How did the Super 32 field compare to Fargo this year?
Editor’s Note: This article appeared in WIN’s Volume 32 Issue 2, which printed on Oct. 31, 2025. Click here or call 641-792-4436 to subscribe to WIN Magazine. Buy a Digital or Combo Subscription to get immediate digital access to WIN’s Volume 32 Issue 2.
By Rob Sherrill
The Super 32 is an event that the nation’s top prep wrestlers look forward to every October. As the nation’s biggest single-field high school event, the Super 32 has drawn many comparisons to USA Wrestling’s giant 16U and Junior Nationals, which take place at the iconic Fargodome in July.
The styles are obviously different, with Fargo treating us to freestyle and Greco, the Super 32 to folkstyle. The ever-increasing popularity of the Super 32 also invites the real comparison that inquiring minds want to know about: Which one is tougher?
I decided to take a look. Using the individual rankings I compile for WIN as a guide, I compared the number of ranked wrestlers who competed at Fargo to the number of ranked wrestlers who competed in the Super 32. Granted, we’re comparing up to four Fargo tournaments to one Super 32. Still, the results were surprising, and they are a testament to the job that USA Wrestling has done selling its age-group development programs.
In 2025, the wrestler I had ranked No. 1 competed at Fargo, either in the 16U or in the Junior Nationals, in 11 of the 14 weight classes (I combined all weight classes 106 and below into a single weight class for this assessment, since the lowest weight class I rank is 106). The 165-pound class was led by the wrestler I had ranked No. 2, and 106 and 138 were headed by the wrestler I had ranked No. 3. But 11 out of 14? That’s a staggering number of top-ranked wrestlers in a single event.
By contrast, the Super 32 that just concluded contained only four wrestlers now ranked No. 1 – Ariah Mills (106) and Antonio Mills (126) of Georgia, Moses Mendoza (132) of California and Bo Bassett (150) of Pennsylvania. All four won their weight classes relatively easily — three months after Antonio Mills, Mendoza and Bassett won Junior National freestyle titles at Fargo, and Ariah Mills one-upped them with a U17 World freestyle gold medal. … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/11/05/how-did-the-super-32-field-compare-to-fargo-this-year/
Men’s College Notebook: Five Teams Looking To Rise Up This Season
Not only are these teams looking to make a push into the top 10 this upcoming year, but they could also vie for a team trophy by placing in the top four.
Here are five programs that finished outside the top 10 at the 2025 NCAA Championships but will now look to leap in the team standings come March in Cleveland.
Iowa State
2025 NCAA finish: 27th place
Last top 10 NCAA finish: 2024 (4th place)
FloWrestling 2026 projected NCAA finish: 4th place
Two years ago, the Cyclones nabbed a team trophy by placing fourth at the 2024 NCAA Championships, but last year Iowa State suffered from lineup woes and underperformance at the NCAAs, dropping all the way down to 27th. If preseason indications hold, it will be a very different story in 2026.
At the lower weights all five of the projected starters in the first half of the lineup are all former All-Americans and start the season in the preseason top 10 in their respective weight classes: 2025 All-American, and a transfer from Northern Colorado, Stevo Poulin (#7 at 125 pounds), 2024 All-American Evan Frost (#9 at 133 pounds), 2024 All-American Anthony Echemendia (#7 at 141 pounds), 2025 All-American Jacob Frost (#6 at 149 pounds), and 2025 All-American, and another Northern Colorado transfer, Vinny Zerban (#6 at 157 pounds).
The upper weights will look very different this season and should be one of the best one-two-three punches in the nation. After being sidelined last year, Yonger Bastida returns at heavyweight and is an immediate national title contender. Four-time All-American Rocky Elam was brought in from Missouri to man 197 pounds, and 2025 MAC champion Isaac Dean comes from Rider and will go at 184 pounds. All three are in their final seasons.
Lehigh
2025 NCAA finish: 15th place
Last top 10 NCAA finish: 2012 (8th place)
FloWrestling 2026 projected NCAA finish: 7th place
Lehigh has finished 15th in back-to-back trips to the NCAA Championships and has nine top 20 finishes overall dating back to 2014. This season, expectations are high for the Mountain Hawks, as their lineup features multiple national title contenders and four wrestlers who were not in the lineup last year, all ranked in the top 10 in the preseason rankings.
Lehigh will look to dominate duals with three ranked wrestlers who all start the season in the top 5 in the lower weights. As the eighth seed last year at NCAAs at 125 pounds, Sheldon Seymour knocked off top-seeded Luke Lilledahl of Penn State and advanced to the semifinals before placing sixth. Ryan Crookham returns from injury and will look to improve upon his third-place finish in 2024. Last year, he was undefeated and ranked #1 at 133 pounds before suffering a season-ending injury after the fall semester. Luke Stanich deferred eligibility last year to move up from 125 to 141 for this year. He placed fifth in 2024 in his first trip to NCAAs.
