NCAA DI Rankings Updated (1/6/2026)
Welcome to the first set of rankings for 2026! Since the Midlands was contested on Monday/Tuesday of last week, this edition contains the Midlands results and everything from over the weekend. With the lack of star power at some of these holiday tournaments, there was little movement in the top ten at most weights. There was lots of shuffling in the back half of most weights.
125 lbs
Not much movement in the top tier. Kysen Terukina fell to Mack Mauger in the Soldier Salute finals – he drops a few spots. After making the finals and having a pretty solid resume, it was time for Zeke Witt to get a bump.
133 lbs
We finally got to see a lot of Dom Serrano, and he looked good, winning both the dual and the Scuffle title. He was in danger of being dropped for inactivity. Evan Mougalian gets a sizable boost after a good Scuffle performance, losing only by a point to Serrano. Mougalian has had an excellent season with a handful of quality wins and losses only to Serrano and Matty Lopes (not considered for the rankings, but a very tough competitor this season).
141 lbs
That 5-6 range (not 6-7) has been difficult to fill this year. The top four have separated themselves from the rest of the weight. With a Scuffle title and a win over Composto (and others over Crook, Pucino) Cornella flies up to the #6 position. The tier after Cornella/Composto continues to be nasty as Nagao returned but medically forfeited after a match and Bailey/Romney suffered losses.
I felt it was the right time to move Wyatt Henson up. He lost twice on the opening weekend to Eli Griffin and Lorenzo Frezza. Both have been pretty consistent; those losses look fine in hindsight. More mat time and evaluation can give us a better picture for rankings.
149 lbs
The second tier at this weight is in flux, a bit, as Cross Wasilewski, Jacob Frost, and Eligh Rivera all suffered losses during this rankings period. With all of the craziness around him, Caleb Tyus moves up to #8. He had a win in week one over Ethan Stiles.
157 lbs
No changes to the top 14. We have removed … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/ncaa-di-rankings-updated-162026-r100739/
Lake Mills three-time state qualifier Burling signs to wrestle at Division 1 Gardner-Webb University
LAKE MILLS — Owen Burling absolutely loves wrestling, the sport he started in first grade that is now at the forefront of his life.
Burling, a polished 190-pound standout from Lake Mills High School, signed to wrestle recently at Gardner-Webb University, an NCAA Division 1 school in Boiling Springs, North Carolina. “This is super exciting,” Burling said. “I trust the Gardner-Webb coaches. I know assistant coach Keaton Kluever, (who has Wisconsin ties and has been a coach for the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation since 2020). One of my former teammates and practice partners, Isaiah Guerrero, is a freshman at Gardner-Webb too.”
Burling is the L-Cats’ first Division 1 wrestler since 1989, when Dan Flood went to the University of Wisconsin (where he was an All-American in 1992 after a seventh place NCAA finish). Tim Braund has been Burling’s high school coach the past four seasons, but their relationship far predates that. “Owen is an incredible young man,” Braund said. “He’s incredibly smart and incredibly is already a three-time first team Academic Wrestling All-State winner, soon to be four-time.
“Owen started wrestling in first grade, the same year my son Aric started wrestling as a kindergartener. It’s been an incredible journey over the last 12 years. Owen is a first-generation wrestler in his family. “His dad Nick knew nothing about wrestling when Owen first started but could see the desire that his son had for the sport and did everything he could to help fuel that desire, which led to me and Nick … more at … https://www.wdtimes.com/sports/local_sports/lake-mills-three-time-state-qualifier-burling-signs-to-wrestle-at-division-1-gardner-webb/article_704a23be-3a88-445e-8da5-8bc5d694418a.html
App. State Opens SoCon Schedule With Dominant Road Win
CLINTON, S.C. — App State Wrestling opened its SoCon schedule Thursday with a 46-4 road victory at Presbyterian, winning nine of 10 matches in the Templeton Center.
With the fourth-best league record in the nation since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Mountaineers (4-4, 1-0) totaled three pins, three tech falls, one major decision, one decision and one forfeit against the Blue Hose (0-6, 0-3) to improve to 74-7 in SoCon duals during that stretch.
