InterMat’s Top Wrestling Stories for 2025
We’ve only got a few hours left in 2025 and are ready to look forward to a big 2026. Before changing the calendar (or letting it update on your phone), let’s take a quick look back at some of the biggest wrestling-related stories of the year for InterMat. Please let us know if you have some that we might have missed!
10. Ohio State wins National Duals Invitational
The college wrestling needs more juice. We need events that excite and energize the fanbases, creating arguments and debate, and hypotheticals. Those things are healthy. It needs to be more than just focusing on those three days in March.
The National Duals Invitational came along and filled that void very nicely. Coming into the event, one of the main storylines was whether or not Oklahoma State’s freshman-laden lineup could win it all. Maybe Nebraska could build off their second-place finish at nationals in 2025. Or trusty Iowa.
What happened was Ohio State’s lightweights blitzed the field and the Buckeyes disposed of Wyoming, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Iowa. Nic Bouzakis debuted at 125 lbs, Ben Davino beat a returning national finalist, and Jesse Mendez prevailed in an NCAA finals rematch.
And for the 400 lb elephant in the room (or not in the room), Penn State. The Nittany Lions declined an invitation to participate. Their absence spurred plenty of debate between fans on social media and on the message board- maybe they should go in the future vs. why do they need to go, would it be better with them or without them, do they have an obligation to go? Those were all questions thrown around by fans in the days leading up to the event and in the aftermath. Whichever side you fall on in the debates, just the conversation and interest is good for our sport.
9. Recruiting/NIL/Transfer Portal
This is a bit of a catch-all for a couple of different topics. Basically, the new-era of collegiate sports wrapped up into one point. Like the “Penn State at National Duals Invitational” topic, you may not agree with one side in the debate; however, there are plenty of people interested in the overall conversation.
As someone who looks at the metrics of articles and social media, recruiting battles, recruiting flips, NIL rumors, and transfer decisions move the needle.
Some of the important stories of the year related to these categories are:
- Bo Bassett’s recruiting graphic/commitment to Iowa/decommitment and signing with Virginia Tech.
- The Hokies, along with Oklahoma State, Penn State, Iowa, and Cornell amassing huge recruiting classes.
- Three 2025 NCAA DI champions transferred in the prior offseason.
- The game of musical chairs at 184 lbs with the Rocco Welsh/Zack Ryder transfers.
- The potential for Jax Forrest to join the Oklahoma State team instead of finishing his final HS season.
- Some notable transfers are not faring as well in their new homes.
- The portal helped make Iowa State into a top-three team after missing the top 20 in Philly.
8. Iowa State finally wins the CyHawk Dual
For the first time since 2004, Iowa State has beaten their in-state rivals, Iowa, in dual meet competition. Iowa head coach Tom Brands had been in his current position since 2006-07 … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/intermats-top-wrestling-stories-for-2025-r100729/
Top-ranked Nittany Lions set new Division I win streak record; Second-ranked Buckeyes handle third-ranked Cyclones in Nashville
Manheim, Pennsylvania – A major college record that stood since the early 1950s fell over the weekend as top-ranked Penn State improved to 6-0 and won the program’s 77th dual meet in a row at the Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tennessee.
Penn State (6-0) shutout North Dakota State and then-No. 23 Stanford and remained atop the most recent NWCA Division I Men’s Coaches Poll released on Tuesday. The Nittany Lions are now tied with Division II St. Cloud State for the longest win streak in NCAA wrestling history. The Nittany Lions can take hold of the NCAA mark on January 10 at Rec Hall when they host Rutgers.
No. 2 Ohio State continued its perfect start, moving to 10-0 with wins over Little Rock, 34-9, and Iowa State, 21-13 also at the Collegiate Duals.
Iowa State split its weekend, defeating then-No. 20 Lehigh 26-11.
Fifth-ranked Oklahoma State added another ranked win with a 22-12 victory over No. 6 Nebraska in Lincoln. The dual drew 7,094 fans, setting a new home attendance record for the Huskers. Nebraska picked up a ranked win on Friday, defeating then-No. 16 North Carolina 27-9. North Carolina would pick up a solid win on the road in Cedar Falls, beating then No. 12 Northern Iowa 19-13. The Tar Heels (7-1) jumped to No. 13 this week, the highest the program has been ranked since it checked in at No. 7 in the final poll of the 2019-20 season.
