Ohio State Wrestlers go 9-1 in NCAA Championships first round
Nine of the ten Ohio State Buckeye wrestlers advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championships, while one fell to the consolation bracket.
It was not the best session for Ohio State wrestlers to open the NCAA Championships, but the name of the game is survive and advance. And, for the most part, the Buckeyes survived. The day started out a little rough, with Nic Bouzakis at 125 starting out fast, but slowing down as the second period wound down.
This would be a theme throughout the session for the Buckeyes, as it seemed like many of the wrestlers were running out of gas in the second and third periods. Bouzakis survived for a 9-5 victory, and will have to rest up and be ready to go full-tilt in the second round. Ohio State's top two wrestlers, unlike most of the team, showed no signs of fatigue or rust.
Ben Davino at 133 lbs earned bonus points with a quick Tech Fall, while Jesse Mendez got a pin with little trouble. Not his first rodeo 📌 (1) Jesse Mendez (141) of @wrestlingbucks wins by fall over (33) Aldo Hernandez of Appalachian State. #NCAAWrestling x 📺 ESPN 2 pic.
twitter. com/XYwfBFBS2Y — NCAA Men's Wrestling (@NCAAWrestling) March 19, 2026 Two more Buckeyes picked up bonus points ( Ethan Stiles earned his Major Decision with a last-second takedown), but overall it wasn't quite what the Buckeyes were looking for when they started the day. You could hear the disappointment in head coach Tom Ryan's interview on-air with ESPN2, as the Buckeyes trail Penn State by eight points in the team competition already.
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