Cooper Foster (in the 125-pound opener) and Hunter Adams (197 pounds) needed less than a minute to record pins, while Kai O’Dell (157 pounds) posted one in the second period. Adams and O’Dell were making their first dual appearances of the season, and it was O’Dell’s first career appearance in a SoCon dual.
Jarvis Little (133 pounds), 27th-ranked Kaden Keiser (149 pounds) and Stephan Monchery (heavyweight) prevailed by tech fall, and true freshman Colt Campbell won a 12-0 major decision at 174 against junior Joshua Roe. Campbell ended the first period with a 6-0 lead thanks to a late takedown and three more near fall points.
The closest match was Aldo Hernandez’s 5-0 shutout of Ryan Luna, who entered the night with a 13-7 record at 141 pounds. Hernandez recorded a takedown with 39 seconds left in the first period, finished the period on top, earned a second-period escape and added a bonus point for riding time.
Anthony Conetta won by forfeit at 165 pounds, and Presbyterian’s Reed Douglass won a major decision against Joe Zovistoski, a redshirt senior who bumped up from 174 pounds to 184 in his first career dual appearance.
The 2025-26 season is presented by Hungry Howie’s and Penn Station. … more at … https://appstatesports.com/news/2026/1/8/wrestling-opens-socon-schedule-with-dominant-road-win.aspx
South Dakota State heads into NWCA National Duals atop first Division I Men’s Wrestling Mid-Major Poll of the season
Manheim, Pennsylvania – South Dakota State will start 2026 atop the first NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Mid-Major Coaches Poll, released Wednesday, as the coach Damion Hahn’s squad was the top choice among voters following the opening two months of dual competition.
The Jackrabbits (4-0) received all six first-place votes and enters the poll with a 4-0 record. Northern Iowa followed at No. 2, with Cornell, Lehigh and Penn rounding out the top five. Wyoming, Drexel and Little Rock sit just outside the top five, while Lock Haven and Utah Valley complete the top 10.
No. 1 South Dakota State, No. 2 Northern Iowa, No. 7 Drexel, and No. 15 Central Michigan will all be in action this weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa at the NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships. Presented by A Better Way Athletics, Capitol Construction, and Defense Soap.
Methodology: The NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Mid-Major Coaches Poll is voted on by one coach from Division I wrestling conferences with mid-major representation. Each first-place vote is worth 20 points, 19 points for a second-place vote, 18 for a third-place vote, and so on through to one point for a 20th-place vote. The poll … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2026/1/7/national-wrestling-coaches-association-south-dakota-state-heads-into-nwca-national-duals-atop-first-division-i-mens-wrestling-mid-major-poll-of-the-season.aspx
NC State Wrestling Gains One Starter, Loses Another
Just as NC State welcomed transfer Patrick Brophy to the lineup, the Wolfpack lost NCAA qualifier Jackson Arrington for the season.
ACC action gets underway this weekend as the NC State Wolfpack will host Virginia in Friday night action. After competing in many different events the first semester — tournaments, multiple duals in a day — the NC State schedule will now focus on the routine of taking the mat each Friday night against a conference foe for the next six weeks. “What we learned from last year is we just want to keep improving every week,” NC State coach Pat Popolizio said. “If we can do that as individuals, obviously it’s going to help our team. We want to keep building to when we go to the national tournament, because I really do believe we have multiple guys that can compete to win a national title.”
Recently, the Pack has received both good news and bad news about a couple of spots in the lineup. Brophy Makes Wolfpack Debut
First the good news: NC State recently added an NCAA qualifier at the upperweights.
After having to finish up academic responsibilities at The Citadel during the first semester, Patrick Brophy has now joined the Pack and has been inserted into the lineup at 197 pounds for the rest of this year. The week that he was cleared by the NC State compliance office, Brophy hit the mat for three dual wins the weekend before Christmas. With a mid-summer coaching change at The Citadel, the transfer window reopened and Brophy placed his name in it. What led him to come to Raleigh and join the Wolfpack? “Just the opportunity to train with the highest caliber of people,” Brophy said. “Here it was too good to pass up. I have not only some of the best people in the nation, but literally the best guy at my weight class in the world (Trent Hidlay), the current World champ.
