Rutgers Wrestling Aims to Break Through at NCAA Tournament

Scarlet Knights look to end drought of All-Americans as they head to Cleveland

Mar. 18, 2026 at 9:07am

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Rutgers University's wrestling team is heading to the NCAA Tournament in Cleveland with the goal of finally breaking through and producing All-Americans after a drought in recent years. Head coach Scott Goodale and his veteran squad, led by standouts like Dylan Shawver and Joey Olivieri, are confident they can figure out the March tournament and reach the medal stand.

Why it matters

Rutgers has not had an All-American wrestler in two of the last three seasons, and the program's performance at the NCAA Tournament is seen as a key measure of its success. Breaking that drought and getting wrestlers on the podium would be a major boost for the Scarlet Knights' wrestling program and its standing in the competitive Big Ten conference.

The details

None of Rutgers' nine wrestlers are seeded in the top eight, with graduate student Joey Olivieri (141) the highest at No. 9 and redshirt sophomore Shane Cartagena-Walsh (184) at No. 11. Five Rutgers wrestlers are seeded 21st or higher. However, the team has a veteran lineup with 15 combined NCAA Tournament appearances, 28 wins, and six wrestleback-round 4 appearances. Standouts include Dylan Shawver (133), who was seventh in 2024, and Olivieri, Lenny Pinto (174), and Hunter Catka (heavyweight), who have all been one win away from All-American status.

  • The NCAA Wrestling Tournament will take place Thursday-Saturday, March 20-22, in Cleveland.
  • Rutgers had another successful dual meet season, finishing ranked No. 11 in the country for the second straight year and tying for third in the Big Ten regular season standings - its highest finish since joining the conference.

The players

Scott Goodale

The head wrestling coach at Rutgers University who has emphasized getting his team to perform at its best in the NCAA Tournament.

Dylan Shawver

A graduate student at Rutgers who is one of eight wrestlers in program history to qualify for four national tournaments and one of three to win a Big Ten Tournament championship.

Joey Olivieri

A graduate student at Rutgers who missed over two months of the dual meet season due to a "violation of team rules" but has gone 6-2 since returning to the lineup on February 16.

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What they’re saying

“I have to figure out March in a bigger way.”

— Scott Goodale, Head Wrestling Coach, Rutgers University

“This isn't about me, (assistant coaches) Joe Pollard, Steve Mytych, Mikey Labriola and Sammy Sasso. It's about can these guys (the wrestlers) figure out a way to break through? That's where we're at.”

— Scott Goodale, Head Wrestling Coach, Rutgers University

“He really sums up our program if you look at where he comes from and where's he's been. He's just blue collar. Whatever he gets, he earns. He's been in so many important matches for us the last six years. He's been in so many individual matchups that have really helped shape our program.”

— Scott Goodale, Head Wrestling Coach, Rutgers University

What’s next

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The takeaway

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