportunity to compete for $50,000 in takedown bonuses, as well. Automatic entry was awarded to the top 10 teams in the final 2026 NCAA Division I standings, at which Minnesota finished ninth. The remaining spots will be filled by teams drawn from those finishing 11th through 20th in the NCAA rankings. At press time, … more at … https://gophersports.com/news/2026/4/15/wrestling-headed-back-to-national-duals-invitational
And …. The following teams are also committed to the Invitational … Oklahoma State, Missouri, Ohio State, N.C. State, Virginia Tech., Iowa State and Pittsburgh. There ar 7 openings at this time. … at … https://nationaldualsinvitational.com/#teams
April 2026: Transfer Portal Updates (4/14/2026)
The transfer portal has only been open for 14 days, but there has been plenty of activity during the last two weeks. For the most part, wrestlers have needed some time to take visits, so there was a bit of a lag in between wrestlers entering the portal and the announcement of transfer decisions. This weekend, those decisions started to roll in and it will probably be that way for the next few weeks.
Here’s where we stand right now. The first section consists of wrestlers who have announced their transfer locations. The second features notable names in the portal.
Transfers
Brendan McCrone (North Carolina) – 125 lbs: From Ohio State
Ryan Crookham (Iowa) – 133 lbs: From Lehigh
Carter Schmidt (Northern Colorado) – 133 lbs: From Oklahoma
Zan Fugitt (Missouri) – 141 lbs: From Wisconsin
Kade Brown (Ohio State) – 149 lbs: From Pittsburgh
Carson DesRosier (Binghamton) – 149 lbs: From The Citadel
Jayden Scott (Lehigh) – 149 lbs: From North Carolina
Kai Owen (Indiana) – 157 lbs: From Columbia
Kyrell Leavell (Little Rock) – 157 lbs: From The Citadel
RJ Weston (Life) – 157 lbs: From Northern Iowa …. more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/april-2026-transfer-portal-updates-4142026-r100950/
Davidson Names Bassett Assistant Wrestling Coach
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson head wrestling coach Nate Carr, Jr. announced on Thursday that Avery Bassett has been named an assistant coach.
“I’m excited to add Avery Bassett to our coaching staff,” said Carr, who led the Wildcats to their most conference wins and best finish in school history this past season. “He is a high-character individual with elite-level wrestling experience that will add value to the further development of our team. His work ethic and dedication to academics during his college career make him a tremendous addition to our program.”
A 2025 graduate of Lock Haven University, Bassett was a two-time (2025, 2026) NCAA Division I National Qualifier, four-time NWCA Scholar All-American and two-time MAC All-Academic selection for the Bald Eagles.
“I’m thankful and excited for the opportunity to join the Davidson wrestling staff and transition from competing as a wrestler to coaching,” Bassett commented. “Wrestling has given me a lot, and I don’t take lightly the responsibility that comes with leading others in the sport. I look forward to making an impact on the athletes at Davidson both on and off the mat.”
Bassett, who competed at 165 pounds as a senior, finished his career with 104 wins, … more at … https://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2026/4/9/davidson-names-bassett-assistant-wrestling-coach
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
Takedown Report 