“I asked myself how much can I learn? How far can I go with it when you’re around that caliber of training partners and great coaches that NC State has to offer? Just in my short time around this team, I’ve been learning a ton from the coaches and from my training partners.”
Brophy only got serious about wrestling in high school. Before that he was focused on a myriad of other sports, mainly baseball. “I tried (wrestling) when I was really young, because my dad was a wrestler (a two-time All-American at Loras College), so I think he always wanted me to wrestle,” Brophy said. “I don’t think I really liked it when I was younger, but for whatever reason, I just ended up loving it when I was in high school.”
Brophy reconnected with wrestling once again as a sophomore and he saw the potential to compete into college and started his journey at The Citadel. He was a starter each of his two seasons there, and earned an NCAA bid in 2025, winning a match. The jump he has taken since his first days in a college practice room has been very noticeable. “I think it’s been night and day,” Brophy said. “I’m sure most people would say this, but I would destroy my freshman self. Coming out of high school, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/15117905-nc-state-wrestling-gains-one-starter-loses-another
Oklahoma All-Star Teams to Compete in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic
The Oklahoma Wrestling Coaches Association announced on New Year’s Day that a Senior men’s and women’s All-Star team will compete in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic. … more details at … https://owrestle.com/oklahoma-all-star-teams-to-compete-in-the-pittsburgh-wrestling-classic/
ESPN and ACC Announce Wrestling Coverage for 2026 Slate
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The ninth-ranked NC State wrestling team is set to have three dual-meets covered on the ACC Network this spring season, with an additional four matches on ACC Network Extra, as released by ESPN on Wednesday.
ESPN platforms will feature nearly 150 collegiate wrestling events throughout the season. When the Pack hosts Virginia Tech (Jan. 30) and Cornell (Feb. 20), and then visits Pitt in Pittsburgh (Feb. 6), all ranked match-ups will be featured on ACC Friday Night Duals on ACC Network.
Home duals with Virginia (Jan. 9) and North Carolina (Jan. 23), as well as road matches in Palo Alto at Stanford (Jan. 16) and in Durham at Duke (Feb. 13), will be televised on ACCNX. The 2026 ACC Championship on March 9 in Blacksburg will be live on ACC Network to showcase the finals round at 8 p.m.
The 2026 NCAA Championships at the Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, from March 19-21 are set to be aired across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN+, depending on the round of competition. The commentary crew includes Mike Couzens, Rock Harrison, Tim Johnson … more at … https://gopack.com/news/2026/1/7/espn-and-acc-announce-wrestling-coverage-for-2026-slate
Six Nittany Lion Wrestlers Win Titles at Southern Scuffle and Kauffman Open
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Thirteen members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team took part in the 2026 Southern Scuffle at Chattanooga on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 3-4, and three other Nittany Lions competed at the Bobby Kauffman Open at Edinboro on Sunday. Six Penn Staters won individual titles. All rankings listed are InterMat.
Connor Pierce won Penn State’s first title of the day in Chattanooga, winning at 149. Pierce went 6-0 at the tournament, including a major. He downed No. 24 Max Petersen of North Dakota State 5-2 in the semifinals and beat No. 26 Brock Herman of Little Rock 13-6 in the finals.
Joe Sealey won the Scuffle crown at 157. Sealey posted a 6-0 mark over the weekend, picking up a major and two technical falls. He downed The Citadel’s Kyrel Leavell 11-2 in the semis and took down Daniel Zapeda of North Carolina State 11-8 in the title match.
William Henckel won the championship at 174. Henckel rolled to a 6-0 mark with two majors and a technical fall. He beat No. 22 Aidan Wallace of Duke 8-3 in the semifinals before rolling to a 5-0 win over Penn’s Caden Bellis in the finals.
Asher Cunningham claimed the title at 184. Cunningham impressed with a 5-0 mark, including two majors and two pins. He majored No. 30 Christian Hansen of Cornell in the quarterfinals and beat No. 25 Caleb Campos of American 12-9 in the finals, with over 3:00 in riding time.