No. 8 South Dakota State moved to 3-0 with a 45-3 win over Campbell. No. 9 NC State went 3-0 on the week, defeating The Citadel, George Mason and Buffalo.
Back in Nashville, No. 10 Illinois earned two ranked wins, edging then-No. 18 Cornell 21-18 and defeating Lehigh 24-12. Other ranked teams in action saw No.14 Pittsburgh earn a 23-12 win over Edinboro. Oklahoma posted two wins, defeating SIU Edwardsville 23-13 and Duke 40-6.
Cornell split its weekend, picking up a win over Little Rock. Wisconsin (8-0) remained unbeaten with three wins, defeating Lock Haven, Utah Valley and Arizona State.
Stanford earned a win over North Dakota State, while Oregon State … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2025/12/23/national-wrestling-coaches-association-top-ranked-nittany-lions-set-new-division-i-win-streak-record-second-ranked-buckeyes-handle-third-ranked-cyclones-in-nashville.aspx
NCAA D1 Wrestling Week 8 Roundup: 2nd Semester-ers
The world’s finest collection of noteworthy happenings from the 8th week of the 2025-26 NCAA D1 wrestling season.
Merry Christmas from the Caption Hotel in Nashville, where I am currently filling the lobby with the pitter-patter of little fingertips as I type out the latest roundup of noteworthy happenings from the 8th week of the 2025-26 NCAA D1 college wrestling season!
Week 7 Rankings | Week 8 Box Scores
Roundups: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7
I’m going to be totally real with everyone: It’s already 9:00pm on Sunday night, and I’m just now starting the Roundup. As such, it’s going to be a very truncated edition, due in part (although this is not an excuse!) to me leaving for Nashville on Friday and then being enmeshed with the Journeymen Collegiate Duals almost exclusively since then.
So consider it your Christmas gift to me to not give me a hard time this week for leaving out some noteworthy happening that you, the wise and learned fan, thought should have been included. I’m sure I will agree with you that the omission was regrettable!
I will make it up to you next Monday, when there will be literally no NCAA D1 wrestling to round up, with something special, the likes of which I will determine in the interim.
With that housekeeping out of the way, let us turn our attention to…
The Dual of the Century of the Week
Cowboys Spoil the Huskers Record-Setting Crowd
Nebraska hosted North Carolina on Friday and were victorious to the tune of 27 to 9. Sunday, however, was a different story, as most of the 7,094 fans in the Devaney Center left disappointed due to Oklahoma State placing the proverbial lump coal in the stocking by beating the home team 22-12. Still, that crowd, plus having a raised stage, and a national audience on the Big Ten Network, in addition to all the star power on the mat, is enough to earn the DotCotW this week.
#2 Sergio Vega pinning #3 Brock Hardy in the first period set the Cowpokes up for the dub. Antrell Taylor, Chris Minto and Silas Allred all got top ten wins for Nebraska, but it would not enough, especially with Nebraska being without the services of AJ Ferrari. … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/15042666-ncaa-d1-wrestling-week-8-roundup-2nd-semester-ers
Men’s College Notebook: Penn State Snaps Dual-Meet Record, Ohio State and Oklahoma State notch top-10 wins
Penn State Breaks 74-Year-Old Record
Not only did Penn State set a new DI team record, but they also did it in style. With a pair of wins at the Journeymen Collegiate Duals, the Nittany Lions won their 76th and 77th consecutive duals, breaking the record set by Oklahoma State in 1951.
In Nashville, Penn State shut out both North Dakota State (46-0) and then #23 Stanford (42-0). The last Penn State dual loss was January 31, 2020, at Iowa (19-17).
Nittany Lion Freshmen Shine
There was a lot of discourse this week on social media about ranking true freshmen—predictions versus season results. One thing is for sure, a pair of freshmen in the Penn State starting lineup will be national title threats come March.
Both Marcus Blaze and PJ Duke earned top-10 wins in the Stanford dual. At 133 pounds, Blaze earned a fall over 2025 All-American #6 Tyler Knox (he was up 12-2 at the time). At 157 pounds, Duke downed 2024 All-American Daniel Cardenas, 5-2.
