Life Emerges as New No. 1 in NAIA Men’s Wrestling Rankings
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Life (Ga.) took over the throne as the No. 1 team in the NAIA Men’s Wrestling rankings on Jan. 29 behind 261 points. The Running Eagles had 12 individual wrestlers appear in the rankings, with three ranked at No. 2, two ranked at No. 3, and seven individuals within the top five.
Within the team rankings, Life (Ga.) and Grand View (Iowa) flipped in the one and two spots from the last ranking, while the remainder of the top five teams stayed the same, with Southeastern (Fla.) at No. 3 with 221 points, Indiana Tech at No. 4 with 180 points, and Oklahoma City at No. 5 with 170 points.
Cumberlands (Ky.) moved into a stronger position within the top 10, climbing from No. 9 to No. 7 with 141 points. Missouri Valley posted the largest jump among teams in the top-10 discussion, moving up three spots from No. 13 to No. 10 with 131 points. … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2026/1/29/national-wrestling-coaches-association-life-emerges-as-new-no-1-in-naia-mens-wrestling-rankings.aspx
Open Casting Call for Wrestlers
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Calling all wrestlers. A major feature film based on the true story of American wrestling icon Dan Gable is now casting, and you could be part of it. The production is seeking male and female wrestlers ages 18–29 who are athletic, in good physical shape, and have wrestling or MMA experience. No acting experience is required. If you’ve ever dreamed of telling the story of wrestling on the big screen, this is your moment. How to audition Submit a video audition using the official casting link (videos will only be viewed through the provided link). Deadline All submissions must be received by Friday, February 13, 2026. This production is committed to inclusive and equitable casting and encourages all qualified performers to apply. |
| AUDITION INFO |
NCHSAA finalizes 2026 dual team boys wrestling playoff brackets
It is the first time that the association has released playoff brackets for seven classifications in wrestling. The 1A and 2A classifications will be combined into one playoff bracket.
On Friday, the N.C. High School Athletic Association released the finalized brackets for the 2026 dual team boys wrestling playoffs.
It is the first time that the association has released playoff brackets for eight classifications in wrestling. The 1A and 2A classifications will be combined into one playoff bracket. The 3A through 8A classifications will have their own brackets. The 8A and 1A brackets will feature 16 schools, while the 2A through 7A brackets will feature 32 schools.
Correction: This story originally incorrectly stated that there would be seven brackets with 1A and 2A combined. That was not correct. 1A and 2A are being combined for individual wrestling, not the dual team playoffs.
The brackets are seeded with RankWrestler rankings. First, the NCHSAA takes the qualifying teams. Then, they will order them by longitude from east to west and split the regions at the midpoint. After that, each region is sorted into seeds based on its ranking.
The final RankWrestler rankings were released at 10:00 a.m and the preliminary brackets followed at 11:30 a.m. Schools had an opportunity to submit and inquries or errors about the brackets before they were finalized.
In this new frontier, we won’t know where the East-West line will be placed to separate the two regions if there is an odd number of teams. The coach representative on hand will conduct a random drawing to decide which side the middle team will go on. … more at … https://www.highschoolot.com/story/2026-nchsaa-wrestling-dual-team-playoff-brackets/22311326/
Mercyhurst Adds Women’s Wrestling to Division I Profile
TDR Editor’s Note; WRESTLING CONTINUES TO GROW! In the 2025-2026 season we saw over a dozen new and restarted Men’s College & University teams and 40 new Women’s teams. So far it has been announced we will have 9 new or restarted Men’s College & University teams and over 25 Women’s teams will be started. We hope that these numbers will increase especially on the Division level. The growth in college teams on a national level will inspire an increase of participation of the sport in all younger age group levels.