No. 1 Josh Barr rolled to Penn State’s fifth championship of the day at 197. Barr stormed to a 5-0 record, all for bonus points with a major, two tech falls and two pins. He dominated No. 3 Stephen Little of Little Rock in the finals, posting a dominant 9-1 major decision. Barr also pinned No. 15 Branson John of Maryland in the semifinals.
Lucas Cochran placed sixth at 285. Cochran went 3-0 to start the tournament, including a 5-0 win over No. 18 Brady Colbert of Army in the quarterfinals. Cochran did not compete in the semifinals, taking a medical forfeit loss to finish 3-1 and in sixth place.
No. 8 Aaron Nagao returned to action at 141 and won his first match before taking a medical forfeit loss to bow out of the tournament 1-1 (only the first medial forfeit counts as a loss). Cael Nasdeo went 1-2 with a major decision victory at 141, bowing out of the tournament with a medical forfeit loss (again, only the first medical forfeit counts as a loss). Kyison Garcia went 1-2, moving up a weight to compete at 141. Ty Watson went at 165, Sean Degl posted a 1-2 mark at 174, … more at … https://gopsusports.com/news/2026/01/4/six-nittany-lion-wrestlers-win-titles-southern-scuffle-and-kauffman-open
California Baptist University Restructures Lancer Athletics; Discontinues Wrestling Program Ahead of Big West Entry
TDR Editor’s Notes; The school will cut 3 Men’s teams in order to enter the Big West Conference with 6 teams. This is contrast to the Women’s Sports as they will have twice as many programs. There is not a football team which usually accounts for an abundance of scholarship athletes.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Changes will take effect at the end of the competitive season
RIVERSIDE — In response to the evolving intercollegiate athletic landscape, California Baptist University announced today the discontinuation of three Lancer Athletic programs–wrestling, men’s golf, and men’s swim and dive. The changes will take effect at the conclusion of the 2025-26 competitive season.
We have closely monitored the shifting landscape of intercollegiate athletics that has affected institutions across the nation, said Micah Parker, Ph.D., Vice President for Athletics. While we had hoped to continue offering our full slate of athletic programs in this new environment, it has become clear that changes are required to realize the university’s goal of achieving greater competitive excellence that the new Division I era demands.
Parker continued: As the university looks toward competing in the Big West Conference starting in July 2026, it was necessary to discontinue some athletic programs in order to offer remaining student-athletes and teams the best chance to succeed.
The decision was not made lightly, according to Parker.
Considerable thought and prayer went into this decision, said Parker. We take seriously the responsibility of supporting our student-athletes, and we are committed to walking beside those impacted as they navigate next steps … more at … https://cbulancers.com/news/2026/1/2/general-california-baptist-university-restructures-lancer-athletics-discontinues-three-athletic-programs-ahead-of-big-west-entry
College Women’s Wrestling News
Cavaliers go 2-2 at Red Lady Duals
MONTGOMERY, Ala.— The Montreat College women’s wrestling squad made its return from Christmas break on Saturday to compete at the Red Lady Duals, hosted by Huntingdon College. Going head-to-head against four NCAA programs, the Cavaliers picked up a pair of team dual victories to move to 13-7 on the year.
Montreat’s largest margin of victory on Saturday came in its opening dual of the afternoon. The Cavs claimed eight of the 10 bouts during their 38-6 triumph over the McMurry University War Hawks. Sheyla Ochoa Salgado, Daniela Espinal, Nicole Lewis, Audrey Gribble and Emilia Hill registered forfeits to tally five team points each. Sirenity Davis and Annastasia Skoda pinned their opposition for the maximum points as well. Meanwhile, Izzy Campbell eked out a tight 11-10 decision versus her foe.
Following up their opening triumph, the Cavaliers grabbed a 33-16 victory against the Schreiner University Mountaineers. Davis, Uriah Peters-Gutierrez, Lewis and Daniella Jenkins notched pins, while Shay Potter delivered a 7-4 decision to help secure the win. Forfeit triumphs from Ochoa Salgado and Espinal provided additional breathing room for Montreat down the stretch.
