Ohio State Set to Open 2026 Big Ten Championships

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2026 Brackets

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State opens the 2026 Big Ten Championships Saturday at the Bryce Jordan Center on the Penn State University campus. Seven Buckeyes earned Top 5 seeds at the event. Action gets underway at 10 a.m. Saturday with the Big Ten Network providing the national broadcast.

2026 BIG TEN WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS SCHEDULE
(all times Eastern and subject to change)

Saturday, March 7 (Coverage on Big Ten Network/FOX Sports app and B1G+)
TIME   SESSION   Broadcast/Stream
10 a.m.   Session I (First Round, Quarterfinals, Wrestlebacks)   Big Ten Network
5 p.m.   Session II (Consolation Matches, Wrestlebacks)   B1G+
7 p.m.   Session II (Semifinals)   Big Ten Network

Sunday, March 8 (Coverage on Big Ten Network/FOX Sports app and B1G+)
TIME   SESSION   Broadcast/Stream
Noon   Session III (Consolation Semifinals, 7th-Place Matches)   B1G+
4:30 p.m.   Session IV (1st-, 3rd- and 5th- Place Matches)   Big Ten Network

NOTE: Big Ten Network and B1G+ will provide live linear and streaming coverage of all four sessions, with Big Ten Network linear coverage also available on the FOX Sports App, while Big Ten Network+ matches can be streamed at bigtenplus.com.

2026 Big Ten Championship -- Ohio State Lineup
WT.	Wrestler	Seed	Record	Year	Hometown
125	Nic Bouzakis	No. 2	13-2	R-Jr.	Tampa, Florida
133	Ben Davino	No. 3	23-1	R-Fr.	South Elgin, Illinois
141	Jesse Mendez	No. 1	19-0	Sr.	Crown Point, Indiana
149	Ethan Stiles	No. 2	13-4	R-So.	Chicago
157	Brandon Cannon	No. 7	14-1	R-So.	Denver, Colorado
165	Paddy Gallagher	No. 8	12-6	R-Sr.	Chesterland, Ohio
174	Carson Kharchla	No. 4	14-3	Gr.	Powell, Ohio
184	Dylan Fishback	No. 6	15-5	R-Jr.	Aurora, Ohio
197	Luke Geog	No. 5	13-6	R-So.	Upper Arlington, Ohio
HWT	Nick Feldman	No. 3	19-4	R-Jr.	Quarryville, Pennsylvania

2026 Opening Round Big Ten Championship Matches
Wt-(Seed)
125-(2) Nic Bouzakis (OSU) - Bye
133-(3) Ben Davino (OSU) vs. (14) Jager Eisch (MINN)
141-(1) Jesse Mendez (OSU) - Bye
149-(2) Ethan Stiles (OSU) - Bye
157-(7) Brandon Cannon (OSU) vs. (10) Victor Voinovich (IOWA)
165-(8) Paddy Gallagher (OSU) vs. (9) Tyler Lillard (IND)
174-(4) Carson Kharchla (OSU) vs. (13) Connor O'Neil (MSU)
184-(6) Dylan Fishback (OSU) vs. (11) J.D. Perez (NU)
197-(5) Luke Geog (OSU) vs. (12) Dylan Connell (ILL)
HWT-(3) Nick Feldman (OSU) vs. (14) Caleb Marzolino (IND)

