Ohio State will begin competition at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships on March 19 with a wrestler in each of the 10 weight classes. The event, held at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, features both team and individual titles, with matches scheduled through March 21.
The Buckeyes’ full representation underscores the team’s depth and success this season. Qualifying all ten wrestlers for the national tournament is an achievement matched by only five other teams nationwide in 2026. Ohio State finished second at the recent Big Ten Championships, where Jesse Mendez won his second league title at 141 pounds and Ben Davino claimed the championship at 133 pounds.
Mendez enters as a No. 1 seed and two-time defending NCAA champion, while Davino is seeded second in his first appearance. Other notable qualifiers include Nic Bouzakis (125), Ethan Stiles (149), Brandon Cannon (157), Paddy Gallagher (165), Carson Kharchla (174), Dylan Fishback (184), Luke Geog (197), and Nick Feldman (heavyweight). Several of these athletes have previous All-America honors or top finishes at past NCAA tournaments.
Head coach Tom Ryan was named Big Ten Coach of the Year after guiding Ohio State to a record-setting season that included a perfect home record and victories over several ranked opponents. Under Ryan’s leadership, Ohio State has produced 167 NCAA qualifiers and earned 75 All-America honors since he took over in 2007. The program won its only team national title in 2015 and has finished among the top five nationally ten times during his tenure.
The Buckeyes’ strong dual meet performance this year included wins against Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and others. Their undefeated start set new school records for consecutive dual victories and home wins at Covelli Center.
Looking ahead to the championships, Ohio State aims to build on its recent successes as it competes for both individual titles and another high team finish.