2026 NCAA DI Men’s Championships: Session III Highlights
Photo: Cesar Alvan, the No. 12 seed at 165 pounds, punched his ticket to the semis with an overtime victory over No. 4 Nicco Ruiz of Arizona State. Photo by Sam Janicki.
CLEVELAND – Friday morning’s quarterfinals and two rounds of consolations unfolded before 17,067 fans in Cleveland’s Rocket Arena.
Forty student-athletes guaranteed themselves All-American status by punching their tickets to the semifinals, meaning they can do no worse than sixth. Meanwhile, the 40 quarterfinal losers will wrestle in tonight’s “Blood-Round,” during which the remaining four All-Americans at each weight class will be decided.
Penn State remains in first place after Session III with 105.5 team points, while Nebraska has moved into second with 66.0. Oklahoma State (64.5), Iowa (50.5) and Ohio State (44.0) currently round out the Top-5 teams.
Session IV gets underway from Rocket Arena with semifinal action and consolation Blood-Round action on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.
Top-10 Team Scores
- Penn State 105.5
- Nebraska 66.0
- Oklahoma State 64.5
- Iowa 50.5
- Ohio State 44.0
- Michigan 41.0
- Iowa State 30.5
- Stanford 29.0
- Virginia Tech 28.0
- Wyoming 24.5
Quarterfinal Results
125:
(1) Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) over (8) Dean Peterson (Iowa), (TB-1 2-1)
(5) Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State) over (4) Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh), (Dec 8-2)
(13) Jacob Moran (Indiana) over (6) Jore Volk (Minnesota), (Dec 5-4)
(10) Marc-Anthony McGowan (Princeton) over (2) Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech), (2-OT 2-2)
133:
(1) Jax Forrest (Oklahoma State) over (8) Markel Baker (Northern Illinois), (TF-1.5 2:38 (18-3))
(4) Aaron Seidel (Virginia Tech) over (5) Kyler Larkin (Arizona State), (TF-1.5 4:56 (16-1))
(3) Marcus Blaze (Penn State) over (6) Drake Ayala (Iowa), (Dec 5-3)
(2) Ben Davino (Ohio State) over (7) Lucas Byrd (Illinois), (MD 14-5)
141:
(1) Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) over (8) Vance Vombaur (Minnesota), (MD 16-4)
(5) Luke Stanich (Lehigh) over (4) Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State), (Dec 6-4)
(3) Brock Hardy (Nebraska) over (6) Vince Cornella (Cornell), (Dec 5-3)
(2) Sergio Vega (Oklahoma State) over (7) Nasir Bailey (Iowa), (Dec 4-1)
149:
(1) Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) 24-0 over (8) Casey Swiderski (Oklahoma State), (SV-1 5-2)
(20) Chance Lamer (Nebraska) over (12) Carter Young (Maryland), (MD 12-0)
(11) Lachlan McNeil (Michigan) over (3) Cross Wasilewski (Penn), (Fall 5:54)
(10) Aden Valencia (Stanford) over (2) Jaxon Joy (Cornell), (Dec 12-9)
157:
(1) PJ Duke (Penn State) over (8) Brandon Cannon (Ohio State), (TF-1.5 5:24 (21-5))
(5) Landon Robideau (Oklahoma State) over (4) Kaleb Larkin (Arizona State), (SV-1 9-6)
(11) Ty Watters (West Virginia) over (3) Meyer Shapiro (Cornell), (Dec 6-5)
(2) Antrell Taylor (Nebraska) over (7) Kannon Webster (Illinois), (Dec 5-2)
165:
(1) Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) over (9) Bryce Hepner (North Carolina), (Dec 6-0)
(12) Cesar Alvan (Columbia) over (4) Nicco Ruiz (Arizona State), (Dec 4-2)
(3) Mikey Caliendo (Iowa) 21-4 over (27) EJ Parco (Stanford), (MD 14-3)
(2) Joey Blaze (Purdue) over (10) Will Denny (NC State), (Dec 4-3)
174:
(1) Levi Haines (Penn State) over (9) Beau Mantanona (Michigan), (TF-1.5 7:00 (18-3))
(5) Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) over (4) Carson Kharchla (Ohio State), (TB-1 2-1)