The Buckeyes defeated No. 5 Iowa in the third-consecutive and final home dual at the Covelli Center in 2026. Ohio State defeated No. 25 Wisconsin (30-10) and No. 13 Michigan (26-16) before taking down the Hawkeyes (24-9).
Ohio State recorded the best start in program history at 17-0. The Buckeyes finished the home season 7-0, the best home record in the Covelli Center. Ohio State's 17-consecutive dual victories also is a school record.
Against the ranked, Ohio State finished 4-1 against Top 5 teams, 8-1 against Top 10 and 11-1 against Top 25 teams this season.
Ohio State entered the match with the No. 1 Nittany Lions at 17-0. Its the most dual wins since an 18-2 campaign for Tom Ryan and the Buckeyes in 2009-10.
Now in his 20th year at Ohio State, Ryan has guided the Buckeyes to 10 or more wins in 15 seasons in Columbus.
Over the course of three days, Ohio State earned a pair of Top 10 road wins at No. 7 Minnesota (W, 29-9) and then at No. 6 Nebraska (W, 17-16). The Buckeyes trailed the Cornhuskers going into the final match of the night at heavyweight. Ohio State's Nick Feldman secured the comeback victory with a 4-1 win in sudden victory over No. 4 AJ Ferrari.
The Buckeyes won their Big Ten opener Jan. 11 in Columbus against No. 23 Indiana, 45-0. It was the first shutout in the series with the Hoosiers. The last time Ohio State shutout a league opponent was Jan. 31, 2023 at Maryland, 41-0.
Ohio State traveled west to take on Oregon State in Corvallis early in the new year. The Buckeyes came away with a 41-3 victory while allowing one takedown in the match.
At the Midlands Championships in late December, Ohio State won titles at 165 (e'Than Birden) and 197 (Seth Shumate) while Vinny Kilkeary (125) and Maddox Shaw (149) found the podium in seventh-place. Coupled with a win in the dual vs. Indiana, Birden was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his efforts.
The Buckeyes traveled to Nashville Dec. 21 to take part in the 2025 Journeymen Collegiate Duals. Ohio State faced Little Rock (W, 34-9) and No. 3 Iowa State (W, 21-13).
No. 2 Ohio State handled No. 9 NC State in Columbus prior to the start of the Big Ten season with a 26-10 victory. No. 1 Jesse Mendez put the Buckeyes up for good with a 21-6 win at 141. Ohio State won seven of the final nine bouts, including a No. 5 Carson Kharchla victory (D, 8-4) over No. 3 Matthew Singleton at 174 to secure the win.
Kharchla's win earned him the Big Ten Wrestler of the Week award. He did not allow a takedown in the win.
Ohio State cruised through the 2025 National Duals Invitational Nov. 15-16 with four team-dual victories on its way to the event title and a check for $200,000. The Buckeyes defeated Wyoming, No. 10 Minnesota, No. 2 Nebraska and No. 3 Iowa for the title. Ohio State went 20-0 at 125, 133, 141, 149 and 157 while losing just five total matches over the two-days.
Highlight wins at the National Duals, 125-Nic Bouzakis defeated (8) Jore Volk (MINN) and (10) Dean Peterson (Iowa/F, 1:34); 133-Ben Davino defeated (2) Drake Ayala (Iowa, D, 10-4); 141-Jesse Mendez defeated (8) Vance VomBaur (MINN), (2) Brock Hardy (NEB) and (9) Nasir Bailey (Iowa); 157-Brandon Cannon defeated defending NCAA Champion and top ranked Antrell Taylor (NEB/MD, 16-4); 174-Carson Kharchla defeated No. 4 Christopher Minto (NEB); 184-Dylan Fishback defeated (6) Silas Allred (NEB); HWT: Nick Feldman defeated (2) AJ Ferrari (NEB/D, 5-4).
At the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga to start the dual season, Ohio State earned nine total wins with seven coming with bonus points. The Buckeyes won 42-4 with six wins by technical fall with one pin by redshirt freshman Landon Desselle at 157.
Ohio State faced Bellarmine for the first time when the teams clashed Dec. 3 at the Covelli Center. The Buckeyes came away with a 41-3 win behind seven bonus point victories.
At the Kent State Open Dec. 6, Ohio State earned five Top 3 finishes, which included titles won by Vinny Kilkeary (125), Landon Desselle (157) and Seth Shumate (197). e'Than Birden (165) took second while Daxton Chase (149) claimed third.
At the Michigan State open Nov. 8, Ohio State came away with a pair of titles. Vinny Kilkeary (125) and Seth Shumate (197) both won their respective brackets with 3-0 records.
Kilkeary also won the 2025 Findlay Open Nov. 15 with a 6-0 record at 125.
