2025 NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships
 | |
| Season | 2024–25 |
|---|---|
| Teams | 66 |
| Format | Double-elimination |
| Finals site | Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Champions | Penn State (13th title) |
| Runner-up | Nebraska |
| Winning coach | Cael Sanderson (12th title) |
| MOW | Carter Starocci (Penn State) |
| Attendance | 18,085 (session I) 18,088 (session II) 18,091 (session III) 18,099 (session IV) 18,806 (session V) 18,826 (session VI) |
| Television | ESPN ESPN2 ESPNU ESPN+ |
The 2025 NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships was the 94th annual NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championship that took place from March 20–22, 2025, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Wells Fargo Center.[1]
Penn State won their 13th national team title and their 12th under head coach Cael Sanderson after becoming the second team in NCAA Division I history to have 10 All-Americans in a single tournament.[2] The Nittany Lions also broke their 2024 tournament record for most amount of points scored in a single tournament with 177.0 points.[3]
Penn State, Nebraska, and Oklahoma State all had two wrestlers win individual championships with Penn State's Mitchell Mesenbrink and Carter Starocci, Nebraska's Ridge Lovett and Antrell Taylor, and Oklahoma State's Dean Hamiti Jr. and Wyatt Hendrickson all winning titles. Starocci became the first five-time NCAA Division I champion.[4] Nebraska finished in a program-best second place, getting their first champion since 2011 and having two national champions for the first time since 1984.[5] Oklahoma State had their first champion since 2021 and it was first time the team had multiple champions since 2016.[6]
Qualification
[edit]Pre-allocations
[edit]The NCAA announced qualifying tournament pre-allocations on February 27, 2025.[7]
| Conference | 125 | 133 | 141 | 149 | 157 | 165 | 174 | 184 | 197 | 285 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACC | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 38 |
| Big 12 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 61 |
| Big Ten | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 87 |
| EIWA | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 22 |
| Ivy League | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 26 |
| MAC | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 23 |
| Pac-12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 17 |
| Southern | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| Pre-allocations | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 287 |
At-large selections
[edit]The NCAA announced at-large selections on March 11, 2025.[8]
| Conference | 125 | 133 | 141 | 149 | 157 | 165 | 174 | 184 | 197 | 285 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACC | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| Big 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
| Big Ten | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| EIWA | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Ivy League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| MAC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Pac-12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Southern | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| At-large bids | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 46 |
Participating teams
[edit]A total of 66 teams qualified wrestlers.[9] Bellarmine had two NCAA qualifiers in its first season of Division I eligibility.[10] Morgan State sent an alternate who did not compete in the tournament.[11] Cleveland State announced that they would discontinue the wrestling program following the tournament.[12]
- Appalachian State (3)
- Arizona State (3)
- Army (7)
- Bellarmine (2)
- Binghamton (2)
- Brown (1)
- Bucknell (5)
- California Baptist (1)
- Cal Poly (5)
- Cal State Bakersfield (3)
- Campbell (3)
- Central Michigan (6)
- Chattanooga (3)
- Cleveland State (1)
- Columbia (5)
- Cornell (10)
- Drexel (3)
- Duke (1)
- Edinboro (2)
- Gardner–Webb (2)
- George Mason (3)
- Harvard (2)
- Hofstra (2)
- Illinois (8)
- Indiana (6)
- Iowa (9)
- Iowa State (8)
- Lehigh (6)
- Little Rock (5)
- Lock Haven (7)
- Maryland (6)
- Michigan (7)
- Michigan State (3)
- Minnesota (9)
- Missouri (6)
- Morgan State (1)
- Navy (3)
- NC State (8)
- Nebraska (9)
- North Carolina (8)
- North Dakota State (4)
