NC State wrestling is ready to rumble ahead of 2025-26 season
Noah Teague, Staff Writer • Nov 6, 2025
There’s never been a better time to be a fan of NC State wrestling.
Led by head coach Pat Popolizio, the Wolfpack returns an impressive squad, featuring multiple ACC champions and a defending national champion in redshirt sophomore Vince Robinson. The 2025-26 season is one that will be marked by the Pack’s pursuit of championships and continuing the standard of excellence established by Popolizio.
After winning the 2025 125-pound national championship, Robinson returns to NC State with sky-high expectations for his encore. Ranked No. 1 per InterMat, Robinson will face multiple title contenders this season, highlighted by No. 4 Eddie Ventresca at Virginia Tech. The path to repeat as national champion looks daunting, but Robinson is no stranger to winning when it matters most.
Last season’s national championship marked the first for an NC State freshman since 1980 and the first-ever national champ in the 125-pound class. With a 24-3 record last season, Robinson showcased consistency all year long. His quickness and fiery approach make him nearly impossible to pin, while giving him the ability to seize the momentum with a takedown at any moment.
Robinson isn’t the only national championship contender in Raleigh; sixth-year Isaac Trumble is back for one last ride with the Wolfpack. Entering the season ranked No. 3 in the heavyweight class, Trumble is a tough competitor with loads of experience that gives him a mental edge over opponents. Making three NCAA Tournament appearances, including an All-American fourth-place finish last year in his first year competing in the heavyweight division, Trumble’s resume speaks for itself.
Last season, Trumble made waves as one of the nation’s elite wrestlers. However, his campaign turned south in the ACC Tournament when he medically forfeited, losing the opportunity to win a conference crown. Trumble was just a week removed from meniscus surgery at the ACC Tournament, … more at … https://technicianonline.com/151316/sports/nc-state-wrestling-is-ready-to-rumble-ahead-of-2025-26-season/
Slippery Rock University announces return of men’s wrestling
Honoring a storied past and celebrating a tradition that never faded, Slippery Rock University has announced men’s wrestling will return as a varsity sport in 2027-28.
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University today announced the return of men’s varsity wrestling with the goal to begin NCAA Division II competition during the 2027-28 academic year.
Slippery Rock’s wrestling program built its reputation from 1958 to 2006 as a program that emphasized a strong balance between athletics, academics and personal development. The program went 362-294-7 over that stretch with many of those wins coming at the NCAA Division I level.
Eight different men oversaw the team as head coach with the most impactful being Fred Powell, who coached the program from 1967-91 with a winning percentage of 66 percent. He coached some of the best collegiate wrestlers in NCAA history, including world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Stan Dziedzic ’72. Powell earned the “Lifetime Service to Wrestling” award and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005.
Slippery Rock expects to launch a national search for a head coach during the 2026 spring semester to allow an academic year for recruiting before the program begins competing in the 2027-28 academic year. “Athletics, in many ways, serves as the front door to our university, and the return of wrestling at The Rock is so exciting,” said SRU President Karen Riley. “We have a long history of excellence in the sport and look forward to adding it back to our compliment of exceedingly successful athletic programs. We are so grateful to members of the SRU community for their advocacy and continued support.”
The Rock will compete at the NCAA Division II level as NCAA rules have changed since the last time SRU fielded a wrestling team and a return to the Division I level is no longer possible. There are currently 70 NCAA Division II wrestling programs competing across the nation in 2025-26. … more at … https://rockathletics.com/news/2025/11/10/general-sru-announces-return-of-mens-wrestling.aspx?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Tom Ryan: Ohio State Wrestling Has ‘Potential To Do Big Things’ In 2025-26
Tom Ryan likes the depth and competitiveness of the Ohio State wrestling roster and thinks the Buckeyes have big potential this season
Tom Ryan’s predictions for his Ohio State wrestling team this year are a mix of optimism, realism and an ever-present philosophical slant to what might await the Buckeyes. “Nothing can ever be really known or predicted ahead of time,” he said. “I’ll say this: We have the potential to do big things. There’s extra excitement because (the NCAA Championships) will be in Cleveland, in our home state, but what happens up there in March…”
He paused. “Let’s just say that right now, all 10 guys have the chance to place, to score points.”
Ryan cited his team’s depth and balance as the Buckeyes’ primary strength. “Up and down the lineup there’s competition,” he said. “That brings out the best in your wrestlers. With (the proliferation of) NIL, a lot of teams this year are loaded, a lot of teams have made themselves more powerful, but I expect us to be competing for a team trophy.”
Ryan didn’t say which trophy — the NCAA awards one to each of the top four team finishers — his team could take back to Columbus, a nod to his aforementioned belief of nothing being lock-predictable. “We’ll see,” he said. “But we expect to be in the hunt for a team trophy.”