Blaze (10-0) and Duke (9-0) are both undefeated through the first couple of months in their collegiate careers.
Barr’s Season Debut
Returning NCAA finalist Josh Barr made his season debut for Penn State at 197 pounds. He was a perfect 2-0 on the day, as both of his matches ended in the second period via technical fall. His first bout was a 19-3 tech over North Dakota State’s Devin Wasley. In his second bout of the day, Barr scored a dominant, 19-3, tech fall over #20 Angelo Posada of Stanford. In the bout, Barr reeled in five takedowns and a turn before ending the match early in the second period.
Ohio State Reigns Supreme
For the fifth time this season, Ohio State racked up a top-10 win. Even more impressive, the Buckeyes 21-13 win over #3 Iowa State was their third top-5 victory in the first two months of the season. Ohio State once again dominated in the first half of the dual, winning four of the first five bouts to take a 15-3 lead midway through the dual after … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/december/22/men-s-college-notebook-penn-state-snaps-dual-meet-record-ohio-state-and-oklahoma-state-notch-top-10-wins
Nebraska Cruises Past North Carolina, 27-9
The No. 6 Nebraska wrestling team earned a 27-9 victory over No. 16 North Carolina on Friday night at the Devaney Center. The Huskers recorded three major decisions and a pin in the heavyweight division to improve to 6-2 on the season.
Nebraska opened the dual with a strong start at 157 pounds, as No. 6 Antrell Taylor picked up a 13-2 major decision to give NU an early 4-0 lead.
At 165 pounds, redshirt freshman No. 10 LJ Araujo earned a hard fought 2-0 decision over Bryce Hepner after three tightly contested periods. No. 6 Christopher Minto followed at 174 pounds with a dominant performance securing a 17-3 major decision against Collin Carrigan.
North Carolina picked up its first points of the night at 184 pounds after No. 24 Jake Dailey defeated Tyler Eise by decision. Nebraska responded at 197 pounds after No. 10 Camden McDanel took a 10-2 major decision win and secured the Husker’s third major of the night.
In the heavyweight match, No. 4 AJ Ferrari accentuated the Husker’s lead with a dominant match leading to his first pin of the season before Alan Koehler fell by decision at 125 pounds to No. 16 Kysen Terukina. At 133 pounds, No. 8 Jacob Van Dee put up a strong contest to win 5-1 and secure his 50th career victory while No. 3 Brock Hardy (141 pounds) pulled out a 5-1 decision over No. 19 Luke Simcox.
The dual concluded at 149 pounds where Scott Robertson and Nate Askew were tied 1-1 at the end of the third before Askew secured a 4-1 win in sudden-victory.
Up Next
The Huskers will take on No. 5 Oklahoma State on Sunday, Dec. 21. The top-10 dual is set for 1 p.m. (CT), and will be televised on BTN.
No. 6 Nebraska 27, No. 16 North Carolina 9
157 | No. 6 Antrell Taylor (N) major dec. No. 33 Laird Root (UNC) 13-2 (NEB 4, UNC 0)
165 | No. 10 LJ Araujo (N) dec. Bryce Hepner (UNC) 2-0 (NEB 7, UNC 0) … more at … https://huskers.com/news/2025/12/19/nebraska-cruises-to-a-27-9-victory-over-north-carolina
Kent State University Adds Women’s Wrestling as 20th Varsity Sport, Planned to Compete in 2027
KENT, Ohio — Kent State University announced today that women’s wrestling will become the athletics department’s 20th varsity sport, marking a historic addition to the Golden Flashes athletics lineup and a milestone for collegiate athletics in Ohio. Kent State becomes the first NCAA Division I institution in the state and fifth in the nation to sponsor women’s wrestling.
The program will begin competition in fall 2027. Hiring for the program’s first head coach is expected to take place by summer 2026, following ongoing planning and facility renovations that will include updated locker rooms and coaches’ offices.
This is an exciting day for Kent State University and for the continued advancement of women’s sports, said Kent State Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Randale L. Richmond. Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and establishing this program allows Kent State to support that growth while creating new opportunities for female student-athletes in Ohio and beyond. We are proud to lead the way as the first Division I program in the state to sponsor the sport. We are thrilled to add women’s wrestling, which continues our leadership in intercollegiate athletics in Ohio and the nation, said Kent State President Todd Diacon. Women’s wrestling has seen a surge of participation nationally. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the 2024–25 academic year included 8,100 girls’ high school wrestling programs nationwide and 74,064 girls participating in the sport.
