Big Ten Announces Wrestling Preseason Honorees
Thirteen preseason honorees were named All-Americans last season
ROSEMONT, lll. – The Big Ten Conference announced Friday preseason honors for 28 student-athletes who were included on the Big Ten Wrestlers to Watch list.
The Watch List is headlined by 13 student-athletes who earned All-America distinction last year and four reigning NCAA Champions in Illinois’ Lucas Byrd (133), Nebraska’s Antrell Taylor (157), Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez (141) and Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink (165). It also includes nine wrestlers who captured All-Big Ten honors, including the 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Max McEnelly of Minnesota.
This winter, the Big Ten Wrestling Championships (March 7-8) will unfold at Penn State, while the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships (March 19-21) will be hosted at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
The full list of 2025-26 wrestling preseason honorees can be found below.
2025-26 Big Ten Wrestlers to Watch List
|
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Weight Class |
|
Lucas Byrd |
Illinois |
Gr. |
133 |
|
Kannon Webster |
Illinois |
So. |
157 |
|
Jacob Moran |
Indiana |
Gr. |
125 |
|
Gabe Sollars |
Indiana |
Jr. |
197 |
|
Drake Ayala |
Iowa |
Sr. |
133 |
|
Michael Caliendo |
Iowa |
Sr. |
165 |
|
Braxton Brown |
Maryland |
Sr. |
133 |
|
Jaxon Smith |
Maryland |
Sr. |
184 |
|
Taye Ghadiali |
Michigan |
Gr. |
285 |
|
Lachlan McNeil |
Michigan |
Gr. |
149 |
|
Darius Marines |
Michigan State |
Fr. |
157 |
|
Caleb Weiand |
Michigan State |
So. |
125 |
|
Max McEnelly |
Minnesota |
So. |
184 |
|
Vance VomBaur |
Minnesota |
Sr. |
141 |
|
Brock Hardy |
Nebraska |
Sr. |
141 |
|
Antrell Taylor |
Nebraska |
Jr. |
157 |
|
Sam Cartella |
Northwestern |
So. |
149 |
|
Sean Spidle |
Northwestern |
Sr. |
133 |
|
Jesse Mendez |
Ohio State |
Sr. |
141 |
|
Ethan Stiles |
Ohio State |
So. |
149 |
|
Levi Haines |
Penn State |
Sr. |
174 |
|
Mitchell Mesenbrink |
Penn State |
Jr. |
165 |
|
Joey Blaze |
Purdue |
Jr. |
165 |
|
Greyson Clark |
Purdue |
Jr. |
141 |
|
Shane Cartagena-Walsh |
Rutgers |
So. |
184 |
|
Hunter Catka |
Rutgers |
Gr. |
285 |
|
Braxton Amos |
Wisconsin |
Jr. |
285 |
|
Zan Fugitt |
Wisconsin |
So. |
133 |
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