Our All-Time Collegiate wrestling team
The college wresting world experienced a talent renaissance in the 2010s. Several of the best wrestlers ever took to the mat throughout the decade, including two new four-time champions. With so many new wrestlers etching their place in the pantheon of all-time greats, we looked back through the annals of college wrestling to pick our all-time team.
We narrowed the field to four before picking our top competitor at each weight. Wrestlers were grouped using the 10 current weight divisions; wrestlers who competed prior to the establishment of the current classifications in 1999 were considered for the nearest weight during their time.
125- Stephen Abas, Fresno State, 1998-2002
Starting off the team is a wrestler who may not have the same name recognition of the others, but definitely does not lack for accomplishments. During his time at Fresno State, Abas dominated the 125-poundweight class, collecting three national titles (1999, 2001, 2002) and a career record of 114-4.
For this selection, we looked at the lightest weight class, which has ranged from 114 to 125 pounds throughout NCAA history. Barry Davis starred in the days of the 118-pound division, winning a title at 118 in 1982 before winning two more titles at 125. Eric Guerrero also claimed three national titles immediately prior to Abas, two of which came at 125. This selection could look different in a year if Spencer Lee stays at 125. Lee is already a two-time national champion and will be the favorite to get his third in 2021.
Other Finalists: Eric Guerrero, Spencer Lee, Barry Davis
133- Dan Gable, Iowa State, 1967-1970
The most famous wrestler in American history, Gable was guaranteed a place on this list. 133 was not a weight class in Gable’s era and freshmen were not allowed to compete on varsity; however, Gable took gold at 130 pounds in 1968 and 137 pounds in 1969. He famously fell in the finals to Larry Owings in the 142-pound title match in 1970. That loss was the only in Gable’s collegiate career, as he finished with a 117-1 record.
The most painful omission from this entire list is Yojiro Uetake. The Japanese-born Uetake competed for the Oklahoma State Cowboys from 1964-1966, winning three national titles at 130 pounds and finishing his career unbeaten. Tom Brands has gone on to arguably have a better career as a coach than a wrestler, but he won three NCAA titles at 134 pounds from 1990-1992. TJ Jaworsky followed in his wake, earning three crowns from 1993-1995.
Other Finalists: Yojiro Uetake, Tom Brands, TJ Jaworsky
141- Logan Stieber, Ohio State, 2012-2015
Now for the first four-timer on the list. Logan Stieber collected four NCAA championships from 2012-2015, the first two at 133 before bumping up to 141. He was also a four-time Big Ten champion, finished his career with a record of 119-3 and led Ohio State to its first-ever wrestling national title.
The 2010s were flush with talent at 141, arguably the best era for the weight class. Prior to Stieber, Kellen Russell dominated the division and won two titles in 2011 and 2012; Stieber’s reign was followed by Yianni Diakomihalis’ two-year run at the top. Long before any of that trio was Larry Hayes, who won the 137-pound championship in 1959 and added two more at 147 pounds in the ensuing years.
Other Finalists: Kellen Russell, Larry Hayes, Yianni Diakomihalis
149- Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa, 1993-1997
It is strange to see only one Hawkeye wrestler on this list, but alas, McIlravy is the only representative of the black and gold. McIlravy had a long, illustrious career at Iowa; he snagged his first title at 142 pounds in 1993 before moving up to 150 and adding to more titles to his trophy case.
Just over a decade later Brent Metcalf would don the Hawkeye colors and win two titles at 149. Nate Carr is one of the most decorated wrestlers in Iowa State history, including three national titles from 1981-1983. Perhaps the greatest rival to McIlravy is Zain Retherford. A prime candidate for most outstanding wrestler of the recent Penn State dynasty, Retherford owned 149 pounds over a three-year span and won three NCAA championships, along with Hodge trophies.
Other Finalists: Nate Carr, Zain Retherford, Brent Metcalf
157- Pat Smith, Oklahoma State, 1990-1993
The first four-timer in history, Pat Smith ran roughshod over what was then the 158-pound weight class. Smith finished his career with a record of 121-5-2 and did not suffer a loss in 98 straight matches. Smith can make one of the best cases for greatest wrestler ever from the greatest collegiate wrestling school.