Ohio has been a leader in the sport’s growth regionally. The state held its first sanctioned Girls’ High School Wrestling State Championship in 2023, and participation continues to rise. During the 2024–25 academic year, Ohio featured 507 high schools sponsoring girls’ wrestling and 2,535 girls competing statewide. Those numbers are projected to continue increasing as sanctioned collegiate pathways expand. The establishment of Kent State’s women’s wrestling program is supported through state appropriations. As part of House Bill 96, the university received funds that will help support program development, staffing, and facility preparation.
For more information, you can visit our FAQ page here.
Women’s Wrestling Timeline for Sport Sponsorship:
June 2020 — Women’s wrestling added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, giving the sport formal recognition and a pathway toward full championship status.
October 2023 — The sport surpassed the threshold of 40 schools sponsoring varsity programs … more at … https://kentstatesports.com/news/2025/12/18/womens-wrestling-kent-state-university-adds-womens-wrestling-as-20th-varsity-sport-planned-to-compete-in-2027
Koy Buesgens Moving Up Rankings In Sophomore Year With NC State Wrestling
Koy Buesgens is off to a 10-1 start and moving up the 149-pound rankings during his second year as a starter at NC State.
As somebody who enjoys coding while majoring in computer science, NC State sophomore Koy Buesgens has a knack for solving problems by turning ideas into step-by-step instructions that a computer can understand and execute.
That ideology correlates perfectly with a wrestling mat, where learning from your mistakes and continually thinking of ways to make constant improvement is key.
After a rookie campaign that saw him earn a podium finish at the 2025 ACC Championships and advance to the NCAA Championships, Buesgens has taken the next step and transitioned this year into a top-10 wrestler at 149 pounds. “Being in the lineup after facing so many top guys was not only a huge jump from high school, but it was also a huge jump from my redshirt season,” Buesgens said. “At NC State, you know you are walking in, and you’ve got top-level guys that are just ready to scrap with you.
“It was a big switch, and I feel good now. I feel acclimated. Last year was a great opportunity to continue to acclimate to it and really get in there and find where I was among those top guys in the country.” Buesgens was known as being a tough wrestler to score on last year, and over the summer the NC State coaches challenged him to work on his offense and find more attacks from neutral. “I worked a lot on my offense and a big part of creating offense was the ability to pressure and keep pressure on my opponent,” Buesgens said. “I’ve been feeling really good about it recently. I was able to open up on some guys, create a lot of offense on the feet.”
He has opened the season with a 10-1 start. The first weekend of the season, he brought home the title at the Southeast Open after a top-10 win in the final. He then continued with three ranked wins at the National Duals Invitational. “He’s made some huge gains mentally and physically, and we always knew that he could wrestle, and he has the technique behind it and the mindset to be great,” NC State coach Pat Popolizio said. “It’s tough. Anytime you’re a freshman in our lineup, expectations are … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14982250-koy-buesgens-moving-up-rankings-in-sophomore-year-with-nc-state-wrestling
NCAA DI Rankings Updated (12/16/2025)
All in all, we didn’t have too crazy of a week on the rankings front. With many teams out of action due to last week’s CKLV and possibly exams, there was a lighter schedule than in previous weeks.
A couple of notes about the rankings this week:
For the individual wrestlers’ records, I’ve tried to mirror the official record used for NCAA seeding and such. Personally, I prefer the previous versions as they were official matches – they just included some that were not used for seeding purposes. Let me know if you have a preference, maybe nobody cares!
For the team race….Carson Kharchla’s win over Matty Singleton and his move from fifth to fourth at 174 lbs helps Ohio State pull within a half point of Penn State. We also saw heavyweight Cole Mirasola drop a bit after his loss to Christian Carroll. The Kharchla/Singleton move also let Patrick Kennedy move up a spot and Iowa also gained some ground (1 point) from last week’s rankings.
As a team, the biggest mover in both duals and tournament format was Oklahoma. They jumped up three spots in both rankings after their two wins in New Jersey (Rider, Rutgers). North Carolina and Northern Iowa didn’t budge much in the tournament rankings, but each moved up a couple of spots in the dual rankings after good wins last week.
