Ohio State returns four All-Americans and 13 national qualifiers to a team that finished fifth at the 2025 NCAA Championships. Head coach Tom Ryan hit the portal in the off-season, securing Ethan Stiles (Oregon State), Cody Chittum (Iowa State), and Dylan Fishback (NC State) to a seasoned squad.

“This is the first time we’ve done this, going to the portal,” Ryan said. “We picked up three guys in the portal. It’s not something we’ve done in the past because we haven’t needed to. In order to field a team that has a shot at winning it, we had no option with this team and the holes we had. We had to fix them fast, and that’s how you fix them fast.”

Ryan has plenty of options, with roster battles at 125, 133, 157, 165, and 197. Some of the team’s best wrestlers may move weights depending on wrestle-off results. The competition is especially fierce at 133, where two-time NCAA qualifier Nic Bouzakis battles Ben Davino for the spot. 

“It’s a good line-up,” Ryan said. “We feel everyone can get on the podium and fight for a championship so it’s up to us to get them believing and have a great performance in Cleveland. 

“We’re in a really good spot. We have really good depth. There’s no longer a cap on 9.9 so Ohio State gave us a few more scholarships so we have more money to recruit with. It gives us a chance for some more depth. We feel like every weight class has someone who can step in and do the job for us, either the starter or the backup. I’m excited about the season.”

Watch highlights from Mendez’s 12-9 win in the 2025 NCAA Championship finals

2025-26 Ohio State Overview

Head coach: Tom Ryan (20th season)

Assistants: J Jaggers, Bo Jordan, Logan Stieber

2025 NCAA tournament finish: T-5th

2025 NCAA tournament record: 20-18

2025 NCAA tournament points: 51.5

2025 Big Ten tournament finish: 6th

2025 dual record: 13-3 (5-3 conference)

Returning national qualifiers: 13 (Brendan McCrone, Nic Bouzakis, Jesse Mendez, Ethan Stiles, Brandon Cannon, Cody Chittum, Paddy Gallagher, Carson Kharchla, Dylan Fishback, Ryder Rogotzke, Seth Shumate, Luke Geog, Nick Feldman)

Returning All-Americans: 4 (Jesse Mendez, Ethan Stiles, Carson Kharchla, Nick Feldman)

Returning NCAA champion: 1 (Jesse Mendez)

Last NCAA champion: Jesse Mendez (2025)

Highest NCAA team finish: 1st (2015)

Highest NCAA team finish under Ryan: 1st (2015)

Most national placers in a season under Ryan: 8 (2018)

Probable Ohio State Line-up

125: Brendan McCrone, JR, 23-11 or Vinny Kilkeary, SO, 5-1 
McCrone is a two-time NCAA qualifier who is 2-4 at nationals. He battles Kilkeary, who is 1-2 in varsity duals over the past two seasons. 

Ryan on 125: “They’re drastically different wrestlers. One is great in one position — the top position — and has had a lot of success there. The other is stingier on his feet and not as dominant in one position, but he’s steady. It’s a clash of styles.”

133: Ben Davino, FR, 19-1 or Nic Bouzakis, JR, 24-9
Davino is the favorite after a solid true freshman campaign. He went 4-0 in varsity duals and notched a 5-3 win over Bouzakis at the Clarion Open. Bouzakis is a two-time national qualifier who reached the Round of 12 at the 2025 NCAA Championships. 

Ryan on 133: “You have a unique situation, particularly in this era, where you have two people willing to stay and could leave easily and get a lot more NIL money. With Jesse (Mendez) graduating (next season), Nic could always go up next year and have one year left. 

“This is a very noble decision by a student-athlete. I think it brings you back to the Jessie Whitmer days, where people stuck it out for four or five years. There’s something to be said for that. They both love it here. They both do well in school, so there’s more to consider than just wrestling. They’re happy. 

“Whoever loses the wrestle-off will be the back-up at 133 and 141 for the year and will move up to 141 next year.”