The Cavs put up a valiant effort but suffered a close 23-21 loss to the hosts on Saturday. Huntingdon College won the dual, but four Cavaliers still captured victories in their individual bouts. Davis landed her third pin of the afternoon at 110, and Lewis took down her opponent in similar fashion. Espinal shut out her foe during a 5-0 decision, adding to Montreat’s total, and Mary Clark wrapped up the dual with a forfeit. Ochoa Salgado, … more at … https://montreatcavaliers.com/news/2026/1/4/womens-wrestling-cavaliers-go-2-2-at-red-lady-duals.aspx
And …
NWCA Unveils NAIA Women’s Bracket for 2026 NWCA/USMC National Duals
MANHEIM, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) has shared the NAIA Women’s bracket for the upcoming NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships. Presented by A Better Way Athletics, Capitol Construction, and Defense Soap, this year’s event will once again take place at the University of Northern Iowa’s UNI-Dome on January 9-10, 2026.
The top eight seeds in the NAIA Women’s bracket are as follows:
- Life
- Providence
- Grand View
- William Penn
- Lindsey Wilson
- Indiana Tech
- Doane
- Texas Wesleyan
Wrestling fans can catch … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2026/1/2/national-wrestling-coaches-association-nwca-unveils-naia-womens-bracket-for-2026-nwca-usmc-national-duals.aspx
And …
Presbyterian College Cleans House at Red Lady Duals, Program-Record Eight Straight Wins
MONTGOMERY, Al. – The #6 Presbyterian College women’s wrestling team set a new program benchmark on Saturday afternoon as they made quick work of four straight opponents at the Red Lady Duals, hoisting up their ongoing winning streak to eight matches.
PC defeated Schreiner (41-6), Randolph (44-1), Mount Olive (42-6), and Montreat (43-1) with each performance looking more dominant than the last. The Blue Hose now sit at 12-2 this season when wrestling in a dual setting.
Anchored by their eight nationally-ranked wrestlers, Presby surpassed the 40-point mark in all of their duals on Saturday. They’ve hit at least 40 points nine times since November.
Reigning Southeast Region Coach of the Year Brian Vutianitis steered PC to another quality showing, although the work in Huntingdon is not yet complete. The Blue Hose remain in Alabama for the Red Lady Open tournament tomorrow.
NOTABLES
– Presbyterian won 34 out of the 36 non-forfeited matches across Saturday’s quartet. They spread out 17 pins and 14 other victories via technical fall.
– After dropping the first bout against Schreiner, … more at … https://gobluehose.com/news/2026/1/3/womens-wrestling-pc-cleans-house-at-red-lady-duals-program-record-eight-straight-wins.aspx
And …
USA Wrestling to host inaugural Women’s Collegiate Club Nationals on March 5 in North Liberty, Iowa
by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
In an effort to expand national competition opportunities at the college level for women, USA Wrestling will host its inaugural Women’s Collegiate Club Nationals on March 5 at The Palestra in North Liberty, Iowa.
The competition is open to all female student-athletes who participate in club wrestling at a collegiate institution at any level (NCAA, NAIA, NCWA, NJCAA, 3C2A, etc.) that does not currently field a varsity program in the NCAA or NAIA divisions. If a school is eligible to compete at the NCAA or NAIA national tournaments, its club program or individual student-athletes do not qualify to wrestle at this event.
The USA Wrestling Women’s Collegiate Club Nationals will be conducted under current international women’s freestyle rules and will match the NCAA/NAIA varsity weight classes. Two divisions will be offered—a high-performance division for more-seasoned competitors seeking elite national competition and a futures division for beginner-level athletes with less than two years of college wrestling experience.
All entrants must be enrolled and in good academic standing at their institution, hold a current USA Wrestling membership, and have competed in at least five freestyle matches against female college opponents during the 2025–26 season.
Online registration is currently open for this event. Athletes are encouraged to sign up by the early registration deadline of February 12. … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/december/31/usa-wrestling-to-host-inaugural-women-s-collegiate-club-nationals-on-march-5-in-north-liberty-iowa
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 