There are also a pair of top-10 wrestlers in the back half of the lineup. Max Brignola (#7 at 165 pounds) also deferred eligibility last year. He is a two-time NCAA qualifier and went 15-0 last year, winning six tournament titles. Nathan Taylor (#8 at heavyweight) also lost during the season due to an injury last year. Also a two-time NCAA Qualifier, he won the 2024 EIWA title at heavyweight before falling one win shy of All-American honors.
Oklahoma
2025 NCAA finish: 38th place
Last top 10 NCAA finish: 2014 (10th place) … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/october/27/men-s-college-notebook-five-teams-looking-to-rise-up-this-season
3 takeaways and key notable moments from the 2025 NWCA All-Star Classic
The NWCA All-Star Classic offers some early season fireworks for wrestling fans, exhibition-style. Six former NCAA and NCWWC champs took the mat as part of the event in New Jersey, with five of those former title winners securing victories to kick off their season while a number of other All-Americans and high-profile stars showcased their potential for greatness this season.
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Here’s what you need to know about the results and what they could mean for the early part of the season.
Ryder impresses in Oklahoma State exhibition debut
Of all of the NWCA All-Star winners, only one — Zack Ryder of Oklahoma State — has never been on the podium. Ryder, a freshman transfer from Penn State, made headlines this summer when he moved to Stillwater to train with David Taylor following Rocco Welsh’s transfer to Penn State from Ohio State. The move has paid off for Ryder.
In his first college exhibition match with the Cowboys, Ryder majored Maryland senior All-American Jaxon Smith 14-4, leaving no doubt that Ryder is not only at the level he needs to be at but could potentially compete for a title as a rookie. Ryder was all offense from the starting whistle too, and his confidence and aggressiveness will serve him well in his deep weight class. … more at … https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling-men/article/2025-11-02/3-takeaways-and-key-notable-moments-2025-nwca-all-star-classic
Isaac Trumble Ready For Last Run At NC State After Life-Changing Year
After knee surgery and marriage, expecting father and All-American heavyweight Isaac Trumble is ready for a big year with the NC State wrestling program.
The past year for NC State’s Isaac Trumble has been life-changing, to say the least.
He started his first two seasons for the Wolfpack at 197 pounds before taking a redshirt as he made the move up to heavyweight.
The end result was good for Trumble in his first season at 285 pounds — a fourth-place finish at the 2025 NCAA Championships, netting him All-American honors for the first time in his career. But a late-season setback pushed Trumble to the limit during his postseason run. “I was feeling good all season long — really good,” Trumble said. “Then, against Virginia Tech in that final dual, I tore (my knee). I tore my meniscus and MCL and I had no option but to get surgery before the ACC Championship.”
Despite the injury he suffered during the match, Trumble finished it out for a 5-3 win over #13 Jimmy Mullin. He went into the ACCs as the top seed at heavyweight, one of only six ACC wrestlers to go a perfect 6-0 in conference duals during the season.
But fans were quick to notice the huge brace Trumble had on his knee when he came out for his first bout of the day. His mobility was severely limited, and he dropped that quarterfinal bout. “I had my first surgery and tried wrestling seven days after (at ACCs) and it didn’t go anywhere as planned,” Trumble said. “So, I forfeited out (after the loss), which was hard. My first year being here and us not winning the ACC team title.”
There was a longer break before the NCAA Championships, but how good would the knee be going into the hardest tournament of the year? Trumble drew the seventh seed at the national tournament. He soon found out the answer of how long his knee would hold up.
His first two bouts went fine, seeing ACC foes for the second time this year. It was an opening 18-2 tech fall over Stanford’s Peter Ming before a 5-2 revenge win over Pitt’s Dayton Pitzer, who scored a win over Trumble at the ACCs en route to winning the ACC title. The quarterfinals were a different story on Day 2 of the NCAAs. Not only was it his third bout, but he was also facing the eventual national champion, Wyatt Hendrickson of Oklahoma State. “I tore a bunch of things again against Hendrickson,” … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14715602-isaac-trumble-ready-for-last-run-at-nc-state-after-life-changing-year
NCAA D1 Wrestling Live One Flo: Week 2, November 8-9
All the NCAA D1 wrestling you can watch on FloWrestling in the second week of the 2025-26 season!
We got the NCAA D1 college wrestling ball rolling now, and it won’t stop until we get to March!
We’re still in the very early stages of the 2025-26 season, and as such, tournaments dominate the calendar. You won’t find any dual meets on FloWrestlign this week, but you will find four very excellent tournaments! And then a lot of dual meets in subsequent weeks!
