NCAA debuts Most Dominant Wrestler standings in latest update for the 2025 season

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA has released updated standings for the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Awards that will be awarded in March at the respective Division I, II and III Wrestling Championships.

The inaugural NCAA Wrestling Awards were presented at the 2012 wrestling championships. The three awards, given in each division, honor the Most Dominant Wrestler as well as the student-athletes that have accumulated the most falls and the most technical falls throughout the course of the regular and postseasons.

For results to be counted for the awards, they must come against opponents in the same division (i.e., Division II vs. Division II). Ties in the falls and tech falls categories are broken based on the aggregate time.

This week features the unveiling of standings for the Most Dominant Wrestler award, which features a 16-match minimum to qualify for the standings.

The Most Dominant Wrestler standings are calculated by adding the total number of team points awarded through match results and dividing that number by the total number of matches wrestled. Points per match are awarded as follows.

• Fall, forfeit, injury default or DQ = 6 points (-6 points for a loss)
• Tech falls = 5 points (-5 points for a loss)
• Major decision = 4 points (-4 points for a loss)
• Decision = 3 points (-3 points for a loss)

Last year’s Most Dominant Wrestler award winner, Oklahoma State’s heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson, has jumped out to the early lead with an average of 5.25 points per match. Ohio State’s Jesse Mendez sits second with a 4.7 average.

In Division II, 165-pounder David Hunsberger of Lander leads the way with a 4.28 average. Studd Morris or Central Oklahoma sits second at 4.05, while John Parker-Wilson of Newberry and Jakason Burks of Central Missouri are tied for third with four points per match.

Atop Division III sits RIT’s Josh Harkless with an average of 5.5 for the heavyweight class. Merchant Marine’s Tyler Withers comes in second at 5.39.

The top three in Division I falls remain unchanged this week. Kelvin Griffin of Lehigh continues to lead Division I in falls with 15.

With three falls this week, King (Tennessee) 165-pounder Trent Mahoney has pulled into second in Division II with 12 falls in 38:26. Heavyweight Caleb Wunsch of Newman continues to lead with 12 in 31:52.

There is a shake-up at the top of the Division III standings after some big weeks by the top four. Springfield teammates Myles Leonard and Benjamin Katz hold the top two spots with 20 and 19 falls, respectively. Right behind them sits Micah Martinez or Messiah and Caleb Burkhart of Wilkes, both with 18.

Purdue’s Matt Ramos continues to lead Division I in tech falls for the third straight week. The 125-pounder has some company, with Mitchell Messenbrink of Penn State picking up two tech falls this week to tie at 12.

In Division II, Drury’s 157-pound Will Kuster gained three tech falls to take the lead with a time of 49:22.

The top three in Division III stays the same this week, with Avery Leonard of SUNY Oneonta leading the way with 18 tech falls in 55:38.

Falls leaders through 2/3/2025

Tech falls leaders through 2/3/2025

Most dominant leaders through 2/3/2025