10 New NCAA Wrestling Champions Crowned in Cleveland

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The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships concluded with 10 epic finals on the big stage in Cleveland, Ohio Saturday night. 10 more wrestlers were etched into the college wrestling history books, with some stunning results and dominating performances.

Why it matters

The NCAA Wrestling Championships are one of the most prestigious events in collegiate sports, showcasing the top talent in the country and determining the best wrestlers in each weight class. These results will have a major impact on the future of college wrestling, with several new champions emerging and some familiar faces cementing their legacies.

The details

The finals began at 141 pounds, where No. 2 Sergio Vega of Oklahoma State defeated No. 1 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State in sudden victory. At 149 pounds, No. 10 Aden Valencia of Stanford upset No. 1 Shayne Van Ness of Penn State in sudden victory. No. 5 Landon Robideau of Oklahoma State won the 157-pound title with a 4-2 decision over No. 2 Antrell Taylor of Nebraska. In the 165-pound final, No. 1 Mitchell Mesenbrink of Penn State tech falled No. 3 Mikey Caliendo of Iowa 20-4. No. 1 Levi Haines of Penn State won his second NCAA title at 174 pounds, defeating No. 3 Christopher Minto of Nebraska 2-1. At 184 pounds, No. 3 Max McEnelly of Minnesota upset No. 1 Rocco Welsh of Penn State 4-3. No. 1 Josh Barr of Penn State won the 197-pound title with a 6-3 decision over No. 7 Cody Merrill of Oklahoma State. In the heavyweight final, No. 2 Isaac Trumble of NC State shut out No. 1 Yonger Bastida of Iowa State 5-0. The tournament concluded with No. 1 Luke Lilledahl of Penn State edging No. 10 Marc-Anthony McGowan of Princeton 2-1 at 125 pounds, and No. 1 Jax Forrest of Oklahoma State defeating No. 2 Ben Davino of Ohio State 5-2 at 133 pounds.

• The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships took place on March 21-22, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio.