NCAA Wrestling Championships start March 20 in Philadelphia

The NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships will take place from March 20 to 22 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. This event features the best college wrestlers, with 330 athletes competing in a double-elimination tournament. Ten champions will be named, and the top eight wrestlers in each weight class will earn All-American honors. The competition schedule includes preliminaries on March 20 and quarterfinals on March 21, followed by semifinals that evening. The consolation finals and championship finals will take place on March 22. Matches will be broadcast on various ESPN networks, including ESPN+. According to the latest rankings, Penn State leads the teams, aiming for its 12th national championship. Iowa and Oklahoma State are also strong contenders. A variety of teams have qualified wrestlers across different weight classes, with notable athletes poised to shine. Each weight class will have 33 wrestlers, and the tournament follows a structured bracket system with multiple rounds. Wrestlers can earn spots through their conference tournaments or apply for at-large bids. Matches are scored based on moves like takedowns and pins, with specific scoring methods influencing overall team standings. Wrestlers gain points for their teams through match victories, and additional points are awarded for significant wins. The NCAA wrestling championships have a long history and have continued annually, except for a few exceptions. Schools like Oklahoma State and Iowa hold records for the most individual and team titles in NCAA wrestling history.