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
Bo Bassett Makes Super 32 History — But He Wasn’t the Only Four-Time Champ Crowned in Greensboro
Pennsylvania’s Bo Bassett became the first-ever four-time boys’ champion at the Super 32 Tournament, joining Maryland’s Taina Fernandez, who achieved the same milestone just minutes earlier. Several other stars, including Melvin Miller, Rocklin Zinkin and the Mills brothers, also left Greensboro with gold belts.
As the competition was whittled down on Saturday at the Super 32 Tournament in Greensboro, North Carolina, it led to the anticipation of Sunday’s stage being set for No. 1 Bo Bassett (Bishop McCort, Pennsylvania) to become the first ever four-time champ in the boy’s division.
History made twice at Super 32
We need to designate boys’ division specifically now because, in running order, shortly before Bassett’s bout came Maryland’s Taina Fernandez’s 138-pound final on the lady’s front. Fernandez’s 10-0 technical fall of Arizona’s No. 2 Morgan Lucio (Valiant Prep) made Fernandez the first ever four-time champ, with Bassett joining the club not long after her. Fernadez, a junior at Archbishop Spalding in Maryland, won a Super 32 Belt when she was an eighth grader. More coverage of her escapades can be found in our girls Super 32 article. … more a … https://www.si.com/high-school/wrestling/bo-bassett-makes-super-32-history-but-he-wasn-t-the-only-four-time-champ-crowned-in-greensboro-01k80wazacf1
High school wrestling star Bo Bassett to make Real American Freestyle debut at RAF3 in Chicago
High school wrestling star Bo Bassett signed with Real American Freestyle and will debut at RAF3 on Nov. 29 in Chicago, the company announced Friday.
Bassett, who is committed to Virginia Tech, has a 126-0 high school record in Pennsylvania with 120 bonus-point victories heading into his senior season. He claimed the U17 world title in 2021 and a U20 world bronze in 2024. “Real American Freestyle is where the best of the best face off, and I’m honored to be given the opportunity to compete this November,” Bassett said in a statement. “This is a great chance to wrestle the best senior level wrestlers in the world, and I’m proud to be part of this organization. RAF is going to be the NFL or NBA of wrestling.”
Chad Bronstein, co-Founder and CEO of Real American Freestyle, said it’s not too early for the 19-year-old to compete at this level. … more at … https://apnews.com/article/wrestling-real-american-freestyle-702cfc1ef1fd2cd97c99a54b738d6757
Presbyterian College Men’s Wrestling Publishes 2025-26 Slate
CLINTON, S.C. – Presbyterian College men’s wrestling head coach Mark Cody has ushered in the 2025-26 competition schedule for his seventh season as the program’s one and only director. The upcoming campaign will feature 13 duals and four regular season tournaments.
The Blue Hose will begin a new path on Sunday, November 2 at the Southeast Open, hosted by Virginia Tech.
PC turns over a new leaf this winter, in possession of their biggest-ever roster that includes 16 new student-athletes and 33 wrestlers in total.
A member of the Southern Conference since the team’s inception in 2019, Presby won five matches at last spring’s league championships. They’ll wrestle seven opponents at Templeton Gym this season, including three SoCon opponents.
NOVEMBER + DECEMBER
– Coach Cody’s club will be in a bracket system for the season-opener in 10 days, headed to Virginia for the Southeast Open. PC wrestled in one regular-season tourney last season, also held in November.
– The Blue Hose men’s and women’s wrestling teams will collaborate on the 15th for the annual Throwdown on the Yorktown, a series of neutral duals in Charleston on the deck of a naval ship.
– Aboard the USS Yorktown, Presbyterian will go head-to-head with Campbell in the first of eight SoCon matches for the year. The action begins at three o’clock.- PC will travel to Sin City on December 5 and 6 for the Cliff Keen Invitational, another tournament from fabulous Las Vegas.
