Seeds and brackets announced for 2026 NCAA men's wrestling championships

The University of Iowa men's wrestling team secured seven top-10 seeds for the national tournament.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 6:20am

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The University of Iowa men's wrestling team secured seven top-10 seeds for the 2026 NCAA Championships, the governing body announced on Wednesday. The Hawkeyes will send nine wrestlers to the national tournament, including several high-seeded contenders.

Why it matters

Iowa is a perennial powerhouse in college wrestling, and the team's strong seeding positions them well to compete for a national title. The NCAA Championships are a marquee event that draws significant interest from wrestling fans across the country.

The details

Michael Caliendo earned the No. 3 seed at 165 pounds, while Patrick Kennedy is the No. 5 seed at 174. Drake Ayala is the next-highest seed for the Hawkeyes, coming in at No. 6 at 133 pounds. Nasir Bailey and Angelo Ferrari are both seeded seventh at 141 and 184, respectively. Dean Peterson earned the No. 8 seed at 125 pounds, while Ben Kueter is also an eighth seed at heavyweight.

  • The NCAA Championships will be held March 19–21 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

The players

Michael Caliendo

A University of Iowa wrestler who earned the No. 3 seed at 165 pounds for the 2026 NCAA Championships.

Patrick Kennedy

A University of Iowa wrestler who earned the No. 5 seed at 174 pounds for the 2026 NCAA Championships.

Drake Ayala

A University of Iowa wrestler who earned the No. 6 seed at 133 pounds for the 2026 NCAA Championships.

Nasir Bailey

A University of Iowa wrestler who earned the No. 7 seed at 141 pounds for the 2026 NCAA Championships.

Angelo Ferrari

A University of Iowa wrestler who earned the No. 7 seed at 184 pounds for the 2026 NCAA Championships.

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What’s next

The NCAA Championships will be held March 19–21 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

The takeaway

The University of Iowa's strong seeding in the 2026 NCAA men's wrestling championships underscores the program's continued dominance in the sport. As a perennial powerhouse, the Hawkeyes will be heavily favored to contend for the national title once again.