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ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst University is excited to announce the addition of women’s wrestling as a Lakers varsity sport, beginning in the 2026–27 academic year. “Wrestling has deep roots and tremendous popularity in our region, and the growth of women’s wrestling nationally has been incredible to watch,” said Director of Athletics, Joe Spano. “With Mercyhurst’s move to Division I and the NCAA elevating women’s wrestling to full championship status, this is the right opportunity at the right time. Adding women’s wrestling creates another meaningful pathway for young women to compete at the NCAA Division I level.”
The Lakers will compete as a Division I program, making women’s wrestling Mercyhurst’s 31st varsity sport.
Mercyhurst becomes the eighth Division I institution to add women’s wrestling, joining Iowa, Lehigh, Lindenwood, Presbyterian, Sacred Heart, Delaware State, and Kent State.
Mercyhurst will be just the second Division I women’s wrestling program in Pennsylvania, joining Lehigh, which announced the addition of the sport in May 2025. “This is an exciting and historic step for Mercyhurst University,” said Laura Zirkle, Mercyhurst Vice President for Student Life. “Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation and adding it as a Division I program aligns with our mission to expand opportunities for women while competing at the highest level. Mercyhurst has a long tradition of athletic excellence, and women’s wrestling will be a powerful addition to that legacy.”
The establishment of the women’s wrestling program aligns with the sport’s rising prominence nationally. In January 2025, the NCAA officially added women’s wrestling as its 91st championship sport, elevating it from Emerging Sport status to full championship status and paving the way for its first national championship in 2026. A national search for the program’s inaugural head coach has begun. Interested applicants … More at … https://hurstathletics.com/news/2026/1/28/mercyhurst-adds-womens-wrestling-to-division-i-profile.aspx?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
NC State Putting ACC Home Streak On Line In Showdown With Virginia Tech
North Carolina State hasn’t lost a home ACC dual since 2019, but the Wolfpack will have to avenge a November loss to preserve that streak.
The road to an ACC team title has gone through either Raleigh or Blacksburg for more than a decade now. This year appears no different, as #8 NC State hosts #7 Virginia Tech Friday night in one of the marquee NCAA duals of the year.
You’ll need to go back to 2014 to find the last time neither NC State nor Virginia Tech had the best regular season record and were handed the ACC dual championship. In the postseason, either NC State (with seven titles) or Virginia Tech (with three) have won the last 10 ACC Championships dating back to 2015.
“This rivalry is good for our sport,” NC State head coach Pat Popolizio said. “It elevated everyone’s game, and it makes you better in the long run. When you have two really good teams matching up, that is what’s fun about dual meets. It’s 10 versus 10. “Their fan base travels extremely well, so our fans are going to have to show up early and then make sure to make it’s a great atmosphere for Friday night wrestling.”
This will be the second meeting of the year for the two programs, as they faced off in a non-conference dual back in November at the National Duals Invitational. The Hokies easily won that day, 25-9, winning seven of the 10 bouts. As it appears, there will be six rematches from that dual (125, 141, 149, 165, 174, 184). “It’s pretty simple how we can turn that result around — score takedowns,” Popolizio said. “That is something we didn’t do in that first meeting. Both teams obviously didn’t have some guys, and there were some weight changes, so it’s going to be a different dual.”
NC State has not dropped a home conference dual since 2019 vs. Pitt (18-16). With the win over UNC last week, the Pack has won 18 home ACC duals in a row. “Our guys have got to be ready, and they have got to be aggressive,” Popolizio said. “I think that is something we did well last week (in the 24-10 win over #11 North Carolina). We opened up, attacked and scored points. “If you can’t score a takedown, it’s hard to win matches.”
One of the featured bouts will come at 165 pounds, as a pair of true freshmen are introduced into this rivalry and face off in a pivotal match as #10 Will Denny toes the line against #17 Ryan Burton.
Burton was the #14 overall recruit in the 2025 class, while Denny was #16. They did not have a history as high school opponents, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/15302355-nc-state-putting-acc-home-streak-on-line-in-showdown-with-virginia-tech
Ohio State stays unbeaten after sliding past Nebraska; Top-ranked Nittany Lions pick up two more shutouts
Manheim, Pennsylvania – Big wins and down-to-the-wire performances were among the notable results in the past week of college wrestling action as the NWCA released the most recent Division I Men’s Coaches Poll on Tuesday.