(3) Christopher Minto (Nebraska) over (11) MJ Gaitan (Iowa State), (MD 11-3)
(7) Cam Steed (Missouri) over (15) Danny Wask (Navy), (SV-1 9-2)
184:
(1) Rocco Welsh (Penn State) over (8) Silas Allred (Nebraska), (Inj. 5:11)
(5) Brock Mantanona (Michigan) over (20) Brian Soldano (Oklahoma), (Fall 2:40)
(3) Max McEnelly (Minnesota) over (6) Eddie Neitenbach (Wyoming), (Dec 8-6)
(7) Angelo Ferrari (Iowa) over (2) Aeoden Sinclair (Missouri), (SV-1 4-1)
197:
(1) Josh Barr (Penn State) over (9) Angelo Posada (Stanford), (TF-1.5 4:51 (19-3))
(5) Joey Novak (Wyoming) over (29) Colton Hawks (Arizona State), (MD 17-5)
(3) Stephen Little (Little Rock) over (11) Camden McDanel (Nebraska), (SV-1 4-1)
(7) Cody Merrill (Oklahoma State) over (15) Remy Cotton (Rutgers), (Dec 8-3)
285
(1) Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) over (8) Ben Kueter (Iowa), (Dec 4-2)
(4) AJ Ferrari (Nebraska) over (20) Juan Mora (Oklahoma), (Dec 4-3)
(3) Taye Ghadiali (Michigan) over (27) Hunter Catka (Rutgers), (MD 8-0)
(2) Isaac Trumble (NC State) over (7) Konner Doucet (Oklahoma State), (Dec 4-0)
Blood-Round Matchups
125:
(4) Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh) vs. (7) Nico Provo (Stanford)
(8) Dean Peterson (Iowa) vs. (11) Tyler Klinsky (Rider)
(2) Eddie Ventresca (VT) vs. (12) Vincent Robinson (NC State)
(6) Jore Volk (Minnesota) vs. (17) Jett Strickenberger (WVU)
133:
(5) Kyler Larkin (ASU) vs. (15) Tyler Knox (Stanford)
(8) Markel Baker (NIU) vs. (13) Jacob Van Dee (Nebraska)
(20) Julian Farber (UNI) vs. (7) Lucas Byrd (Illinois)
(10) Maximillian Leete (American) vs. (6) Drake Ayala (Iowa)
141:
(4) Anthony Echemendia (Iowa State) vs. (15) Elijah Griffin (Rider)
(9) Vance VomBaur (Minnesota) vs. (11) CJ Composto (Penn)
(13) Wyatt Henson (Lock Haven) vs. (7) Nasir Bailey (Iowa)
(18) Carter Nogle (Air Force) vs. (6) Vince Cornella (Cornell)
149:
(12) Carter Young (Maryland) vs. (15) Ryder Block (Iowa)
(8) Casey Swiderski (OK State) vs. (12) Gabe Willochell (Wyoming)
(4) Collin Gaj (VT) vs. (2) Jaxon Joy (Cornell)
(16) Jacob Frost (Iowa State) vs. (3) Cross Wasilewski (Penn)
157:
(4) Kyler Larkin (ASU) vs. (15) Cam Catrabone (Michigan)
(8) Brandon Cannon (Ohio State) vs. (6) Jude Swisher (Penn)
(19) Kai Owen (Columbia) vs. (7) Kannon Webster (Illinois)
(9) Daniel Cardenas (Stanford) vs. (3) Meyer Shapiro (Cornell)
165:
(4) Nicco Ruiz (ASU) vs. (7) Max Brignola (Lehigh)
(9) Bryce Hepner (North Carolina) vs. (11) Ryder Downey (UNI)
(13) Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) vs. (10) Will Denny (NC State)
(16) Paddy Gallagher (Ohio State) vs. (27) EJ Parco (Stanford)
174:
(4) Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) vs. (2) Simon Ruiz (Cornell)
(9) Beau Mantanona (Michigan) vs. (6) Matty Singleton (NC State)
(12) Carter Schubert (Oklahoma) vs. (15) Danny Wask (Navy)
(18) Collin Kelly (Illinois) vs. (11) MJ Gaitan (Iowa State)
184:
(20) Brian Soldano (Oklahoma) vs. (10) Caleb Campos (American)
(8) Silas Allred (Nebraska) vs. (22) Zack Ryder (OK State)
(4) James Conway (F&M) vs. (2) Aeoden Sinclair (Missouri)
(16) Rylan Rogers (Lehigh) vs. (6) Eddie Neitenbach (Wyoming)
197:
(16) Branson John (Maryland) vs. (29) Colton Hawks (ASU)
(9) Angelo Posada (Stanford) vs. (12) Luke Geog (Ohio State)
(27) Gabe Arnold (Iowa) vs. (15) Remy Cotton (Rutgers)
(18) Andrew Reall (Brown) vs. (11) Camden McDanel (Nebraska)
285:
(20) Juan Mora (Oklahoma) vs. (10) David Szuba (ASU)
(8) Ben Kueter (Iowa) vs. (12) Braxton Amos (Wisconsin)
(20) Dayton Pitzer (Pitt) vs. (7) Konnor Doucet (OK State)
(18) Christian Carroll (Wyoming) vs. (27) Hunter Catka (Rutgers)