157 has produced some of the best wrestlers in each decade. Leroy Kemp captured three championships in the 1970s, Jim Zaelsky won three in the 1980s and most recently, Jason Nolf stood atop the podium three times in the 2010s.
Other Finalists: Leroy Kemp, Jim Zalesky, Jason Nolf
165- Kyle Dake, Cornell, 2010-2013
Kyle Dake was bound to be on this list somewhere, the question was just where. Dake won each of his four titles at different weights—141, 149, 157 and 165. During his senior season at 165 pounds, Dake’s run was historic. He went 37-0 with 18 pins, won his third conference title, and added a Dan Hodge Trophy to cap it all off. Dake is on the Mount Rushmore of collegiate wrestling.
Dake’s showdown with David Taylor in the 2013 NCAA finals is one of the most memorable in recent wrestling history. Taylor won championships in 2012 and 2014. His wins were followed by Alex Dieringer, who won two of his three crowns at 165 pounds. Mark Perry’s in 2007 and 2008 also yielded two national titles.
Other Finalist: David Taylor, Alex Dieringer, Mark Perry
174- Danny Hodge, Oklahoma State, 1955-1957
The namesake of the collegiate wrestling MVP, Danny Hodge was another lock to be on the list. Hodge was one of the first wrestling stars, winning NCAA championships from 1955-1957; like Gable, Hodge wrestled in an era when freshmen could not compete on varsity.
Anybody was going to be facing an uphill battle against Hodge, but 174 makes a strong case for being the most loaded crop of finalists. Ben Askren holds a place on any all-time list for his two national champion victories and two Hodge Trophy wins. Mark Schultz and Ed Banach are each three-timers, both winning two championships at 177 pounds in the 1980s.
Other Finalists: Ben Askren, Mark Schultz, Ed Banach
184- Cael Sanderson, Iowa State, 1999-2002
The greatest wrestler in American history, Cael Sanderson is the pinnacle of collegiate wrestling. He is the only undefeated four-time champion in history; his first three victories came at 184 pounds and his fourth was at 197 pounds during his senior season. His is still the only three-time Hodge winner.
Bo Nickal followed a similar path, winning twice at 184 and a third time at 197 pounds. Ed Ruth was one of the first studs of the Penn State dynasty—a three-time titlist between 174 and 184 pounds. Greg Jones also won three crowns, two at 184 and one at 174.
Other Finalists: Ed Ruth, Greg Jones, Bo Nickal
197- J'Den Cox, Missouri, 2013-2017
For 197 pounds, every wrestler between 190+ pounds to unlimited/heavyweight were considered.
J’Den Cox may be the most surprising name on this list. Cox went from shocking upstart when he won his first title in 2014 to collegiate wrestling mainstay by the time he won his third title in 2017. Cox is the only wrestler in Division I history to win three championships at 197.
Jake Varner and Jake Rosholt each claimed two golds at 197 pounds in the 2000s, with Rosholt adding a third at 184. Back in the days of the 190-pound division, Eric Voelker was the standard of the class, taking home two first-place finishes during his career.
Other Finalists: Jake Rosholt, Jake Varner, Eric Voelker
Heavyweight- Kyle Snyder, Ohio State, 2015-2018
Heavyweight is tricky to evaluate. The addition of 190-plus divisions helped break up the heaviest class, but prior to 1952, the weights commonly jumped from the mid-1970s to “unlimited.” This makes pioneer wrestlers like Dick Hutton and Verne Gagne tougher to place; however, none of this would have changed the man at the top.
Kyle Snyder’s run from 2016-2018 is historic among collegiate grappling. Famously small for heavyweight, Snyder wrestled at 197 pounds during his freshman year before moving up to heavyweight for his final three years. Each of those three seasons culminated in a Snyder national title and combined record of 45-1.
Prior to Snyder, Carlton Haselrig was the only three-time winner at 275 pounds, achieving the feat in the late 1980s. Steve Mocco accomplished as much fame for his look and attitude as he did for his work on the mat; he picked two titles, one each at Iowa and Oklahoma state. Tony Nelson joined the ranks of back-to-back champions during his decorated tenure at the University of Minnesota.
Other Finalists: Carlton Haselrig, Tony Nelson, Steve Mocco