- Northern Colorado (4)
- Northern Illinois (3)
- Northern Iowa (10)
- Northwestern (4)
- Ohio (2)
- Ohio State (10)
- Oklahoma (5)
- Oklahoma State (9)
- Oregon State (6)
- Penn (7)
- Penn State (10)
- Pittsburgh (9)
- Princeton (5)
- Purdue (5)
- Rider (5)
- Rutgers (8)
- South Dakota State (9)
- Stanford (8)
- The Citadel (4)
- Utah Valley (1)
- Virginia (4)
- Virginia Tech (9)
- West Virginia (5)
- Wisconsin (3)
- Wyoming (6)
Competition schedule
[edit]The NCAA announced the competition schedule on March 19, 2025.[13]
| Date | Time (ET) | Session | Events | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 20 | 12:00 a.m. | Session I | Pigtails and First Round | ESPNU |
| 7:00 p.m. | Session II | Pigtail Wrestle-Backs, First Round Wrestle-Backs, Second Round, and Consolation Round | ESPN | |
| March 21 | 12:00 p.m. | Session III | Quarterfinals, Second Round Wrestle-Backs, and Third Round Wrestle-Backs | ESPNU |
| 8:00 p.m. | Session IV | Semifinals, Blood Round, and Fifth Round Wrestle-Backs | ESPN2 | |
| March 22 | 11:00 a.m. | Session V | Semifinal Wrestle-Backs, Third-Place Matches, Fifth-Place Matches, and Seventh-Place Matches | ESPNU |
| 7:00 p.m. | Session VI | First-Place Matches | ESPN |
Team results
[edit]| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
|
Penn State | 177.0 |
|
Nebraska | 117.0 |
|
Oklahoma State | 102.5 |
| 4 | Iowa | 81.0 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 51.5 |
| Minnesota | ||
| 7 | Cornell | 50.0 |
| 8 | NC State | 46.5 |
| 9 | Northern Iowa | 45.5 |
| 10 | Illinois | 44.5 |
Individual results
[edit]| Weight | First | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth | Seventh | Eighth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125 lbs | Vincent Robinson NC State |
Troy Spratley Oklahoma State |
Luke Lilledahl Penn State |
Matt Ramos Purdue |
Eddie Ventresca Virginia Tech |
Sheldon Seymour Lehigh |
Caleb Smith Nebraska |
Stevo Poulin Northern Colorado |
| 133 lbs | Lucas Byrd Illinois |
Drake Ayala Iowa |
Zeth Romney Cal Poly |
Zan Fugitt Wisconsin |
Braeden Davis Penn State |
Connor McGonagle Virginia Tech |
Jacob Van Dee Nebraska |
Tyler Knox Stanford |
| 141 lbs | Jesse Mendez Ohio State |
Brock Hardy Nebraska |
Beau Bartlett Penn State |
C.J. Composto Penn |
Cael Happel Northern Iowa |
Josh Koderhandt Navy |
Jacob Frost Iowa State |
Vance VomBaur Minnesota |
| 149 lbs | Ridge Lovett Nebraska |
Caleb Henson Virginia Tech |
Shayne Van Ness Penn State |
Dylan D'Emilio Ohio State |
Lachlan McNeil North Carolina |
Ethan Stiles Oregon State |
Sammy Alvarez Rider |
Gavin Drexler North Dakota State |
| 157 lbs | Antrell Taylor Nebraska |
Joey Blaze Purdue |
Tyler Kasak Penn State |
Trevor Chumbley Northwestern |
Meyer Shapiro Cornell |
Vinny Zerban Northern Colorado |
Matty Bianchi Little Rock |
Caleb Fish Oklahoma State |
| 165 lbs | Mitchell Mesenbrink Penn State |
Mike Caliendo Iowa |
Peyton Hall West Virginia |
Christopher Minto Nebraska |
Terrell Barraclough Utah Valley |
Hunter Garvin Stanford |
Cam Steed Missouri |
Cameron Amine Oklahoma State |
| 174 lbs | Dean Hamiti Jr. Oklahoma State |
Keegan O'Toole Missouri |
Levi Haines Penn State |
Patrick Kennedy Iowa |
Simon Ruiz Cornell |
Cade DeVos South Dakota State |
Matthew Singleton NC State |
Danny Wask Navy |
| 184 lbs | Carter Starocci Penn State |
Parker Keckeisen Northern Iowa |
Max McEnelly Minnesota |
Dustin Plott Oklahoma State |
Chris Foca Cornell |
Jaxon Smith Maryland |
Silas Allred Nebraska |
Donnell Washington Indiana |
| 197 lbs | Stephen Buchanan Iowa |
Josh Barr Penn State |
A.J. Ferrari Cal State Bakersfield |
Jacob Cardenas Michigan |
Joseph Novak Wyoming |
Stephen Little Little Rock |
Mac Stout Pittsburgh |
Camden McDanel Nebraska |
| 285 lbs | Wyatt Hendrickson Oklahoma State |
Gable Steveson Minnesota |
Cohlton Schultz Arizona State |
Isaac Trumble NC State |
Owen Trephan Lehigh |
Greg Kerkvliet Penn State |
Joshua Heindselman Michigan |
Ben Kueter Iowa |
Finals matches
[edit]| Weight | Champion | Result | Runner-up | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125 lbs | #4 Vince Robinson | NC State | Dec 2–1 | #7 Troy Spratley | Oklahoma State |
| 133 lbs | #1 Lucas Byrd | Illinois | TB–2 3–2 | #2 Drake Ayala | Iowa |
| 141 lbs | #3 Jesse Mendez | Ohio State | Dec 12–9 | #1 Brock Hardy | Nebraska |
| 149 lbs | #2 Ridge Lovett | Nebraska | Dec 1–0 | #1 Caleb Henson | Virginia Tech |
