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
4 key Big Ten college wrestling weekend headlines
Between Penn State’s dominant win over Wyoming, Iowa’s unconventional lineup changes and Ohio State’s continued success, last weekend’s college wrestling action produced an endless amount of storylines to follow.
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Here are the biggest headlines to know about the leaders in the Big Ten and what they indicate about each team’s lineups as 2026 approaches.
New faces and national champs shine for Penn State in 40-7 win over Cowboys
Penn State’s depth has been the story of the season for the Nittany Lions, and last weekend was no different.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS: See how Penn State captured the Division I national title
True freshman Nate Desmond took the mat for the Blue and White at 141 pounds in place of injured All-American Aaron Nagao and All-American redshirt Braeden Davis and nearly majored John Alden, topping the Cowboy 11-4 just three weeks after beating teammate All-American Luke Lilledahl at the Black Knight Invite down at 125 pounds. Desmond could still redshirt if Nagao comes back, but his versatilty and strength across two weights suggests that if he were to start in the postseason, he could make a podium run in his rookie season.
Freshman Marcus Blaze also hasn’t needed an adjustment time to college, as the freshman U20 world champ added a win of his own against the Cowboys, pinning No. 22 Luke Willochell in the second period. Blaze holds a 100% bonus rate on the year but could face a tricky Tyler Knox of Stanford next weekend at the Collegiate Duals for his first All-American test of the season.
PJ Duke, who joined Blaze on the U20 world team this year and is also in his first season with the Nittany Lions, impressed as well in just his third dual of the season. He too recorded a pin with his coming against No. 23 Jared Hill in the second period. Duke and teammate Joe Sealy have split time for the Nittany Lions at this weight thus far, though Duke has the head-to-head win against Sealy from the Black Knight Invite that could help inform the starting spot. Duke also has the opportunity to wrestle five duals without burning his redshirt, if the Penn State coaches opt for that route. The fact that the Nittany Lions have Duke, Sealy and two-time All-American and current redshirt Tyler Kasak in one room together at 157 highlights once again how deep this team can be and how these kinds of options allow the program to be flexible across the regular season schedule, especially here in December before Duke’s five “free” matches (before burning his redshirt) run out.
Outside of the three new stars, Penn State also saw elite performances from proven stars, including a pin over Sloan Swan from NCAA champion Mitchell Mesenbrink … more at … https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling-men/article/2025-12-14/4-key-big-ten-college-wrestling-weekend-headlines
Men’s College Notebook: Ohio State, UNC, Oklahoma among notable dual-meet winners from Week 6
Dec 15, 2025, 2:50 PM EST
by Brian Reinhardt
Plenty of dual action this past weekend, let’s look at some of the highlights.
An Ohio State-Ment
After dropping the opening bout at 125 pounds, #2 Ohio State won the next four, two went for bonus, and ran away with a 26-10 win over #9 NC State. The win pushed the Buckeyes’ record to 8-0. A stretch that includes four top-10 wins, and they have outscored their foes a combined 275-44 (115-31 against those four top-10 foes).
#1 Jesse Mendez continues to make his push for a third straight national title at 141 pounds, as he scored a second-period tech fall against #7 Ryan Jack (21-6). It was Mendez’s second tech fall this year against a ranked foe. The Buckeyes also captured slight upsets at 149 and 174 pounds. #5 Ethan Stiles scored a controversial third-period takedown to defeat #4 Koy Buesgens, 4-3. #6 Carson Kharchla downed #3 Matty Singleton, 8-4. It was the first loss of the season for both Wolfpack wrestlers.
Trumble Establishes Himself
A positive to come out of the dual for NC State was the steady progress Isaac Trumble has continued to make since returning from injury. It was in a battle of top five heavyweights. In just his second match of the year, Trumble scored a first-period takedown and accumulated over 90 seconds of riding time to take out #2 Nick Feldman, 5-1. Trumble’s return last weekend was also a ranked win, a 9-1 major decision over #17 Hunter Catka of Rutgers.
Trumble injured his knee before the ACC Championships and had it scoped that week. He had to injury default out of that tournament, but at the NCAA Championships, he tore the knee in his third bout. He still went on to capture All-American honors and a fourth-place finish before having surgery after the season.
Start Paying Attention To UNC
North Carolina passed its first ranked test of the season, easily defeating #17 West Virginia, 27-7, to improve to 6-0 this year. UNC scored four ranked wins on the night, including upsets by a pair of unranked wrestlers: Jake Dailey over #19 Ian Bush at 184 pounds (5-3) and Robert Platt over #21 Rune Lawrence at 197 pounds (10-7). The Tar Heels jumped out to a 12-0 advantage, earning decisions from 125-to-149 pounds. UNC also closed the dual with three straight decisions from 184 to heavyweight.
The 6-0 start is the best for the program since 2005-06, … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/december/15/men-s-college-notebook-ohio-state-unc-oklahoma-among-notable-dual-meet-winners-from-week-6
Men’s College Notebook: Influx Of Talent Expected Second Semester, Six Duals To Watch This Weekend
With the first semester across college campuses coming to an end, there will be an influx of talent as we head into the second half of the NCAA wrestling season.
