2026 Grappler Guide to NCAAs

Grappler Gold
March 17, 2026

The 2026 NCAA tournament is here! As always, we’ve got everything you need to know. We break down the schedule, the broadcast coverage, our state’s qualifiers, past champions, etc. One big addition to this year’s NCAA Grappler Guide is an interactive bracket. We created the brackets in Excel so you can simply select a wrestler by clicking in the cell (example below). When you select a winner, the loser will automatically drop to the consolation round below.

Interactive 2026 NCAA Brackets Download

2026 NCAA Tournament Schedule

Thursday, March 19th
12pm EST – Session I (Prelims)
7pm EST – Session II (Prelims & Consolation)

Friday, March 20th
12pm EST – Session III (Quarterfinals & Consolations)
8pm EST – Session IV (Semifinals & Consolation)

Saturday March 21st
11am EST – Session V (Consolation Finals – Medal Round)
6:30pm EST – Session VI (Finals)

2026 Broadcast Coverage

Session I – ESPN2
Session II – ESPN
Session III – ESPNU
Session IV – ESPN2
Session V – ESPNU
Session VI – ESPN

2026 NCAA Qualifiers

#1 Josh Barr (Penn State, Davison HS) – 197lbs
#3 Taye Ghadiali (Michigan, Warren Fitzgerland HS) – 285lbs
#8 Casey Swiderski (Oklahoma State, Dundee HS) – 149lbs
#8 Alex Facundo (Oklahoma State, Davison HS) – 174lbs
#14 Braeden Davis (Penn State, Dundee HS) – 141lbs
#15 Remy Cotton (Rutgers, Davison HS) – 197lbs
#21 Sean Spidle (Northwestern, Flint Powers HS) – 133lbs
#25 Mason Shrader (Central Michigan, Brighton HS) – 157lbs
#26 Derek Gilcher (Indiana, Detroit CC HS) – 174lbs
#28 Kael Wisler (Michigan State, New Boston Huron HS) – 197lbs
#32 Clayton Jones (Michigan State, Detroit CC HS) – 149lbs

Out-of-State NCAA Qs Representing Michigan Schools

#5 Brock Mantanona (Michigan), 184lbs
#9 Beau Mantanona (Michigan), 174lbs
#11 Lachlan McNeil (Michigan), 149lbs
#15 Cameron Catrabone (Michigan), 157lbs
#20 Diego Sotelo (Michigan), 125lbs
#32 Andrew Austin (Central Michigan), 133lbs

Years with the Most Qualifiers

1. 1987 – 21 Qualifiers
    1988 – 21 Qualifiers
3. 1989 – 19 Qualifiers
     2019 – 19 Qualifiers
5. 1973 – 18 Qualifiers
     1974 – 18 Qualifiers
     2011 – 18 Qualifiers
     2017 – 18 Qualifiers

Qualifiers by Year (Last 20 Years)

All Time NCAA Champs

Max Dean (Penn State, Lowell HS) – 2022
2x Gabe Dean (Cornell, Lowell HS) – 2015 and 2016
Cam Simaz (Cornell, Allegan HS) – 2012
Jon Reader (Iowa State, Davison HS) – 2011
2x Brent Metcalf (Iowa, Davison HS) – 2008 and 2010
Paul Donahoe (Nebraska, Davison HS) – 2007
Casey Cunningham (Central Michigan, Fulton HS) – 1999
2x Andre Metzger (Oklahoma, Cedar Springs HS) – 1981 and 1982
3x Mark Churella (Michigan, Farmington HS) – 1977, 1978, and 1979
3x Jimmy Jackson (Oklahoma State, Ottawa Hills HS) – 1976, 1977, and 1978
Doug Wyn (Western Michigan, Grandville) – 1974
2x Chris Taylor (Iowa State, Dowagiac) – 1972 and 1973
2x Greg Johnson (Michigan State, Lansing Everett) – 1971 and 1972

5x All American

Myles Amine (Michigan, Detroit CC HS) – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022