| 157 lbs | #3 Antrell Taylor | Nebraska | Dec 4–2 | #8 Joey Blaze | Purdue |
| 165 lbs | #1 Mitchell Mesenbrink | Penn State | Dec 8–2 | #2 Michael Caliendo | Iowa |
| 174 lbs | #3 Dean Hamiti Jr. | Oklahoma State | SV–1 4–1 | #1 Keegan O'Toole | Missouri |
| 184 lbs | #1 Carter Starocci | Penn State | Dec 4–3 | #2 Parker Keckeisen | Northern Iowa |
| 197 lbs | #2 Stephen Buchanan | Iowa | Dec 5–2 | #4 Josh Barr | Penn State |
| 285 lbs | #2 Wyatt Hendrickson | Oklahoma State | Dec 5–4 | #1 Gable Steveson | Minnesota |
Medal table
[edit]| Rank | Team | First | Second | Third | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Penn State | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 |
| 2 | Nebraska | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Oklahoma State | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 | Iowa | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 5 | Illinois | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| NC State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Ohio State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 8 | Minnesota | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Purdue | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Missouri | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Northern Iowa | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Virginia Tech | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 13 | Arizona State | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Cal Poly | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Cal State Bakersfield | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (16 entries) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 30 | |
Awards
[edit]| Award | Recipient | Team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler | Carter Starocci | Penn State | [14] |
| NCAA Tournament Coach of the Year | Mark Manning | Nebraska | [15] |
References
[edit]- ^ "2025 NCAA DI wrestling championships: Selections info, brackets, schedule". NCAA. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ Wogenrich, Mark (23 March 2025). "Penn State Wrestling Clinches 4th Straight NCAA Team Title Long Before the Finals". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ Gallen, Daniel (23 March 2025). "2 Penn State wrestlers win national titles; Nittany Lions set points record in latest championship". 247Sports. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ "Penn State's Starocci wins record 5th national title; Hendrickson stuns Steveson for 285-pound title". WJHL. 23 March 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ Henry, Kaleb (23 March 2025). "Nebraska Wrestling Finishes Second at NCAA Championships; Ridge Lovett & Antrell Taylor Win National Titles". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ Baxley, McClain (23 March 2025). "Wyatt Hendrickson caps college career with stunning national championship win, Cowboys finish in Top 3". 247Sports. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ "DI Wrestling Committee releases qualifying tournament allocations for 2025 championships". NCAA. 27 February 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ "NCAA announces at-large selections for 2025 Division I Wrestling Championships". NCAA. 11 March 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ Scovel, Shannon (14 March 2025). "Breaking down the 2025 DI wrestling brackets". NCAA. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
- ^ Mullaney, Conor (19 March 2025). "Hendricks, Rallo ready to compete in NCAA DI Wrestling National Championships". Bellarmine University Athletics. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ "Doolin Ready to Rumble". Morgan State University Athletics. 12 March 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ "Cleveland State announced it will discontinue NCAA Div. I wrestling program". USA Wrestling. 23 January 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ Olmedo, Alonzo (19 March 2025). "NCAA Wrestling Championships: Schedule, rules, scoring, stats". ESPN. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
- ^ Thornton, Cedric (24 March 2025). "Penn State's Carter Starocci Named 2025 NCAA Most Outstanding Wrestler". Black Enterprise. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
- ^ "Huskers Finish Second at National Wrestling Championships". Huskers Illustrated. 23 March 2025. Retrieved 25 March 2025.