Every March the best college wrestlers in the country, get together for the NCAA Wrestling Championships! This tournament is the culmination of a lifetime of hard work for these young men, and only one (in each weight class) can be crowned champion.
This year’s tournament takes place March 20-22nd, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Wells Fargo Center.
In this article we will discuss last year’s 197 lb champion and who the top contenders are for this season.
2024 Champion: Aaron Brooks of Penn State had a fairly dominate season. Winning his fourth NCAA titles and capping an undefeated 22-0 season. At the NCAA tournament he went 5-0 with 2 pins and 2 techs, before winning the championship with a 6-1 victory in the finals.
This Year’s Contenders: Josh Barr of Penn State is 18-3 and ranked 4th in the country. Stephen Buchanan of Iowa is 21-1 and ranked #3 in the nation. AJ Ferrari of Cal State Bakersfield is 17-0 and ranked 1st in the country, and Jacob Cardenas of Michigan is ranked 2nd with a 20-1 record. This is in all reality a 4 man race. Any of these men could win this bracket on any given day.
Other Contenders: Michael Beard of Lehigh is 20-1 and is a returning all-american. Luke Surber of Oklahoma State is 21-3 on the year.
Dark Horse Contenders: Zac Braunagel of Illinois is 15-6 on the year and with his Greco background he is capable of pulling off a few upsets, as he showed at the Big 10 tournament defeating Isaiah Salazar of Minnesota.
2025 NCAA Champion Prediction: Stephen Buchanan of Iowa