4x All Americans

Max Dean (Cornell*, Lowell HS) – 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
* 2022 and 2023 were at Penn State
Gabe Dean (Cornell, Lowell HS) – 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Ben Bennett (Central Michigan, Rockford HS) – 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Cam Simaz (Cornell, Allegan HS) – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Nick Simmons (Michigan State, Williamston HS) – 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007
John Fisher (Michigan, Flint Northern HS) – 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989
Andre Metzger (Oklahoma, Cedar Springs) – 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982
Mark Churella (Michigan, Farmington HS) – 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979

3x All Americans

Cameron Amine (Michigan, Detroit CC HS) – 2021, 2022, 2023
Trent Hillger (Wisconsin, Lake Fenton HS) – 2019, 2021, 2023
Logan Massa (Michigan, St. Johns HS) – 2017, 2021, 2022
Alec Pantaleo (Michigan, Canton HS) – 2016, 2018, 2019
Adam Coon (Michigan, Fowlerville HS) – 2015, 2016, 2018
Jarod Trice (Central Michigan, Highland Park HS) – 2010, 2011, 2013
Jon Reader (Iowa State, Davison HS) – 2008, 2009, 2011
Brent Metcalf (Iowa, Davison HS) – 2008, 2009, 2010
Paul Donahoe (Nebraska*, Davison HS) – 2007, 2008, 2009
*2009 was at Edinboro
Josh Churella (Michigan, Novi HS) – 2005, 2007, 2008
Wynn Michalak (Central Michigan, Caro HS) – 2005, 2006, 2008
Ryan Churella (Michigan, Novi HS) – 2004, 2005, 2006
Ryan Cunningham (Central Michigan, Fulton HS) – 1998, 1999, 2000
David Morgan (Michigan State, Ferndale HS) – 1996, 1997, 1998
Zeke Jones (Arizona State, Ann Arbor Huron HS) – 1988, 1989, 1990
Kevin Jackson (LSU*, Lansing Eastern HS) – 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987
*1987 was at Iowa State
Rod Severn (Arizona State, Montrose) – 1985, 1987, 1988
Jimmy Jackson (Oklahoma State, Ottawa Hills HS) – 1976, 1977, 1978
Doug Wyn (Western Michigan, Grandville HS) – 1972, 1973, 1974
Jeff Callard (Oklahoma, East Lansing HS) – 1973, 1974, 1975

Qualifiers by Frequency

# of 5x NCAA qualifiers – 6
# of 4x NCAA qualifiers – 49
# of 3x NCAA qualifiers – 57
# of 2x NCAA qualifiers – 101
# of 1x NCAA qualifiers – 142

5x NCAA Qualifiers

Cameron Amine (Michigan*, Detroit CC HS)
*Final year at Oklahoma State
Layne Malczewski (Michigan State, Dakota HS)
Logan Massa (Michigan, St. John’s HS)
Myles Amine (Michigan, Detroit CC HS)
Taye Ghadiali (Campbell*, Warren Fitzgerald HS)
*Final year at Michigan
Trent Hillger (Wisconsin, Lake Fenton HS)

Most NCAA Qualifiers by High School

1. Detroit CC – 21
2. Davison – 11
3. Eaton Rapids – 6
     Lansing Eastern – 6
     Lowell – 6
Montrose – 6
     St. Johns – 6
8. Allegan – 5
    Ann Arbor Huron – 5
    Bay City Western – 5
    Clarkston – 5
    Durand – 5
    Flint Northern – 5
    Mt. Pleasant – 5
    Temperance Bedford – 5
    Warren Lincoln – 5

Most NCAA All Americans by High School

1. Detroit CC – 7 (C. Amine, M. Amine, Beazley, Hancock, Nadhir, Urso, Hagan)
2. Davison – 5 (Metcalf, Reader, Donahoe, Oliver, Barr)
3. Lowell – 4 (M. Dean, G. Dean, Morse, Stouffer)
Montrose – 4 (Dean, R. Severn, Dan Severn, Dave Severn)
Eaton Rapids – 4 (Judge, Whipp, Howe, Fish)
6. Grandville – 3 (Gritter, Whitcomb, Wyn)
Mt. Pleasant – 3 (Boyd, Mills, Hartupee)
8. 13 schools tied with 2