NC State wrestling is ready to rumble ahead of 2025-26 season
Noah Teague, Staff Writer • Nov 6, 2025
There’s never been a better time to be a fan of NC State wrestling.
Led by head coach Pat Popolizio, the Wolfpack returns an impressive squad, featuring multiple ACC champions and a defending national champion in redshirt sophomore Vince Robinson. The 2025-26 season is one that will be marked by the Pack’s pursuit of championships and continuing the standard of excellence established by Popolizio.
After winning the 2025 125-pound national championship, Robinson returns to NC State with sky-high expectations for his encore. Ranked No. 1 per InterMat, Robinson will face multiple title contenders this season, highlighted by No. 4 Eddie Ventresca at Virginia Tech. The path to repeat as national champion looks daunting, but Robinson is no stranger to winning when it matters most.
Last season’s national championship marked the first for an NC State freshman since 1980 and the first-ever national champ in the 125-pound class. With a 24-3 record last season, Robinson showcased consistency all year long. His quickness and fiery approach make him nearly impossible to pin, while giving him the ability to seize the momentum with a takedown at any moment.
Robinson isn’t the only national championship contender in Raleigh; sixth-year Isaac Trumble is back for one last ride with the Wolfpack. Entering the season ranked No. 3 in the heavyweight class, Trumble is a tough competitor with loads of experience that gives him a mental edge over opponents. Making three NCAA Tournament appearances, including an All-American fourth-place finish last year in his first year competing in the heavyweight division, Trumble’s resume speaks for itself.
Last season, Trumble made waves as one of the nation’s elite wrestlers. However, his campaign turned south in the ACC Tournament when he medically forfeited, losing the opportunity to win a conference crown. Trumble was just a week removed from meniscus surgery at the ACC Tournament, … more at … https://technicianonline.com/151316/sports/nc-state-wrestling-is-ready-to-rumble-ahead-of-2025-26-season/
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/
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/
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
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
Gary Abbott Was The Right Person At The Right Time For USA Wrestling
ary Abbott leaves a lasting legacy after 37 years as USA Wrestling’s director of communications.
By this point, everyone has a Gary Abbott story. My favorite was at the 2019 World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Several members of the U.S. delegation experienced some sort of bug, and, halfway through the tournament, it got Gary. I saw him in the bathroom with a handful of paper towels when I asked what happened. He puked on press row and was about to clean up his mess.
Gary vomited three times and never left the tournament. He powered through like a Jordan Burroughs double-leg takedown.
I moved as far away from Gary as possible, hoping to avoid his fate. I held my breath if he was near. I used paper towels to open doors. I didn’t make eye contact. I tried everything.
Well, it didn’t work. I got sick the next day and puked three times — just like Gary.
Only I returned to the hotel to recover. Andy Hamilton, Trackwrestling’s content manager at the time (this was at the peak of the Track vs Flo wars), said Gary defeated me 3-3 on criteria since he kept working through the session, and I did not.
There’s a strong chance we used “BarfingGary1” as a password for one of our Trackwrestling accounts when we returned home.
This was quintessential Gary Abbott. Nothing would ever stand in the way of getting the job done — even if you have to sacrifice your health to make it happen. There’s a reason USA Wrestling’s executive director, Rich Bender, calls Abbott the hardest working man in wrestling, and Gary always proved it.
Gary is calling it a career after 37 ½ years as USA Wrestling’s director of communications. He covered the Olympics, World Championships, NCAA Championships, youth tournaments, beach wrestling, and everything in between.
His greatest legacy will be the advancement of women’s wrestling. There were times when Abbott was the lone voice for a sport that was working to find its place.
Bender was an intern at USA Wrestling in 1988 when he was asked to make a presentation to the board of directors about sending a women’s team to the 1989 World Championships. The presentation must have worked since the first U.S. women’s World team competed the following year.
He credits Abbott for the presentation and for his groundbreaking women’s wrestling coverage. “Few, if anyone, has had a bigger impact on the promotion of women’s wrestling than Gary Abbott,” Bender said. “He’s long been a bulldog on the idea of women having the same opportunities as men. Gary doesn’t jump to the front for credit, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14588959-gary-abbott-was-the-right-person-at-the-right-time-for-usa-wrestling
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 