The 2026 NCAA Division 1 Wrestling Championships are underway at the Rocket Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and the semifinals ended recently. With the finals just around the corner, the favorites have managed to lead the mat with favorable points.
Penn State has secured 153.0 overall, while Oklahoma State managed 111.5, with Nebraska State at 90. 5. Jax Forrest, the Cowboys’ phenom, has made it to the finals with 133 points, alongside Luke Lilledahl from the Nittany Lions at 125 and Jesse Mendez from Ohio State at 141.
Some of the biggest upsets on the mat were also recorded, with Penn State’s PJ Duke being officially out of the race, alongside Stephen Little of Little Rock. As we navigate the journey to the finals, here are the latest updates.
Final Matchups
The final round is here, with each wrestler set to battle for the ultimate prize.
(1) Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) vs. (10) Marc-Anthony McGowan (Princeton State) – 125 lbs
(1) Jax Forrest (Oklahoma State) vs. (2) Ben Davino (Ohio State) – 133 lbs
(1) Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) vs. (2) Sergio Vega (Oklahoma State) – 141 lbs
(1) Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) vs. (10) Aden Valencia (Stanford State) – 149 lbs
(5) Landon Robideau (Oklahoma State) vs. (2) Antrell Taylor (Nebraska State) – 157 lbs
(1) Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) vs. (3) Mikey Caliendo (Iowa State) – 165 lbs
(1) Levi Haines (Penn State) vs. (3) Christopher Minto (Nebraska State) – 174 lbs
(1) Rocco Welsh (Penn State) vs. (3) Max McEnelly (Minnesota State) – 184 lbs
(1) Josh Barr (Penn State) vs. (7) Cody Merrill (Oklahoma State) – 197 lbs
(1) Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) vs. (2) Isaac Trumble (NC State) – 285 lbs
Team Race Leaderboard
After a grueling night, the team leading the D1 event is the Nittany Lions with a score of 158. A few wrestlers who had fallen under the consolation brackets also handed significant points to their teams. Here’s where every qualified team stands:
Penn State – 153.0
Oklahoma State – 111.5
Nebraska – 90.5
Iowa – 81.0
Ohio State – 77.5
Stanford – 58
Iowa State – 52
Michigan – 48
Minnesota – 39.5
NC State – 37
Biggest Upsets of the Night
PJ Duke vs. Landon Robideau
The D1 bouts have already seen some of the greatest upsets. The biggest one so far was the bout between Penn State’s No. 1 seed, PJ Duke, and No. 5 seed, Landon Robideau. Both came in at 157, but Robideau went in as the underdog and grabbed a win in a 3-1 tiebreaker, making this bout the flagship upset of the 2026 D1 Championships.
Duke had appeared to secure a takedown, but the Oklahoma coach, David Taylor, challenged the move, helping Robideau secure the win. Robideau will now face Nebraska’s Antrell Taylor in the finals.
Cody Merrill vs. Stephen Little
The second upset from the night is from No. 7 seed Cody Merrill of Oklahoma State, who garnered another 3–2 tiebreaker win against No. 3 seed Stephen Little of the Little Rock Trojans.
Merrill is now heading to face Josh Barr of Penn State.
When and How to Watch NCAA Wrestling Finals
The D1 championships are being broadcast across multiple sports streaming platforms, and the action can be viewed live on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, and ESPN+. The finals are scheduled for March 21.
Read more:
NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026: Full TV Schedule & How to Watch Live
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