– The Blue Hose will make their first appearance at Templeton on the 15th, a first-time meeting with Cal Baptist on a Monday night.
– One week before Christmas, Presbyterian will entertain Air Force, Franklin & Marshall, and conference rival Davidson in a four-way of duals that starts at 9:00 AM.
– PC closes the book on the 2025 calendar by entering in the famed Midlands Championships … more at … https://gobluehose.com/news/2025/10/23/mens-wrestling-mens-wrestling-publishes-2025-26-slate.aspx
History Was Made at the 2025 Super 32
As someone who enjoys the historical aspect of our sport, it was a must to be in Greensboro, North Carolina over the weekend for the latest edition of the Super 32. For a tournament that dates back to the 1990’s and has featured countless NCAA All-Americans, national champions, and even Olympic medalists, the Super 32 never had a wrestler win four championships at the high school level. Now there are two. Bo Bassett and Taina Fernandez both dominated their way through Super 32 brackets over the weekend and won their fourth championship belt. In her five bouts, Fernandez only was pushed past the two-minute mark on one occasion. She only allowed a single point while scoring 40 of her own.
Bassett made the finals after six straight tech falls. In the championship match, he defeated Penn commit, Charlie DeSena, via a 13-4 major decision. Two of Bassett’s titles have come over wrestlers that either already earned, or would go on to win, Super 32 titles themselves.
The tournament organizers were prepared in the event that Bassett and Fernandez would win their fourth titles and hand personalized statues made of the two competitors. While each was wrestling in the finals, the tournament stopped so that fans could direct the fullest extent of their attention to these young stars and their attempt at chasing history.
The girls portion of this tournament has only been in existence since 2017, so there isn’t as much history associated with that competition. But for Bassett to be the four-time, in today’s wrestling landscape is quite remarkable. The quality of wrestling and the readiness of young wrestlers is at a much higher level today compared to the early 2000’s.
This should be a high school season full of such milestones for Bassett. He is also on pace to win his fourth title at the Ironman and Powerade. … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/history-was-made-at-the-2025-super-32-r100583/
A Look At The Schedule For The 2025 Defense Soap Super 32 Challenge
Check out the complete schedule for the 2025 Defense Soap Super 32 Challenge, set for Oct. 18-19 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
If you’re a fan of folkstyle wrestling and want a glimpse of the top young wrestlers in the nation, the Defense Soap Super 32 Challenge is a can’t-miss event that absolutely should be on your radar.
Not only will the 2025 event feature many of the top high school athletes in the country – including 200 nationally ranked boys and more than 150 nationally ranked girls – the two-day tournament also serves as a crystal ball of sorts, as the field will include future stars just now competing in the Elementary School 8 & Under Division.
This year, the Super 32 Challenge will be held Oct. 18-19 at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, and we’ve got the schedule for you.
- Subscribe To FloWrestling To Catch All Of This Season’s Matches And Events
- Don’t Miss Any Action On FloWrestling – Sign Up For An Annual Subscription
- All The Nationally Ranked Wrestlers Headed To 2025 Super 32
- 2025 Super 32 Wrestling College Fan Guide
All of the action from the Greensboro Coliseum will be streamed live on FloWrestling and the FloSports app, and you’ll also be able to check out news, notes, brackets, highlights, replays and interviews on both platforms.
Matches will take place throughout the day across more than two dozen mats, with a dozen or more weight classifications for almost all of the age groups.
Whether you have a favorite wrestler or category, or you’re curious about the future of the sport, remember to tune in to see who will claim this year’s title.
Here is the complete schedule for the weekend. FloWrestling coverage on both days will begin at 8 a.m. Eastern.
2025 Defense Soap Super 32 Challenge Competition Schedule
All Times Eastern
Friday, Oct. 17
2 p.m. – Coliseum doors open … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14624760-a-look-at-the-schedule-for-the-2025-defense-soap-super-32-challenge
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 