Iowa Extends Attendance Streak to 23 of 24 Seasons

Home attendance for NCAA Division I wrestling continued its climb in 2025-26, with 25 programs averaging over 1,000 fans per home dual. That's nearly double the 13 programs that reached that mark a decade earlier in 2015-16, and part of a longer-term rise that saw the 1,000+ group grow from 13 to a high of 27 programs in both 2023-24 and 2024-25.

Iowa led the nation in home average attendance for the 23rd time in the last 24 seasons, drawing 11,811 fans per dual across five home dates at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, while Oklahoma State finished second nationally in 2025-26 at 9,259 per dual. Penn State placed third at 8,943 across seven home dates across Rec Hall and the Bryce Jordan Center.

October 2-3 In Oregon Will Feature Joe and Dan Russell Being Honored, Wrestling For Peace Gala

USA Wrestling’s Manager of Men’s Freestyle Programs Joe Russell and his brother Dan Russell, who is Executive Director for Wrestling for Peace, are both being honored by the Oregon Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame at their 2026 Honors Banquet on October 3 at The Oregon Garden in Silverton, Oregon.

The Russell brothers are among eight recipients of the Lifetime Service to Wrestling, which is given in recognition of 20 years or more of dedication to the development of leadership and citizenship in the youth through the sport of wrestling.

Episode 5 of Seven, Gray Simons Etched In Stone Podcast, Now Available

Episode 5 of Seven, the Etched In Stone - Stories of Wrestling Legends podcast featuring seven-time national champion Gray Simons is now available at etchedinstonepodcast.com.

Episode 12 of 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆 Now Available

Episode 12 of 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆 is now available featuring four-time Big Ten champion and two-time NCAA champion Kellen Russell, who was the New Jersey and Northeast Region winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2007.

More than a conversation, 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆 is a look inside the culture, the grind and the legacy of our great sport.

Jordan Burroughs Returns With Dominant Win at Real American Freestyle 12

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Jordan Burroughs, a 2012 Olympic gold medalist and six-time World champion, scored an 11-0 win over Sean Brady in his return to freestyle competition at Real American Freestyle (RAF) 12 on Saturday, Aug. 22, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The card also featured a successful welterweight title defense by David Carr, who was the Ohio and National winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2018, and a win by 2025 World bronze medalist Kennedy Blades.

In addition to Carr, the card also featured DSHSEA winners Anthony Cassioppi, Max McEnelly, Jesse Mendez, Bo Nickal, Gable Steveson, and Evan Wick, and Hall of Fame Distinguished Member Henry Cejudo.

Big 12 Conference Adds Regular Season Wrestling Championship

IRVING, Texas – The Big 12 Conference will add a regular season championship in wrestling, beginning with the 2026-27 season. The title will be in addition to the annual Big 12 Wrestling Championship presented by Allstate and was approved by the league’s head coaches.

The Big 12 regular season championship will be awarded to the team with the highest winning percentage in Conference dual meets, with no tiebreakers to allow for co-champions. The Conference previously honored regular season champions during the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.

Episode 11 of 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆 Now Available

Episode 11 of 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆 is now available featuring four-time NCAA All-American and World bronze and silver medalist James Green.

More than a conversation, 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒆 is a look inside the culture, the grind and the legacy of our great sport.

USA Wrestling Awards Hosts for Three National Events

USA Wrestling has selected its host cities for Women’s Nationals, Women’s National Duals and Kids Freestyle & Greco-Roman Nationals through 2030. Each of the three events will return to its 2026 locations.

Spokane, Washington, will host the Women’s Nationals. Westfield, Indiana, will continue to host Women’s Nationals Duals and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will host Kids Freestyle & Greco-Roman Nationals.