Every 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Champion

No. 1 Penn State clinched its fourth straight Big Ten title after breaking school records for most wrestlers competing in conference championship bouts (eight) and most individual titles won (seven).

"It's a constant reminder of how we're so lucky to be surrounded by the best wrestlers and the best coaches in the world," said Mitchell Mesenbrink. "Our coaches and the men and women around us are solidifying the intangibles."

Penn State also broke the program's championships record with 184 team points. No. 2 Ohio State took home two titles and finished second with 148.5 points, while No. 5 Nebraska finished in third with multiple finalists and 116.5 points.

Take a look at each of the individual championship bouts.

Individual Big Ten Wrestling Champions

Lilledahl Repeats (125)

After scoring on just escapes during regulation, the championship bout at the lightest weight went to overtime. That's when No. 1 seed Luke Lilledahl (Penn State) came through with the sudden-victory, belt-winning takedown to defend his Big Ten title. He defeated Purdue's No. 6 seed Jore Volk, who had upset No. 2 seed Nic Bouzakis in the semifinals in a definitive 8-1 decision to advance. Lilledahl cruised past Indiana's Jacob Moran (No. 4 seed) in the semis.

Davino Extinguishes the Blaze (133)

Ohio State redshirt freshman Ben Davino (No. 3 seed) wrestled through a second tiebreaker to topple undefeated freshman phenom Marcus Blaze (No. 1 seed, PSU). The wrestlers only scored on escapes the entire contest (including the extra periods), but since Davino scored first, he was awarded the decision to take the title.

Mendez Reclaims the Title (141)

In their seventh collegiate meeting, No. 1 seed Jesse Mendez (OSU) took down No. 2 seed Brock Hardy (NEB) twice to reclaim his 2024 Big Ten Championship, 7-2. Mendez is the two-time defending NCAA Champion at 141 and already has his eyes on a three-peat.

The Van Ness Monster (149)

After a scoreless first period, No. 1 seed Shayne Van Ness (PSU) pinned No. 2 seed Ethan Stiles (OSU) 31 seconds into the second to improve to 21-0 and win his first Big Ten title. Van Ness gritted out tough wins in the quarterfinals (5-4 over Iowa's No. 8 seed Ryder Block) and semifinals (11-10 against Michigan's No. 4 seed Lachlan McNeil) to earn the championship bid.

Duke Downs the King (157)

Freshman PJ Duke (No. 2 seed, PSU) handled defending NCAA Champion and No. 1 seed Antrell Taylor (NEB), 10-4, with a takedown in each period to raise the belt. The win avenges Duke's January loss to the Husker.

Three-Peat Mesenbrink (165)

No. 1 seed Mitchell Mesenbrink (PSU) leveraged three takedowns to win his 49th consecutive match , defeating No. 3 seed Michael Caliendo (Iowa), 12-3. He has earned bonus points in every bout this season.

A Four-Time Big Ten Champ (174)

With no score in the first period, No. 7 seed Christopher Minto (NEB) took a 1-0 lead with an escape in the second. No. 1 seed Levi Haines (PSU) was awarded a point following a Husker penalty before earning an escape to take a 2-1 advantage. That made the difference, and Haines became the fourth Nittany Lion to win four Big Ten crowns .

Welsh Wins in Thrilling Tiebreaker (184)

Fifteen seconds into the third period, the only scores between No. 1 seed Rocco Welsh (PSU) and No. 2 seed Max McEnelly (MINN) were an escape apiece. Despite attacks in the extra period, the big men went to tiebreaker. Welsh came up with an escape, and a late attempt from McEnelly was reviewed but fell short. Big Ten Champion Welsh remains undefeated heading to nationals.

Raising the Barr (197)

No. 1 seed Josh Barr (PSU) got out to a quick 6-1 lead and never let up, handling No. 2 seed Camden McDanel (NEB), 19-4, to win by tech fall for the 10th time this season. Barr dominated in the quarterfinals (21-6) and semifinals (18-3) as well, and will be the favorite at NCAAs.

Match Flips with 18 Seconds Left (HWT)

The first two periods at heavyweight went scoreless after No. 2 seed AJ Ferrari (NEB) prevented No. 1 seed Taye Ghadiali (MICH) from earning an escape and built up 1:57 of riding time. Ferrari escaped early in the third, but with just 18 seconds remaining, Ghadiali overpowered the Husker with a match-deciding takedown. Ferrari was called for stalling, giving Ghadiali a 5-2 championship victory. What a thrilling finish .

More to Come

Penn State's performance at the 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships was nothing short of historic. The Nittany Lions continue to solidify their place as the premier wrestling program in the country heading into the NCAA Championships, where they'll seek their fifth consecutive national title. The Big Ten Championships were a testament to their relentless pursuit of excellence—and the best may still be yet to come. We'll see how each of our championship contenders does on the national stage later this month.

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