In addition to top-ranked Penn State, would he venture to predict who the primary frontrunners will be this year? “I don’t assess everyone else,” Ryan said. “My main job is developing our own team. If we do our job, we’ll be competing for a team trophy.”
Zero predictions? “It’s not hard to see that Nebraska should be tough,” he said. “Oklahoma State, Iowa, Iowa State, Cornell, That Team Up North (Michigan) — I think each of those teams will score some points. “There are a few teams this year that can fight for a trophy.”
Who’s Where?
Asked about his team’s starting lineup outlook, Ryan spoke of classes still up in the air and those that, for now, appear etched in granite. “We’re unsettled at 125, 165 and 197,” he said. “(Nic) Bouzakis, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14715643-tom-ryan-ohio-state-wrestling-has-potential-to-do-big-things-in-2025-26
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
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
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
Big Ten Network Announces 2025-26 Big Ten Wrestling Broadcast Schedule
Television coverage begins Nov. 14 with defending National Champions Penn State
The Big Ten Network today announced the 2025-26 Big Ten wrestling broadcast schedule, as the nation’s premier wrestling conference looks for a 19th consecutive NCAA Championship.
This season, 24 duals and coverage of the 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships will air live on the Big Ten Network and the FOX Sports App, with more than 80 matchups airing on B1G+. Coverage begins Friday, Nov. 14, with defending National Champion No. 1 Penn State hosting No. 16 Oklahoma from University Park.
Conference wrestling on BTN begins Saturday, Jan. 10, with a matchup between No. 15 Rutgers and No. 1 Penn State at 4 p.m. ET, followed by a meeting between Maryland and Wisconsin on Sunday, Jan. 11, at 1 p.m. ET.
The first doubleheader of the season on BTN kicks off with a battle between No. 1 Penn State and No. 4 Iowa on Friday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. ET. Following the top five dual, No. 2 Nebraska travels to take on No. 10 Minnesota in Minneapolis at 9 p.m. ET.
Throughout January and February, Friday night wrestling will be featured on BTN with primetime matchups between the best programs in the country, including a pair of tripleheaders on Jan. 23 and Jan. 30.
A meeting between Michigan State and Purdue at 5 p.m. ET, kicks off the first tripleheader on Jan. 23, followed by No. 5 Ohio State at No. 10 Minnesota at 7 p.m. ET, and concluding with No. 2 Nebraska hosting No. 4 Iowa at 9 p.m. ET. Coverage on Jan. 30 begins with Wisconsin at No. 5 Ohio State at 6 p.m. ET, leading into a battle between No. 2 Nebraska and No. 1 Penn State at 8 p.m. ET and finishes with Indiana taking on No. 13 Illinois at 10 p.m. ET.
To conclude the regular season conference schedule on BTN, Indiana hosts No. 2 Nebraska on Sunday, Feb. 15, at noon ET, followed by a matchup between No. 13 Illinois and Northwestern at 2 p.m. ET.
More than 80 additional matchups will be available on B1G+ , BTN’s subscription service for 2,700 more events, archives of classic games and original content. B1G+ is home to coverage of the Soldier Salute, the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships and supplemental coverage of the 2026 Big … more at … https://bigten.org/article/58764/
College Women’s Wrestling News – end of October
Iowa Women’s Wrestlers Set Sights on Inaugural NCAA Tourney on Home Turf
Coralville’s Xtream Arena will play host to the growing sport’s first NCAA championships in March.
he path to a national title will only get tougher. Iowa women’s wrestling coach Clarissa Chun embraces that reality as a natural byproduct of the sport’s rapid growth.
The Hawkeyes will be at the center of another milestone on the mat, March 6–7, 2026, when they host the inaugural women’s wrestling NCAA championships at Coralville’s Xtream Arena. “These are the things we work toward to not only grow as a sport, but to provide these young women opportunities to compete on a big stage,” says Chun. “This recognizes that they’re there, and there is enough competitiveness in the sport. It also fuels the opportunity for other programs to add women’s wrestling.”
Division I Expansion
Chun says Division I has ground to cover to keep pace with the rapid increase of Division II and Division III institutions offering the sport. Since the NCAA approved women’s wrestling for championship status last January, she has received calls from several Big Ten and Big 12 universities seeking advice on establishing programs of their own. Lehigh University became the sport’s sixth Division I varsity program in May, following historically Black college and university Delaware State. Meanwhile, Oklahoma State fields one of several prominent club teams hoping to make the jump.
NCAA Format Changes
Iowa seeks a third straight national title this season but has fewer opportunities to flex its depth at the championship level. … more at … https://magazine.foriowa.org/story.php?ed=true&storyid=2574
And …
When Will Oklahoma State Add A Women’s Wrestling Program?
