Wisconsin wrestling will send 10 competitors to the 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, as the conference announced pre-seeds ahead of the tournament scheduled for March 7-8 in State College, Pennsylvania.
The announcement comes as Wisconsin concludes a successful regular season with a 12-5 dual record and an upset win over Michigan. The team, led by head coach Chris Bono, features experienced wrestlers across all weight classes and aims to build on its momentum during the postseason.
Among the Badgers’ lineup, Nicolar Rivera is seeded seventh at 125 pounds with a 16-4 record. Zan Fugitt holds the fourth seed at 133 pounds, also with a 16-4 mark. Carson Exferd is seeded thirteenth at 141 pounds, while Joseph Zargo is ranked third at 149 pounds after achieving six technical falls this season. Other notable seeds include Luke Mechler (eighth at 157), Cody Goebel (tenth at 165), Luke Condon (twelfth at 174), Cale Anderson (fourteenth at 184), Wyatt Ingham (sixth at 197), and Braxton Amos (fifth at heavyweight).
The Big Ten tournament serves as one of the most competitive events in collegiate wrestling and acts as a qualifier for the NCAA championships. All fourteen conference programs will compete for national placement and NCAA spots across ten weight classes.
Competition begins Saturday morning with session one airing on BTN and B1G+, followed by additional sessions throughout the weekend. Championship finals are set for Sunday afternoon on the Big Ten Network, while consolation matches will be available via B1G+ streaming services.
As Wisconsin prepares to compete against top-ranked opponents from across the conference, expectations remain high following their strong finish to the regular season.