Now, to some individual weight classes.
125 lbs – We flipped Troy Spratley and Jett Strickenberger after Spratley’s win on Sunday.
Cooper Flynn drops a bit after an 0-2 Friday. One of the opponents who beat him, Bridger Ricks, is knocking on the door for a spot in the top 33.
133 lbs – We added Ronnie Ramirez in place of Richie Figueroa for the first time. Dylan Shawver tumbles to #20 after a loss to Drexel’s Kyle Waterman. At this point, Shawver’s only ranked win is #31 Troy Hohman and he has losses to Waterman and Evan Mougalian. Waterman has a limited resume this year and a loss to #33 Javaan Yarbrough. If he keeps winning, he could make the top 33.
141 lbs – #1 Mendez teched #6 Ryan Jack. At this point, I don’t think there’s a good spot to move Jack down to. The three wrestlers behind him haven’t necessarily warranted a top-five ranking based on anything of late. Jack’s three losses have come to #1 Mendez, #2 Vega, #5 Olivieri. Dario Lemus drops a few spots after a loss to Briar Priest. … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/ncaa-di-rankings-updated-12162025-r100702/
And …
2025-26 NCAA DI Wrestling Rankings
P4P – Mitchell Mesenbrink
There were no changes in the pound-for-pound in this set of the rankings.
If you have any questions, we welcome and encourage your feedback. Hit up Jon Kozak (email: Jonathan.Kozak@flosports.tv; X: @KozakJon) and JD Rader (email: jd.rader@flosports.tv; X: @rader_jd). … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/rankings/14300895-2025-26-ncaa-di-wrestling-rankings/55198-p4p-mitchell-mesenbrink
And …
WIN’s Dec. 16 updated Tournament Power Index, Top-20 Dual Teams and Individual Rankings
NEWTON, Iowa — WIN’s Dec. 16 updated Tournament Power Index (TPI), Top-20 Dual Teams and Individual Rankings, presented by Cliff Keen Athletic, set the scene for an action-packed weekend slate that boasts the Journeymen Collegiate Duals, set for Dec. 20-21 in Nashville, Tenn. Of WIN’s Top-20 Dual Teams, seven will participate in the event, including the Top-3 teams in Penn State, Iowa State and Ohio State. The latter two, Iowa State and Ohio State, will face off on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. ET.
Additionally, another Top-10 dual-meet matchup looms, as No. 5 Oklahoma State travels to Lincoln, Neb. to take on No. 6 Nebraska on Sunday, Dec. 21.
The Tournament Power Index remained the same this week in terms of the Top 20 teams. Penn State remained No. 1, while Iowa State, Ohio State, Iowa and Oklahoma State rounded out the Top 5, respectively. WIN’s TPI projects where programs could finish at the 2026 NCAA Division I Championships, which will be held March 19-21 in Cleveland.
The following is a breakdown of those individual TPI points per ranking: 20 for 1st, 16 for 2nd, 13.5 for 3rd, 12.5 for 4th, 10 for 5th, 9 for 6th, 6.5 for 7th and 5.5 for 8th. Wrestlers ranked 9-12 earn two points each, followed by one and a half points for wrestlers ranked 13-16 and one point for those ranked 17-20. Penn State features five top-ranked wrestlers with Nittany Lions Shayne Van Ness (149), PJ Duke (157), Mitchell Mesenbrink (165), … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/12/16/wins-dec-16-updated-tournament-power-index-top-20-dual-teams-and-individual-rankings/
No. 2 Ohio State Wins Top 10 Battle over No. 9 Wolfpack, 26-10
Buckeyes Next Travel to Nashville Dec. 21 for Collegiate Duals
COLUMBUS, Ohio — No. 2 Ohio State (8-0) remained undefeated with a 26-10 win over visiting No. 9 NC State (5-3) Friday at the Covelli Center.
How it Happened
125 – (1) Vincent Robinson (NCST) def. Brendan McCrone (OSU), MD, 12-3
Robinson opened the scoring with a takedown followed by a McCrone escape to send the bout to the second with NC State up 3-1. McCrone chose top to open the second after Robinson deferred choice. Robinson got the reversal to lead 5-2 after a McCrone escape. Robinson added a takedown to lead 8-2 after five minutes. Starting neutral, Robinson made it 11-2 with a takedown. McCrone escaped but with a point for riding time, Robinson won by major decision, 12-3.