There is a wide variety of reasons many top wrestlers had to sit out of the competition scene up to this point, but some very recognizable names will soon be returning to the mat.
Here is a short list of some of the top wrestlers who could make their season debuts any time now. The season will have to play out to see if anybody from this list decides to take the entire year off to save a year of eligibility.
133 pounds
Lehigh’s Ryan Crookham was ranked #1 in the rankings last year at this time after coming off a third-place NCAA finish in 2024. He suffered an injury after last year’s 5-0 start and has not wrestled since December 2024. Head coach Pat Santoro expects his return to come in January.
141 pounds
Crookham’s teammate at Lehigh, Luke Stanich, is a bit ahead of him in returning. Stanich finished fifth as a freshman at 125 pounds at the 2024 NCAA Championships. He deferred eligibility last year to work up to 141 pounds, and over the summer, he won gold at the U20 World Championships despite suffering an injury in his first bout. That injury has kept him out of the lineup thus far.
Dylan Ragusin has not seen action since the 2024 Cliff Keen Invite. He was a 2024 All-American at 133 pounds for Michigan.
Cornell’s Vince Cornella has been off the college mats since the 2024 EIWA Championships (back when Cornell was still in that conference). He did not see action last year but worked his way back this past weekend to a title at the Patriot Open, including a 10-4 win over #15 Tom Crook of Virginia Tech … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/december/11/men-s-college-notebook-influx-of-talent-expected-second-semester-six-duals-to-watch-this-weekend
Girls’ wrestling now the fastest-growing sport in the Country, and it starts young
When Ben Fallon was growing up in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, all he ever wanted to do was play football. Fallon was in fourth grade, and in Western Pennsylvania, pretty much every boy wants to play football. However, his parents had some strong feelings about that sport. “My parents wouldn’t let me play football, and I was just looking for a sport that I could be really physical in and get some of that energy out that I think all fourth-grade boys have,” Fallon said.
Wrestling was a sport in which he competed during middle school, high school and college. It was a passion for the sport he never really lost because, as he says, it shaped his character and his adult life. “Wrestling for me was a place where there’s no one else to blame but yourself when you are out there,” Fallon said. “You get out what you put in, and you own 100% of your success and your failure. And I liked that.”
“What really made me commit so much time and effort and energy was just wanting to not only win but show myself that I could be one of the best,” he said. When he and his wife, Corrine, got married and started having children, Fallon always believed he might find himself coaching a son. Except the son never came. Fallon, 36, smiles broadly. “I thought when my third daughter was born that wrestling was totally off the table for me,” he said. “I was kind of resigned to the fact that we were going to be a soccer family my whole life.”
And he was fine with that. However, that all changed last winter when his wife ran into the local club wrestling coach at Franklin Regional. He casually mentioned they were having “weigh-ins” if their girls wanted to join up. “When Corrine told me, I didn’t even really give my kids an option,” he said. “I just said, ‘Hey, I have good news. We’re going to try wrestling this winter.’ So it wasn’t like something that I had been planning on doing with them because I didn’t even know we had a girls’ program.”
All three girls, 8, 5 and 3, came to the first weigh-in, wrestled and fell in love with it on their own, Fallon swears. Last weekend, they competed as part of the Franklin Regional Junior Wrestling Program in their first tournament.
The girls are not alone. While the sport of wrestling has long been a male-dominated field, it has experienced significant growth among girls in middle and high school over the past decade. College-level female wrestling has also seen a big boom, Fallon said. “In fact, girls’ wrestling is now recognized as the fastest-growing high school sport in the United States, outpacing both football and basketball,” he said. “Here in Pennsylvania, nearly 250 high schools offer competitive wrestling for girls.”
Colin Dunlap, a Pittsburgh-based talk-radio host who spent … more at … https://www.timesrepublican.com/opinion/columnists/2025/12/girls-wrestling-now-the-fastest-growing-sport-in-the-country-and-it-starts-young/
Southern Virginia University Men’s Wrestling Battles Back Over Shenandoah For ODAC Dual Triumph
Buena Vista, VA — Debuting their new black uniforms, the Southern Virginia University men’s wrestling team secured their first ODAC dual win of the season in dominant fashion, defeating Shenandoah 35–17 behind clutch performances in the final bouts. The Knights struck first at 125 lbs, with Maddox Heck earning a forfeit to give the Knights an early 6–0 lead.
At 133 lbs, Jayton Wellington battled through a physical match. After falling behind 3–0 in the first period, Wellington chose neutral to begin the second and immediately responded with a takedown and four nearfall points. He entered the third period up 7–3, escaped quickly from bottom, and held strong through late stalling and penalty points to claim a 9–5 decision, extending the Knights’ lead to 9–0.
At 141 lbs, Porter Kinne wasted no time, finishing a clean single-leg takedown and maintaining dominant top control before securing a pin, pushing the Knights ahead 15–0.