141: Jesse Mendez, SR, 30-3
Mendez won his second NCAA title after finishing sixth as a freshman. He could finish his college career as the third three-time NCAA champion in program history (Logan Steiber, 4, and Kyle Snyder, 3). 

149: Ethan Stiles, SO, 19-8
This is Stiles’s third program in three seasons after stints at Nebraska and Oregon State. The Chicago, Illinois, native finished sixth at the 2025 NCAA Championships for the Beavers during his redshirt freshman season. 

Ryan on 149: “Ethan is a gamer. When you place at the nationals as a freshman, that shows a great deal of maturity and mental strength to have success at a younger age, particularly as competitive as this sport is right now. He has a nice little shot and he’s tough on top. He’s a hard guy to wrestle. We’re excited about him.

“We like that we have him for three more years. He’s not a one-and-done. He has a chance to really grow with us and be a part of the program.”

157: Brandon Cannon, SO, 24-5 or Cody Chittum, JR, 20-8
This weight has question marks. Cannon qualified for the 2025 NCAA Championships but may have outgrown the weight. Chittum is a two-time national qualifier who might redshirt. 

Ryan on 157: “Cannon is growing, so we have lots of issues there. Paddy (Gallagher) is big and strong and likes 165. e’Than Birden is at 165 and Cannon may be growing into 165. Chittum has a redshirt and two years left, so we’ll watch Chittum closely. We might put him in if he’s wrestling well and feels like he can win it at 157 this year. It depends on size and how big some of these guys get, and if they can make 157. We’re not sure if Cannon can maintain the weight anymore. He’s growing like a weed.”

165: Paddy Gallagher, SR, 17-10 or e’Then Birden, FR, 9-6 or Brandon Cannon
Gallagher is the front-runner after two appearances at the NCAA Championships. Much depends on Cannon’s weight and his decision to change classes.

Ryan on 165: “One will likely drop to 157 if we feel like the best thing is for Chittum to redshirt.”

174: Carson Kharchla, SR, 14-5
Kharchla finished seventh at the 2022 NCAA Championships and is a three-time national qualifier. 

Ryan on 174: “Kharchla might get challenged by a guy who doesn’t win the wrestle-off at 165.”

184: Dylan Fishback, JR, 16-8
Ohio State thought they had returning national finalist Rocco Welsh, but he transferred to Penn State in the off-season. Ryan picked up Fishback from the portal, a two-time Round of 12 finisher for NC State. 

Ryan on 184: “This was a tough situation for us. Rocco committed to a multi-year NIL deal. I’m not sure what happened there, but we’re super excited about Fishback and bringing him back home to Ohio. 

“I would be lying if I didn’t say that Rocco leaving isn’t painful. We had a relationship with him. He was here for two years and we did everything right by him. At the same time, he has to go with what he feels is best for him in his life. I wish it went differently but freedom is important. Good luck to him, but we love who we have. 

“Fishback is really athletic, he’s versatile, he loves the sport, and he’s from Ohio. We’re excited about bringing him home. He’s a great guy. He’s reported here and he’s a good person to be around.”

197: Seth Shumate, JR, 20-17 or Luke Geog, JR, 8-2 or Ryder Rogotzke, JR, 10-11
This fierce three-way battle should keep everyone guessing. All three are NCAA qualifiers, with Shumate qualifying at 197 in 2025 and Geog in 2024. Rogotzke is a two-time 184-pound qualifier who is likely moving up. He also has a redshirt season to use. 

Ryan on 197: “Shumate could make 184, but he feels much better at 197, and Rogotzke has outgrown 184. We have three guys battling it out at 197. I could maybe see Shumate coming down if he loses (the wrestle-off), but I think the other two can’t make it. Ryder is way too big. He struggled this past year at 184. His first year, he was good, but became an issue for him last season.”

285: Nick Feldman, JR, 20-8
Feldman finished fifth at the 2024 NCAA Championships as a redshirt freshman and reached the Round of 12 in 2025.