133 – (2) Ben Davino (OSU) def. Zach Redding (NCST), D, 7-1
After two minutes, Davino scored the opening takedown for a 3-0 lead to go to the second. Davino chose bottom to start the second and quickly escaped for a 4-0 lead. Davino added a late takedown to lead 7-0 after two periods. Redding escaped to start the third to make it 7-1 Buckeyes. That’s the way if ended for a Davino win by decision, 7-1.
141 – (1) Jesse Mendez (OSU) def. (6) Ryan Jack (NCST), TF, 21-6
Mendez went on top 3-1 with a takedown and Jack escape. Mendez added another takedown on the edge of the mat to finish the period up 6-1. Mendez added three takedowns quickly to jump to a 15-4 advantage. Another pair of takedowns ended the match for a Mendez win by technical fall, 21-6.
149 – (6) Ethan Stiles (OSU) def. (7) Koy Buesgens (NCST), D, 4-3
There was no scoring in the opening the period. Stiles chose bottom to open the second and took the 1-0 lead with an escape for the only points of the middle period. Buesgens evened the bout at 1-all with an escape to … more at … https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/news/2025/12/12/wrestling-no-2-ohio-state-wins-top-10-battle-over-no-9-wolfpack-26-10
NC State Announces 2026 Induction Class for NC State Athletic Hall of Fame
Individuals from seven different sports, a team that won back-to-back national titles, a pioneer for women’s athletics, and a legendary coach comprise the 2026 induction class of the NC State Athletic Hall of Fame, McMurray Family Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan announced today.
The 10-member class is the eighth overall since the establishment of the Hall of Fame in 2012 and will be inducted at a gala in Reynolds Coliseum on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
The 1979 and 1980 NC State cross country teams that repeated as AIAW national champions will be inducted, alongside 1973 ACC Football Player of the Year Willie Burden, Olympic gold medalist Kenny Carr from men’s basketball, and 19-time All-American swimmer Beth Emery. Joining them will be National Champions Matt Hill (men’s golf), Tyrell Taitt (men’s track & field) and Scott Turner (wrestling), along with a national award winner, Marc Primanti (football).
Longtime NC State and ACC administrator Nora Lynn Finch will be honored for her contributions, alongside legendary wrestling coach Bob Guzzo, who led the Wolfpack to 13 ACC titles. “I’m very excited about this induction class because it represents many sports, many decades, and so very many accomplishments,” Corrigan said. “We look forward to recognizing their legacy and their achievements in April and congratulate them on this great honor.”
Ticket sales information for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be shared at a later date.
NC STATE ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
Class of 2026
Scott Turner, Wrestling (1984-1988)
During his highly successful Wolfpack career, Scott Turner helped lay the foundation for the success that NC State Wrestling still enjoys today. The third national champion in program history, Turner allowed only one point scored on him in the NCAA Tournament, cementing him as the 1988 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler, an award that only one other from NC State has claimed. At the conference level, he won the individual ACC Championship crown three times, as well as the 1984 ACC Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler award as a freshman. He is just one of 13 in program history to earn an individual ACC Championship at least three times. At the national level, Turner was a two-time All-American, earning the honors in 1986 and 1988.
Bob Guzzo, Special Contributor/Wrestling (1974-2004)
A pillar of the NC State wrestling program, Bob Guzzo was named the eighth head coach in program history in 1974 and led the team for the next 30 seasons. A six-time ACC Coach of the Year (’88, ’89, ’91, ’96, ’01, ’02), he led NC State to 13 league titles, a mark that still ranks second for a head coach in ACC history. Four of his athletes were national champions in three different weight classes and those under his direction earned 24 All-America honors. In his three decades at NC State, he amassed an impressive team record of 356-183-7 with a 117-53 mark in ACC competition, mentoring 86 individual ACC Champions and his athletes won ACC Wrestler of the Year honors three times. … more at … https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/15/football-nc-state-announces-2026-induction-class-for-nc-state-athletic-hall-of-fame
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 