PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The No. 11 Rutgers wrestling team is gearing up for the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, scheduled for March 19-21. This year, Rutgers stands out with nine competitors, tying for their second-highest total in history, just behind the ten they brought in 2016.
Watching the championships will be easy. ESPN will cover every match, streaming individual sessions for fans.
Here’s the schedule:
- Session I: Noon (ESPN2/ESPN+)
- Session II: 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN+)
- Session III: Noon (ESPNU/ESPN+)
- Session IV: 8 p.m. (ESPN2/ESPN+)
- Session V: 11 a.m. (ESPNU/ESPN+)
- Session VI: 6:30 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN+)
Looking closer at the matches, here are some key matchups:
- 125: Ayden Smith vs. Maximo Renteria (Oregon State)
- 133: Dylan Shawver vs. Lucas Byrd (Illinois)
- 141: Joseph Olivieri vs. Nash Singleton (Oregon State)
- 149: Andrew Clark vs. David Evans (Utah Valley)
- 165: Andrew Barbosa vs. Noah Mulvaney (Bucknell)
- 174: Lenny Pinto vs. Carter Schubert (Oklahoma)
- 184: Shane Cartagena-Walsh vs. Zack Ryder (Oklahoma State)
- 197: Remy Cotton vs. Andrew Reall (Brown)
- HWT: Hunter Catka vs. Nathan Taylor (Lehigh)
This year’s championship holds special significance for the Scarlet Knights. Under Coach Scott Goodale, they aim to secure All-American honors for the ninth time in 11 seasons. Since 2019, the team has seen remarkable success, including their first two individual NCAA champions.
The team boasts seasoned athletes: they have a whopping 15 NCAA appearances and 28 tournament wins among them. Notably, three wrestlers—Shawver, Pinto, and Catka—are competing for the fourth time.
Fans have been buzzing about the Scarlet Knights’ past performance in Cleveland. In 2018, they achieved their second-best team finish, highlighted by Nick Suriano’s runner-up spot at 125 pounds. This history fuels their motivation to excel once again.
With all these athletes and their rich history, Rutgers has become a strong competitor on a national scale. The enthusiasm around their journey is palpable, drawing attention from wrestling fans everywhere. Rutgers isn’t just wrestling; they’re making a statement.
For updates on the NCAA Championships, visit ESPN’s page here.
In conclusion, as the competition heats up, wrestling fans are eager to see how this talented team performs at the NCAA Championships. The excitement is building, and all eyes will be on Cleveland!
