Like Fargo, Super 32 is a national wrestling family reunion
By Tristan Warner
You may have never heard this fun fact, but at Disneyland and Disney World, you physically cannot take 30 steps in any direction without passing a trash can. Per the parks’ historical accounts, Walt Disney observed that people will walk about 30 steps before dropping litter. With that in mind, he mandated that trash receptacles be placed every 30 feet throughout all of his parks.
What does this have to do with wrestling? Fair question.
After spending two full days at the Greensboro Coliseum for the annual Super 32 Challenge, I was reflecting on the sheer volume of people I crossed paths with that I either know personally or recognized. The Super 32, in similar fashion to Fargo, is a who’s who exhibit of wrestling names and faces.
The Disney trash can reference came to mind when I considered the fact that it was pretty difficult to take 20-30 steps in any direction of the facility without either bumping into someone I knew or intersecting a recognizable wrestling face.
The competition floor is littered with not only many of the nation’s top high school and middle school wrestlers but also an innumerable quantity of high school, college and club coaches serving in various capacities, whether there to coach athletes of their own or to recruit.
Needless to say, for someone who has ate, slept and breathed wrestling for over three decades, I am at an interesting age in which so many of my former peers are now involved as parents, coaches, or both. Some of the conversations and interactions apart from the actual wrestling make up the most memorable moments of this event annually.
That is really saying something considering Super 32 has become the nation’s premier preseason wrestling event. Each year, the number of nationally-ranked wrestlers in the brackets seems to rise. With that, so does the quantity of collegiate coaches in attendance. The belts shine a little brighter, and the difficulty level of actually obtaining one ascends correspondingly.
But as is spoken by nearly every coach ever profiled in WIN’s USA Wrestling Coach’s Corner section, which totals over 50 published as of this issue, the relationships and bonds forged through the sport transcend the outcomes. That may sound like corny or cliché coach speak, but it really is the truth. Perhaps no other event besides possibly Fargo illustrates this concept like Super 32.
Roaming the Greensboro Coliseum for two days bumping into so many former teammates, coaches, opponents, and even subjects I’ve interviewed for WIN Magazine is such a rewarding experience. And the funny thing is, the brief conversations … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/11/07/like-fargo-super-32-is-a-national-wrestling-family-reunion/
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
Nebraska Wrestling Lining Up Pieces For Another Trophy Push
A.J. Ferrari is set to make his debut with the Nebraska wrestling program while the Huskers are getting the rest of their lineup pieces in order.
Nov 5, 2025 by Dylan Guenther
Nebraska started its season this past weekend with nine of its starters taking the mat – minus top-ranked heavyweight AJ Ferrari – but you won’t have to wait much longer to see the high-profile transfer in a Husker singlet. According to Nebraska coach Mark Manning, Ferrari is slated to make his Husker debut in the team’s home opener on Friday against Army. Ferrari missed the Navy Classic due to a turf toe injury. “He’s strong and a big, powerful guy. He’s really athletic. He’s a great competitor — that’s what we knew we were going to get out of AJ,” Manning said. “He brings a lot of competitive spirit to our team. At heavyweight, if you got a guy who can be a difference-maker, that’s a really big deal. We filled that missing piece with AJ. What he brings to our team can be a game-changer. He’s worked hard and gotten himself into really good shape, and his toe is healed up, so he’s ready to fire on Friday.”
Against Army, Ferrari is likely to take on #14 Brady Colbert in his first career match at heavyweight. He’s 50-2 in college at 197 pounds with his NCAA title coming in 2021 as a true freshman for Oklahoma State. How Ferrari looks against Colbert will tell us a lot with National Duals coming up … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14718051-nebraska-wrestling-lining-up-pieces-for-another-trophy-push
And …
Nebraska Wesleyan Wrestling Adds Peyton Robb as Assistant Coach
LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Wesleyan head wrestling coach Colton McCrystal has filled the vacancy on his coaching staff with the hiring of Peyton Robb, it was announced Monday. “Peyton is a world class athlete that we are really lucky to have with our program” McCrystal said. “His career speaks for itself, but he also has a great mind and approach to coaching. I’m looking forward to having his insight and coaching style add to what we are trying to shape our program into.”
Robb comes to Nebraska Wesleyan after completing a coaching internship with the University of Nebraska wrestling program, where he assisted with practice planning, athlete development, and program operations during the 2024 fall semester. He also contributed to research on training methods and trends while maintaining relationships with current and former Huskers.
In addition to his work with Nebraska, Robb has been self-employed as a wrestling camp coach, coordinating and leading youth wrestling camps around the country. His ability to teach technique, inspire young wrestlers, and grow the sport has made him a respected name among coaches and athletes alike. Robb is also a current Regional Training Center … more at … https://nwusports.com/news/2025/11/3/nebraska-wesleyan-wrestling-adds-peyton-robb-as-assistant-coach.aspx
And …
3 Takes: Nebraska wrestling wins fourth straight Navy Classic
No. 2-ranked Nebraska wrestling opened its season with a bang at the Navy Classic, taking first place among 10 teams for the fourth straight year. The Huskers impressed, with five of their six finalists winning their divisions. Last season may have been one of NU’s best overall seasons, yet head coach Mark Manning may have an even better one in store for 2025-26.
Here are three takeaways following Nebraska’s dominant showing: … more at … https://www.on3.com/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers/news/3-takes-nebraska-wrestling-wins-fourth-straight-navy-classic/
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
Nebraska Wrestling Lining Up Pieces For Another Trophy Push
A.J. Ferrari is set to make his debut with the Nebraska wrestling program while the Huskers are getting the rest of their lineup pieces in order.