Ohio State opened the dual season with 12 NCAA qualifies on its roster. Brendan McCrone (29-seed/2024, 20/2025), Nic Bouzakis (16/2024, 7/2025), Jesse Mendez (14/2023, 1/2024, 2/2025), Ethan Stiles (12/2025 at Oregon St.), Brandon Cannon (5/2025), Paddy Gallagher (28/2023, 26/2025), Carson Kharchla (7/2022, 10/2023, 9/2025), Ryder Rogotzke (18/2024, 26/2025), Dylan Fishback (10/2024, 15/2025 at NC State), Seth Shumate (23/2025), Luke Geog (23/2024) and Nick Feldman (9/2024, 12/2025).
Combined, the 2025-26 Buckeyes have made 22 appearances in the NCAA Championships Mendez owns three Top 8 finishes at the NCAA Champions, good for as many All-America honors. He placed sixth in 2023 at 133 and won the 141 title in both 2024 and 2025. Kharchla earned All-America honors in 2022 with a seventh-place finish at 165. Feldman battled to a fifth-place finish for All-America recognition at HWT in 2024.
Jesse Mendez opened the 2025-26 season at the 2025 NWCA All-American Championships in Piscataway, New Jersey, against Anthony Echemendia of Iowa State. Mendez, ranked No. 1 nationally at 141, defeated No. 6 Echemendia, 7-3.
Ohio State's first team event of the year was at the 2025 Clarion Open, where 24 Buckeyes competed and came away with six titles. Brendan McCrone (125), Ben Davino (133), Paddy Gallagher (165), Dylan Fishback (184), Luke Geog (197 and Nick Feldman (HWT) all won titles.
Tom Ryan, now in his 20th year at Ohio State, has sent 157 Buckeyes to the NCAA Championships. In nine seasons, the Buckeyes have sent nine or more (9/2009-13-17-23-24 and 10/2015-18-19-25) to the final weekend. The 2020 Championship was canceled (Covid).
Ryan has produced 75 All-Americans during his tenure with the Buckeyes, including an Ohio State record of eight in 2018.
By weight, Ryan has coached 18 NCAA qualifiers at 141 pounds with six NCAA Champions (Jaggers-2, Stieber-2, Mendez-2). Seventeen have qualified at 149, 174 and 184.
Ohio State has won 14 individual national titles in six weight classes under Ryan's direction (125-1, 133-2, 141-6, 174-1, 184-1, HWT-3).
The Buckeyes have produced 10 or more NCAA qualifiers in each of the 10 weight classes four times during Ryan's tenure in Columbus.
Ohio State sent six freshmen to the 2024 NCAA Championships. The most in Ryan's career.
Ohio State sent six freshmen, four who redshirted in 2023 and a pair of true rookies, to the 2024 Big Ten Championships. Brendan McCrone (125), Nic Bouzakis (133), Luke Geog (197) and Nick Feldman (285) sat out the 2022-23 season as redshirts. Rocco Welsh (174) and Ryder Rogotzke (184) were true freshmen in Ohio State's lineup in 2024.
Tom Ryan now has 200+ victories as head coach of the Buckeyes. He reached career win No. 300 in 2023. Ohio State opened the 2023-24 home dual season with a 53-0 win over Edinboro for win No. 200 (244-72/20 yrs. at OSU). Overall, in 31 years as a head coach, Ryan is 353-154-2. He secured career win No. 350 with a 30-10 victory over No. 25 Wisconsin earlier this year.
Tom Ryan has coached 75 All-Americans at Ohio State during his tenure, one in which earned him a spot in the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.
Ryan earned career dual victory No. 300 at the Collegiate Duals Dec. 20, 2022 in New Orleans. Ohio State defeated No. 21 Lehigh 23-12 for the historic win on the final day of the event.
Ohio State's list of Black Shirts grew by two after Brandon Cannon and Ben Davino earned the distinction Oct. 7, 2025. The duo became the 20th and 21st Black Shirts in program history. There are eight current Buckeyes who have earned Black Shirt status. For more on the honor see the final two pages of these notes.
With the additions of Ethan Stiles at 149 and Dylan Fishback (184), the Buckeyes have 12 athletes on the roster that have been NCAA qualifiers over the last two seasons. That list includes Brendan McCrone (125), Nic Bouzakis (133), Mendez (141), Cannon (157), Paddy Gallagher (165), Kharchla (174), Ryder Rogotzke (184), Seth Shumate (197), Luke Geog (197) and Nick Feldman (HWT).
In the fall of 2025, former Buckeye Myles Martin was inducted in to the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame. Martin captained the Buckeyes in 2017 and 2018 and earned letters from 2016-19. As a freshman in 2017, he earned the NCAA title at 174 pounds before moving up to 184, where he took second in 2018 and third in 2019. He also won the Big Ten title at 184 in 2019.

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