Izzak Olejnik discusses his role with the Oklahoma State women’s club wrestling team, the future of the program, and John Smith’s coaching role.
Oklahoma State has a women’s club wrestling team with a roster of 30. Several top high school wrestlers arrived in Stillwater expecting the Cowgirls to become a sanctioned Division I program.
How close is that to happening?
Below are takeaways from a conversation with women’s club coach Izzak Olejnik about his role and the future of the program. Watch the entire interview with Olejnik above.
What’s Olejnik’s role with the women’s club team?
Olejnick transferred from Northern Illinois to Oklahoma State his senior season, finishing fifth at 165 for the Cowboys at the 2024 NCAA Championships. He continued to train with the RTC and was asked if he wanted to run a few of the women’s practices for the upstart women’s team. “I knew I wanted to coach and this was a great opportunity to see where we can take it,” Olejnik said. “I started dedicating my time to the girls who were in the club. That’s how it all started and 30 girls later we have a full dual schedule and tournament schedule.”
Olejnik still works out with the Cowboy RTC, but is currently injured.
“I’m helping out with the RTC but pretty much full-time with the Cowgirls. If you really want this to grow, you kind of have to be full time and fully locked into it. I’ve dedicated my time and efforts into Cowgirl wrestling.”
What’s John Smith’s role?
The Cowgirl wrestling team made waves when former men’s coach John Smith — a six-time World and Olympic champion — was added as a volunteer coach. Smith has been in the room almost daily. “He’s been in the room a lot more than I thought … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14649730-when-will-oklahoma-state-add-a-womens-wrestling-program
And …
5 Women’s Wrestling Documentaries You Need To Watch
Here are five women’s wrestling documentaries you need to see, and how to watch.
This is the year of women’s wrestling documentaries. Here are five you need to watch — and how to watch. Scroll to the end for women’s documentaries available on Flo.
HAWKEYES: The First Season with Iowa Women’s Wrestling
Experience college wrestling through the lens of the Iowa Hawkeyes as their women’s team makes their way through their very first season. This three part series will display college wrestling in a way that’s never been seen before. Meet the athletes and get to know their stories as they try to help guide the Hawkeyes to a national title.
All American
Women’s wrestling is more than a sport. It’s a movement.
That’s the tagline for Mark Altschul’s soon-to-be-released must-watch women’s wrestling documentary. The film’s synopsis is this: “In this modern, coming-of-age documentary, Naomi, Jojo, and Arham grapple with economic divides, gender roles, and family dynamics while competing in the fastest-growing high school sport in the country: women’s wrestling.” All of the above is true, but that’s a surface-level description of a documentary that captures wrestling’s essence. Filmed over five years from 2017 to 2022, ‘All American’ provides an in-depth look into women’s wrestling, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14650279-5-womens-wrestling-documentaries-you-need-to-watch
Ranking Individual Transfers for the 2025-26 Season
The news in the offseason never seemed to stop and much of it centered around the transfer portal. While there are gripes about it (and many are understandable), it does add an element of intrigue around each collegiate season. Plenty of familiar faces have traded singlets over the past few months.
The transfer portal isn’t just limited to a few select teams. The five teams atop InterMat’s preseason tournament rankings all had at least one major addition via the portal. Other teams hope to crash that party, potentially led by additions of their own.
This year’s crop of transfers was about as good as any ever. There were two national champions who switched teams. How about a four-time All-American transfer? Or some young stars with multiple years of eligibility remaining. Yes, yes, and yes. All of the above were in and out of the portal this offseason.
And since everyone loves a good set of rankings. We’ve ranked the wrestlers that have swapped teams via the portal leading into the 2025-26 season. The criteria for these rankings were potential impact on the upcoming season and beyond. Wrestlers who have more than one year of eligibility jumped over some more accomplished wrestlers with only one year remaining.
1. AJ Ferrari: Nebraska (from CSU Bakersfield)
Even up a weight class, Ferrari will be a national title contender at 285 lbs. The 2021 NCAA champion, returned to college wrestling with Bakersfield and finished third in the nation at 197 lbs. The returning NCAA runner-up Cornhuskers could roll out a lineup that includes seven returning All-Americans and two past NCAA champions. There’s also a chance that Ferrari could have another year of eligibility after the 2025-26 campaign.
2. Rocco Welsh: Penn State (from Oklahoma State)
Going from Zack Ryder to Rocco Welsh, Penn State has a wrestler who has made the NCAA finals once (in his only previous appearance at nationals). He still … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/ranking-individual-transfers-for-the-2025-26-season-r100552/
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 