Nebraska started its season this past weekend with nine of its starters taking the mat – minus top-ranked heavyweight AJ Ferrari – but you won’t have to wait much longer to see the high-profile transfer in a Husker singlet.
According to Nebraska coach Mark Manning, Ferrari is slated to make his Husker debut in the team’s home opener on Friday against Army. Ferrari missed the Navy Classic due to a turf toe injury. “He’s strong and a big, powerful guy. He’s really athletic. He’s a great competitor — that’s what we knew we were going to get out of AJ,” Manning said. “He brings a lot of competitive spirit to our team. At heavyweight, if you got a guy who can be a difference-maker, that’s a really big deal. We filled that missing piece with AJ. What he brings to our team can be a game-changer. He’s worked hard and gotten himself into really good shape, and his toe is healed up, so he’s ready to fire on Friday.”
Against Army, Ferrari is likely to take on #14 Brady Colbert in his first career match at heavyweight. He’s 50-2 in college at 197 pounds with his NCAA title coming in 2021 as a true freshman for Oklahoma State.
How Ferrari looks against Colbert will tell us a lot with National Duals coming up the following weekend. Ferrari will likelly face #8 Nathan Taylor of Lehigh in the first round before probable matchups against #4 Taye Ghadiali of Michigan and #6 Nick Feldman of Ohio State. And those are just the matches he’ll be in as the Huskers try to get to the final where Ferrari could see #5 Ben Kueter of Iowa or #9 Konner Doucet of Oklahoma State. As for his eligibility going forward, Manning said … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14718051-nebraska-wrestling-lining-up-pieces-for-another-trophy-push
Upon further review: Nebraska high school wrestling on the cutting edge with new review provision
High school boys and girls wrestling will look a little different during the championship round in February. That’s because coaches will have the chance to challenge calls, under an experimental rule approved by the Nebraska School Activities Association Board of Directors on Wednesday.
NSAA wrestling director Ron Higdon said Nebraska will be the first state to use video review for high school wrestling. “Right now, it’s only going to be allowed in the championship finals matches, which in boys, will be four mats going on at the same time, one for each class (Classes A through D),” Higdon said. “And for girls, it will be two mats going on at the same time, with A and B.”
Scoring decisions, timing issues, technical violations and out-of-bounds calls will be eligible for review. “There’s a whole list of parameters that we outlined of what can be reviewed and what can’t,” Higdon said. “And basically, almost everything can be reviewed, with the exception of a small list.”
The exceptions include judgment calls or decisions unable to be clearly determined with video. “Falls (a pin), near fall, stalling, which is a judgment call,” Higdon said of what’s excluded. “Unnecessary roughness or unsportsmanlike conduct, which is also just a judgment call. And then starting position, because many times the camera will not catch an improper starting position.”
Coaches will get at least one challenge per match and can challenge additional calls if they are successful. They will have about five to seven seconds to signal for a review on a particular call, then officials will look for a natural stop in action to pause and analyze the ruling. “The wording that we have is the referee will stop the match as soon as practical, ensuring that no significant action is occurring at the time the match is halted,” Higdon said.
Personnel costs will remain the same, Higdon said. Two referees and one NSAA rules official per match will sit mat-side, next to a monitor ready to review a call. … more at … https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/upon-further-review-nebraska-high-school-wrestling-on-the-cutting-edge-with-new-review-provision/
How did the Super 32 field compare to Fargo this year?
Editor’s Note: This article appeared in WIN’s Volume 32 Issue 2, which printed on Oct. 31, 2025. Click here or call 641-792-4436 to subscribe to WIN Magazine. Buy a Digital or Combo Subscription to get immediate digital access to WIN’s Volume 32 Issue 2.
By Rob Sherrill
The Super 32 is an event that the nation’s top prep wrestlers look forward to every October. As the nation’s biggest single-field high school event, the Super 32 has drawn many comparisons to USA Wrestling’s giant 16U and Junior Nationals, which take place at the iconic Fargodome in July.
The styles are obviously different, with Fargo treating us to freestyle and Greco, the Super 32 to folkstyle. The ever-increasing popularity of the Super 32 also invites the real comparison that inquiring minds want to know about: Which one is tougher?
I decided to take a look. Using the individual rankings I compile for WIN as a guide, I compared the number of ranked wrestlers who competed at Fargo to the number of ranked wrestlers who competed in the Super 32. Granted, we’re comparing up to four Fargo tournaments to one Super 32. Still, the results were surprising, and they are a testament to the job that USA Wrestling has done selling its age-group development programs.
In 2025, the wrestler I had ranked No. 1 competed at Fargo, either in the 16U or in the Junior Nationals, in 11 of the 14 weight classes (I combined all weight classes 106 and below into a single weight class for this assessment, since the lowest weight class I rank is 106). The 165-pound class was led by the wrestler I had ranked No. 2, and 106 and 138 were headed by the wrestler I had ranked No. 3. But 11 out of 14? That’s a staggering number of top-ranked wrestlers in a single event.
By contrast, the Super 32 that just concluded contained only four wrestlers now ranked No. 1 – Ariah Mills (106) and Antonio Mills (126) of Georgia, Moses Mendoza (132) of California and Bo Bassett (150) of Pennsylvania. All four won their weight classes relatively easily — three months after Antonio Mills, Mendoza and Bassett won Junior National freestyle titles at Fargo, and Ariah Mills one-upped them with a U17 World freestyle gold medal. … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/11/05/how-did-the-super-32-field-compare-to-fargo-this-year/
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
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 