Here’s what’s on tap for week 2 of the 2025-26 NCAA D1 wrestling season that you can watch LIVE on Flo!
November 8
Journeymen Wranglemania
Nov 8, 9:30 AM EST
2025 Journeymen’s Wranglemania
Journeymen Wrestling is bringing wrestling to the Lehigh Valley! More wrestling than there usually is in the Lehigh Valley anyway, which is actually a lot. But now there’s even more! Lehigh, Rutgers, App State, Lock Haven, Duke, Indiana, Navy, Virginia, Hofstra, and LIU will all be at Liberty High School in Bethlehem for a series of duals! Three mats and three sessions will be popping off for a total of nine dual meets. Not a bad deal!
Tune in at 11:30 am, 1:30 p,m and 3:30 pm and watch every dual. And you can do it on one screen if you’re watching on your laptop or desktop’s web browser. So you really have no excuse not to.
Michigan State Open
Nov 8, 9:30 AM EST
2025 Michigan State Open
The Spartans host a ten-team wrestling tournament in the middle of the Mitten State! Edinboro, Kent State, Ohio State, Northwestern, Arizona State, Indiana, Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, and Davidson will all be in East Lansing. You don’t have to be in East Lansing to watch, though. You can literally be anywhere in the world with an internet connection and a Flo subscription. Amazing what you can do with technology these days.
November 9
Journeymen Collegiate Classic
2025 Journeymen Collegiate Classic
Everyone’s favorite college wrestling round-robin is back in Bethlehem! Journeymen Wrestling is bringing together wrestlers from 21 D1 programs to Freedom High School, smack dab in the middle of the Lehigh Valley.
Which schools specifically will have participants? I will list them for you: F&M, Lock Haven, Lehigh, Indiana, Penn, Navy, App State, Virginia, Maryland, Northern Iowa, Rutgers, Army, Columbia, Binghamton, Duke, LIU, Bloomsburg, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14716828-ncaa-d1-wrestling-live-one-flo-week-2-november-8-9
Men’s College Notebook: One Storyline In Each Weight Class
We look at one major storyline from each of the 10 weight classes.
125 – Top Talent From 2025 To Run It Back In 2026
Not only does this weight class return the reigning national champion, but six of the eight All-Americans, including all four semifinalists, are all returning to this same weight class. You can go even further; all four wrestlers that lost in the Blood Round are also back, meaning 10 of the top 12 finishers in 2025 at 125 pounds will compete for the 2026 national title.
NC State’s Vince Robinson is trying to become the first back-to-back national champion at 125 pounds since Iowa’s Spencer Lee won three straight from 2018-21 (2020 was canceled due to COVID). He will be challenged by returning national finalist Troy Spratley of Oklahoma State, 2025 U23 World champion Luke Lilledahl of Penn State, who was the #1 seed at NCAAs last year, and Virginia Tech’s two-time All-American Eddie Ventresca, who beat Robinson twice last year.
133 – Crookham Returns From Injury
Coming off a third-place finish in 2024 in his first full season, Lehigh’s Ryan Crookham was off to a 5-0 start as was ranked #1 nationally before he suffered a season-ending injury last year. He is now back for the Mountain Hawks and is one of five projected Lehigh starters to start the season ranked in the top 10.
Illinois’ Lucas Byrd was one of only three #1 seeds … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/october/31/men-s-college-notebook-one-storyline-in-each-weight-class
Top Big Ten Wrestling Matchups of the 2025-26 Season
The best in wrestling is back. These are the don’t-miss duals and individual matches every fan should have on their calendar
The road to the NCAA Wrestling Championships runs through the Big Ten, and this season is no exception. With 12 teams ranked in the preseason top 30, including four of the top five, the conference is absolutely stacked. A Big Ten school has won every NCAA team title since 2007, a testament to the league’s incredible depth and talent.
The conference is dominated by the juggernaut that is Penn State. Riding a 71-match dual meet win streak and having won four straight NCAA titles under legendary coach Cael Sanderson, the Nittany Lions are the team to beat. However, teams like Nebraska, Iowa, and Ohio State are loaded with talent and ready to challenge for the top spot. Nebraska, the runner-up at both the NCAA and Big Ten Championships last season, is hungry for more. Iowa, a perennial powerhouse, and Ohio State both finished in the top five at the NCAA Championships and are bringing back star-studded lineups.