No. 1 Penn State stayed unbeaten with a pair of shutouts, defeating then-No. 25 Indiana 48-0 and topping Maryland 51-0. No. 2 Ohio State went 2-0 with wins over then-No. 9 Minnesota, 29-9, and then-No. 6 Nebraska, 17-16. Iowa also notched a ranked win, beating Nebraska 22-14, while Oklahoma State handled then-No. 18 Missouri, 33-3.
Iowa State posted two wins, blanking Northern Colorado 42-0 before defeating then-No. 15 South Dakota State, 27-9. NC State earned a ranked victory over then-No. 11 North Carolina, 24-10, and Virginia Tech beat then-No. 24 Stanford, 22-14. Minnesota split its week with a 26-10 win over then-No. 16 Wisconsin before falling to Ohio State.
Illinois edged then-No. 17 Rutgers 17-16 on criteria, while Rutgers also picked up a 30-10 win over Northwestern. Northern Iowa beat Arizona State, and West Virginia earned a ranked win over then-No. 23 Wyoming, 21-15. Cornell went 2-0 with wins over Harvard and Brown, while Stanford defeated Virginia following its loss to Virginia Tech. South Dakota State beat California Baptist before falling to Iowa State, and Indiana rebounded from its loss to Penn State to beat Michigan State, 32-13.
A full slate of ranked teams is scheduled to compete this weekend, highlighted by multiple head-to-head matchups between ranked opponents. No. 6 Nebraska heads to State College on Friday to face top-ranked Penn State, while No. 9 Minnesota travels to Iowa City to meet the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes. Friday also features No. 7 Virginia Tech at No. 8 NC State, No. 16 Wisconsin at No. 2 Ohio State, No. 14 Pittsburgh at No. 11 North Carolina, No. 3 Iowa State at No. 21 Oklahoma, No. 13 Northern Iowa at No. 5 Oklahoma State and No. 25 Indiana at No. 12 Illinois.
On Saturday, Northern Iowa returns to face No. 21 Oklahoma, and No. 18 Missouri travels to Little Rock. Oregon State heads to Laramie to meet No. 23 Wyoming, while No. 22 Cornell is scheduled to host Arizona State and Columbia.
Sunday closes the week with No. 3 Iowa State at No. 5 Oklahoma State, … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2026/1/27/national-wrestling-coaches-association-ohio-state-stays-unbeaten-after-sliding-past-nebraska-top-ranked-nittany-lions-pick-up-two-more-shutouts.aspx
DI Live Streaming Guide (1/29 – 2/1/2026)
We’re almost counting down the final days of January and will get to February on Sunday! From here on out, the majority of the action will be in dual meet competition. Almost all of the DI action this week will come via duals. A total of 55 duals will be contested. Since it can be difficult to figure out where and when to watch all of these events, InterMat has put together a list of all of the live-streamed events occurring this week. Below are the dates/times and how to watch each match (with links).
