Six wrestlers from the University of North Carolina are set to compete at the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, which begin March 19 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
The event is significant for the Tar Heels as it provides an opportunity for these athletes to contend for national titles and gain recognition on a major collegiate stage. The tournament will run through March 21 and will be broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN+ during morning sessions, with evening coverage on ESPN and ESPN+.
Bryce Hepner leads the group as the No. 9 seed in the 165-pound weight class. Luke Simcox also earned a top-15 seed, coming in at No. 12 at 141 pounds. Four-time NCAA qualifier Kysen Terukina is seeded No. 19 at 125 pounds, while Laird Root holds the No. 30 seed at 157 pounds. Collin Carrigan is seeded No. 27 at 174 pounds and will face an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent in his opening match, while Jake Dailey rounds out the team with an No. 18 seed at 184 pounds.
Opening round matchups include Terukina facing Jacob Moran of Indiana, Simcox wrestling Tyler Wells of Oklahoma, Root taking on Meyer Shapiro of Cornell, Hepner matched against Sean Seefeldt of Penn, Carrigan meeting Matty Singleton of North Carolina State University, and Dailey going up against Sal Perrine of Ohio.
The participation of these six athletes highlights North Carolina’s continued presence in national collegiate wrestling competitions. Their performances over the next three days could have implications for both individual careers and the university’s standing within college wrestling.