This season’s conference slate is filled with can’t-miss duals that will have major implications for both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. We’re breaking down the seven marquee matchups, individual bouts, and non-conference battles that you need to circle on your calendar. You can see the whole wrestling schedule here . All times are Eastern. … more at … https://bigten.org/article/58785/
Runnin’ Bulldogs Open 2025 With Two Wins at Rutgers Quad Meet
PISCATAWAY, NJ – The Gardner-Webb wrestling team opened its 2025 season on Sunday afternoon at the Rutgers Quad Meet, scoring two wins in three duals against Centenary, Bloomsburg and Rutgers
Despite falling to Big Ten Rutgers in the second session, the Runnin’ Bulldogs scored victories over Bloomsburg and Centenary to end a successful first day on the mats. Redshirt sophomore and defending SoCon Champion T.K. Davis started his 2025 season with a bang in 133, defeating Gavin Mundy of Bloomsburg by fall in session one, then scoring a victory over Patrick Adams of Rutgers by tech fall, giving Davis a 2-0 day individually. At 141, Graduate student Dominic DiTullio was also among the individuals to post a strong afternoon for Gardner-Webb, with the Mason, Ohio native going 2-1, defeating Tristan Corbin of Bloomsburg by 8-2 decision and Daniel Haws of Centenary by fall in the final dual of the day
Freshman Nathan McCartney also preformed well in his first collegiate action, with a win over Reece Smith of Centenary by major decision 11-2 in the final match at 174. For the Runnin’ Bulldogs, as did freshman Isaiah Guerrero, who at 184 pounds and by fall, scored a victory over Luke McGovern of Centenary to wrap up the day’s action
Throwdown on The Yorktown is next for Gardner-Webb, with the Runnin’ Bulldogs returning to Charleston and the deck of the USS Yorktown to take on Maryland and Air Force on November 15th
GARDNER-WEBB 18, BLOOMSBURG 16
125: Jace Schafer (BU) over Tyson Lane (GW) by dec., 5-3; BU leads, 3-0
133: T.K. Davis (GW) over Gavin Mundy (BU) by fall (3:30); GW leads, 6-3
141: Dominic DiTullio (GW) over Tristan Corbin (BU) by dec., 8-2; GW leads, 9-3 … more at … https://gwusports.com/news/2025/11/2/wrestling-runnin-bulldogs-open-2025-with-two-wins-at-rutgers-quad-meet.aspx
Taina Fernandez Makes Super 32 History – And a Late Comeback You’ll Want to See
Archbishop Spalding junior Taina Fernandez became the first four-time Super 32 girls champion in Greensboro, dominating the 138-pound field; World champ Morgan Turner and World Silver Medalist Epenesa Elison added belts, while a trio of major upsets shook the podium.
Billy Buckheit | Oct 21, 2025
On Sunday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center in North Carolina the stage was set for two athletes to become four-time Super 32 Champions, one in the Girls’ Division, Maryland’s Taina Fernandez, and one in the boys, Pennsylvania’s Bo Bassett (Bishop McCort). Both accomplished their mission.
The girls competed using Freestyle rules, which meant ten-point techs and two, two-minute periods. … more at … https://www.si.com/high-school/wrestling/taina-fernandez-makes-super-32-mistory-and-a-late-comeback-you-ll-want-to-see-01k83n14vyxe
National Duals Invitational partners with FloSports and ESPN to deliver every match live
Groundbreaking $1 million event to stream all 28 duals, with the championship final airing on ESPNU at 6 p.m. CST Nov. 16.
The National Duals Invitational, a groundbreaking $1 million collegiate wrestling event sponsored by Paycom, has announced broadcast partnerships with FloSports and ESPN. All 28 duals will be carried live, giving fans nationwide access to every moment of the high-stakes tournament.
FloWrestling will stream 27 duals live from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Nov. 15-16, 2025, complemented by coverage leading up to the tournament — including a special bracket-selection show, previews and team features. The championship final will air live on ESPNU at 6 p.m. CST on Sunday, Nov. 16, as the top two teams collide for the $200,000 grand prize.
To support the event, FloWrestling will host a bracket reveal show at 6 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, Oct. 7. The show will stream on FloWrestling and the FloWrestling YouTube, Facebook and X channels. “The National Duals Invitational is about growing the sport and giving it the stage it deserves,” said Matt Surber, tournament director. “By showcasing the excitement of the duals format and pairing it with unprecedented stakes, we’re creating a can’t-miss experience for wrestlers and fans. Partnering with FloWrestling and ESPN ensures that this event reaches the widest possible audience.”
The 16-team field reflects both tradition and depth in college wrestling. Cornell, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, NC State, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech earned automatic bids by finishing in the top 12 at the 2025 NCAA Championships. They will be joined by Arizona State, Lehigh, Little Rock, Missouri and Wyoming, who were randomly selected from programs finishing between 13-24. Together, the teams have more than 60 NCAA team titles and 450 individual national champions. “This is a massive moment for college wrestling and the passionate fans who have been hungry for a best-on-best dual championship event,” said FloSports CEO and co-founder Mark Floreani. … more at … https://nationaldualsinvitational.com/national-duals-invitational-partners-with-flosports-and-espn
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 