All Times Eastern
Thursday, January 29:
Davidson at Gardner-Webb 6:00 PM
Lock Haven at Bucknell 7:00 PM ESPN+
Bloomsburg at Clarion 7:00 PM FloWrestling
Friday, January 30:
Northern Illinois at Lock Haven 2:00 PM PSAC Digital Network
Rider at George Mason 5:00 PM ESPN+
Penn State Behrend at Mercyhurst 6:00 PM
Wisconsin at Ohio State 6:00 PM Big Ten Network
Appalachian State at Campbell 7:00 PM Campbell Athletics YouTube
Ohio at Central Michigan 7:00 PM ESPN+
Bellarmine at Davidson 7:00 PM FloWrestling
Virginia at Duke 7:00 PM ACC Network Extra
Northwestern at Michigan 7:00 PM B1G+
Virginia Tech at NC State 7:00 PM ACC Network
Pittsburgh at North Carolina 7:00 PM ACC Network Extra
Maryland at Rutgers 7:00 PM B1G+
Minnesota at Iowa 8:00 PM B1G+
Northern Colorado at North Dakota State 8:00 PM NDSU All-Access
Iowa State at Oklahoma 8:00 PM ESPN+
Northern Iowa at Oklahoma State 8:00 PM ESPN+
Nebraska at Penn State 8:00 PM Big Ten Network … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/47_streaming-guide/di-live-streaming-guide-129-212026-r100783/
Medical Forfeits/Load Management/Ducking and All the Usual Suspects
After a week (plus) that included three large tournaments, it’s time for our yearly referendum on medical forfeits/load management, and other related issues. These have already been topics on social media over the past few days, and I only see that increasing this week.
In the past, a lot of the grumbling was done by fans/ex-wrestlers significantly removed from competition. I thought it was interesting that one of the tweets from the weekend came from Trent Hidlay. The recent world champion is less than two years removed from an extremely decorated career at NC State. I thought that comments coming from a wrestler of his stature and being a recent college graduate would hold much more weight than in years past. You don’t get to call Hidlay an “old man yelling at clouds” and talking about the “good ol’ days” when he was a part of this world less than two years ago. … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/medical-forfeitsload-managementducking-and-all-the-usual-suspects-r100738/
Keep California Baptist University Wrestling
This is bigger than one program. The future of wrestling is in our hands
On January 2, 2026, California Baptist University announced the difficult decision to discontinue three sports programs following the conclusion of this season: men’s golf, men’s swim and dive, and men’s wrestling. This decision impacts student-athletes, families, alumni, and the national wrestling community that has benefited from CBU Wrestling’s tradition of academic excellence, leadership development, and service. The loss of CBU Wrestling would eliminate a vital Division I wrestling opportunity in Southern California, creating a significant gap for student-athletes across the state who seek to compete at the highest level while remaining close to home.
In response, we have formed this organization to work urgently and collaboratively to reinstate CBU Wrestling and to help establish a sustainable model for collegiate programs facing similar challenges. Our purpose is to secure the influence, financial resources, and institutional alignment necessary to preserve and sustain California Baptist University Wrestling and its mission of developing young men of character, faith, and leadership.
We are asking our community to stand with us by raising awareness, providing financial support, and demonstrating to university leadership that a better solution exists. … more at … https://keepcbuwrestling.com/
NCAA D1 Wrestling Week 12 Roundup: Winter WonDUALand
The world’s finest collection of noteworthy happenings from the 12th week of the 2025-26 NCAA D1 wrestling season.
Greetings from Austin, where the temps have dipped into the frosty realm of 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Hopefully you’re staying warm and enjoying the MLK Day weekend whever you are!
Week 11 Rankings | Week 12 Box Scores
Roundups: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11
And what better way to enjoy a federal holiday than by catching up on all the noteworthy happenings from the twelfth week of the 2025-26 NCAA D1 college wrestling season!
The Dual of the Century of the Week
Panthers Manage Mountaineers in Backyard Brawl, 17-15
The West Virginia-Pittsburgh rivalry is alive and well in the wrestling world. This year’s edition of the Backyard Brawl (the 68th dual between these two programs) lived up to the hype. West Virginia was up 9-0 after three bouts and 15-7 after seven.
But Pitt would not be denied, as they won the final three bouts to complete the comeback and take the dual. Chase Kranitz, Mac Stout and Dayton Pitzer all came up clutch at 184, 197 and 285, respectively. #29 Kranitz in particular was the hero of the dual as he notched the only upset of the contest when he defeated #22 Ian Bush, 4-2. … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/15232457-ncaa-d1-wrestling-week-12-roundup-winter-wondualand
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 