 | |
| Teams | 63 |
|---|---|
| Format | Knockout |
| Finals site | St. Louis Enterprise Center |
| Champions | Iowa Hawkeyes (24th title) |
| Runner-up | Penn State Nittany Lions |
| Semifinalists | |
| Winning coach | Tom Brands (4th title) |
| Attendance | 25% capacity |
| Television | ESPN Networks |
The 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships took place from March 18–20, 2021, in St. Louis, Missouri at the Enterprise Center. The tournament was the 90th NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship, following the cancellation of the 2020 edition, and featured 63 teams across that level.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the event was forced to occur with modifications. Due to the same reason, the Ivy League was unable to compete through the season, leaving out notable teams like Cornell and Princeton, therefore notable wrestlers such as two-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis and returning All-American Vito Arujau.
In the tournament, Iowa clinched its first NCAA title since 2010 and finished with one individual national champion, while the defending Penn State became the runner-up of the tournament with four individual national champions. Little Rock made its NCAA tournament debut with one national qualifier, while it was also the last year for Stanford and Fresno State. Shane Griffith became the second ever NCAA champion from Stanford, and as a response to the cut of the school's wrestling team (Stanford eventually decided to keep the program), he wore a black singlet with no logo during the finals match, and was named the Outstanding Wrestler afterwards. North Carolina also saw its first National champion since 1995, with Austin O'Connor at 149 pounds.
Team results
- Note: Top 10 only
- (H): Team from hosting U.S. state
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 129 |
| 2 | Penn State | 1131⁄2 |
| 3 | Oklahoma State | 991⁄2 |
| 4 | Arizona State | 74 |
| 5 | Michigan | 69 |
| 6 | NC State | 68 |
| 7 | Minnesota | 64 |
| 8 | Missouri (H) | 64 |
| 9 | Ohio State | 461⁄2 |
| 10 | Northwestern | 45 |
Individual results
- Note: Table does not include wrestlebacks
- (H): Individual from hosting U.S. State
Source:
| Weight | First | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 125 lbs | #1 Spencer Lee Iowa |
#3 Brandon Courtney Arizona State |
#15 Patrick McKee Minnesota |
| 133 lbs | #2 Roman Bravo-Young Penn State |
#1 Daton Fix Oklahoma State |
#4 Austin DeSanto Iowa |
| 141 lbs | #2 Nick Lee Penn State |
#1 Jaydin Eierman Iowa |
#4 Tariq Wilson NC State |
| 149 lbs | #2 Austin O'Connor North Carolina |
#1 Sammy Sasso Ohio State |
#25 Yahya Thomas Northwestern |
| 157 lbs | #2 David Carr Iowa State |
#4 Jesse Dellavecchia Rider |
#1 Ryan Deakin Northwestern |
| 165 lbs | #8 Shane Griffith Stanford |
#3 Jake Wentzel Pittsburgh |
#6 Keegan O'Toole Missouri (H) |
| 174 lbs | #3 Carter Starocci Penn State |
#1 Michael Kemerer Iowa |
#4 Mikey Labriola Nebraska |
| 184 lbs | #1 Aaron Brooks Penn State |
#2 Trent Hidlay NC State |
#4 Parker Keckeisen Northern Iowa |
| 197 lbs | #4 A.J. Ferrari Oklahoma State |
#6 Nino Bonaccorsi Pittsburgh |
#1 Myles Amine Michigan |
| 285 lbs | #1 Gable Steveson Minnesota |
#2 Mason Parris Michigan |
#5 Tony Cassioppi Iowa |
References
- Scovel, Shannon. "2021 college wrestling championship: Selection show time, key dates | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ "Penn State steals show in NCAA finals, Iowa claims 24th team title". InterMat. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- "What to expect from the 2021 college wrestling season | NCAA.com". www.ncaa.com. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- "College Wrestling 2021: RTCs could help programs in shortened season". WIN Magazine. 2020-12-01. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- "Iowa clinches team title during Saturday's medal round". InterMat. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- "Historic Second Season Comes to a Close for Little Rock Wrestling". Little Rock Athletics. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- "Fresno State to drop wrestling program". InterMat. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- Falk, Steven. "Shane Griffith enables Stanford wrestling program to go out on top with NCAA Tournament title". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
- "Mission Complete: Austin O'Connor Wins 149-Pound National Championship". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
| 2020–21 NCAA Division I championships | |
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| NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships | |
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| Championships in grey were cancelled due to World War II |