Shenandoah battled back as 149 lbs saw Corbin Mecham surrender a takedown before being pinned, cutting the lead to 15–6. The Hornets kept the momentum at 157 lbs, where Kyler North gave up an early double-leg takedown and was eventually pinned, narrowing the gap to 15–12 at the halfway mark. Shenandoah briefly took the lead at 165 lbs, as Wyatt Kinne was caught in a hip toss and pinned, giving the Hornets an 18–15 advantage. But the Knights answered immediately.
At 174 lbs, Tanner Giatras delivered one of the night’s most composed performances. He opened with a clean single-leg takedown and continued to push the pace, earning stall points and multiple takedowns to build a 7–1 lead after two periods. Despite a late scramble that tightened the score, Giatras shut the door with a reversal and four-point nearfall to claim a 14–6 major decision, swinging the dual back in SVU’s favor 19–17.
At 184 lbs, Harrison Hoopes fought through an intense back-and-forth match. After falling behind early, he battled to a 10–7 lead after the first period thanks to strong nearfall work. Shenandoah tied the match 10–10 in the second, … more at … https://knightathletics.com/news/2025/12/10/southern-virginia-university-mens-wrestling-battles-back-over-shenandoah-for-dual-triumph.aspx
Iowa State Wins Second CKLV Title in Three Years
LAS VEGAS – Four Cyclones were crowned champions at the 2025 Cliff Keen Invitational as Iowa State ran away with its second team title at the event in the last three seasons.
Iowa State scored 183.5 points to win the team title, well in front of second place Michigan (99) and third place Stanford (97.5). Evan Frost (133), Anthony Echemendia (141), Rocky Elam (197) and Yonger Bastida (285) all won individual titles as ISU had a placewinniner in nine of 10 weight classes. The Cyclones scored 34.5 bonus points in the tournament thanks to 13 tech falls, seven major decisions and four pins.
Evan Frost accepted a medial forfeit from Arizona State’s No. 19 Kyler Larkin (ASU) in the 133-pound finals to win his first CKLV title. Frost had previously finished as runner-up in his previous two appearances in Las Vegas.
At 141 pounds, No. 4 Anthony Echemendia used two second period takedowns to top Rider’s No. 26 Elijah Griffin, 6-2, in the championship match. Echemendia posted a 5-0 record with two tech falls and a major decision en route to his CKLV title.
The night ended with back-to-back Iowa State-Wyoming matchups in the 197- and 285-pound finals matches. It was another high-level test for No. 2 Rocky Elam against No. 6 Joey Novak, who placed fifth at the NCAA Championships last season. Elam secured two takedowns and a riding time point in a 7-3 decision over the Cowboy. Elam logged two top-10 wins on the final day of the tournament and now has three such wins this season.
The heavyweight finals match pitted No. 1 Yonger Bastida against former Cyclone Christian Carroll. Bastida got the better of Carroll in a low scoring affair, 5-3. It marks Bastida’s second CKLV title.
No. 10 Stevo Poulin dropped a 7-0 decision to Stanford’s No. 11 Nico Provo in the 125-pound third-place bout. Provo used a takedown and a quick tilt for three near fall points in the final 30 seconds of the first period which proved to be the difference in the match. … more at … https://cyclones.com/news/2025/12/6/wrestling-iowa-state-wins-second-cklv-title-in-three-year
Wolverines Claim Second Place at CKLV Invitational, Put Five on Podium
LAS VEGAS, Nev. — The University of Michigan wrestling team claimed second place at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational with five individual placewinners — four in the top four at their respective weights — on Saturday (Dec. 6) at the Westgate Hotel Paradise Event Center. It was the Wolverines’ highest finish at the annual tournament in eight years.
Redshirt freshman Brock Mantanona was the Wolverines’ top performer with a runner-up finish at 184 pounds, improving on his seventh-place showing last season at 165 pounds. Mantanona fell 5-0 to Franklin and Marshall’s 12th-ranked James Conway in the championship match. He could not finish on a single in the air in the first period, then gave up a last-second takedown on the edge to fall behind 3-0 after the first. Conway added an escape point and rode out the third to seal the win.
Mantanona, the top seed and ranked seventh nationally, cruised to an 18-5 major decision against Oklahoma’s 13th-ranked Brian Soldano in the morning semifinals. The Wolverine freshman scored four takedowns, including two in the third period and one at the final buzzer, and a four-point cradle in the first. Mantanona is 9-2 on the season with four ranked wins and five bonus wins.
The Wolverines went 8-1 in the morning session with eight bonus wins to surge back from fifth to second place. Redshirt sophomore Beau Mantanona and graduate student Taye Ghadiali bounced back from quarterfinal losses to post 6-1 records and claim third place at 174 pounds and heavyweight, respectively.
Beau Mantanona, seeded third and ranked 13th, avenged his only loss of the tournament in the medal round, using a counter scramble takedown midway through the third and 1:23 in riding-time advantage to earn a 6-3 decision against South Dakota State’s 24th-ranked Moses Espinoza-Owens. He cradled and pinned Cal Poly’s Cash Stewart at 1:16 in his first bout of the day, … more at … https://mgoblue.com/news/2025/12/6/wrestling-wolverines-claim-second-place-at-cklv-invitational-put-five-on-podium

