The 2025 NCAA Championships could mark the final chapter of the greatest era for college heavyweights. This year’s field includes eight age-level World teamers, six of whom won gold medals. 

Four gold medalists will graduate and leave the field next year. 

Gable Steveson made a surprise return to the University of Minnesota for his final season of eligibility. The 2020 Olympic gold medalist won titles for the Golden Gophers in 2021 and 2022 before attempts with the WWE and NFL. He won the 2023 US Open and World Team Trials but did not compete at the World Championships. 

Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet is a four-time All-American (7th-4th-2nd-1st) and the returning NCAA champion. He is a three-time age-level World Teamer, winning Cadet gold and silver. 

Wyatt Hendrickson transferred to Oklahoma State after four seasons with Air Force. He finished third at the past two NCAA tournaments and made two age-level World teams, winning 2023 U23 gold. 

Arizona State’s Cohlton Schultz isn’t seeded in the top eight, but he brings a laundry list of credentials to Philadelphia. He’s a four-time All-American (4th-2nd-7th-6th) and is a 10-time Greco senior and age-level World teamer, including 2017 Cadet gold. 

Other stars will emerge, but this marks a special chapter in U.S. wrestling history. 

NCAA Weight Class Previews
125 | 133 | 141 | 149 | 157 | 165 | 174 | 184 | 197 | 285

2025 Top Eight Seeds (Name, School, Season Record)
1. Gable Steveson, Minnesota, 14-0
2. Wyatt Hendrickson, Oklahoma State, 22-0
3. Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State, 18-1
4. Owen Trephan, Lehigh, 21-0
5. Ben Kueter, Iowa, 18-6
6. Joshua Heindselman, Michigan, 22-4
7. Isaac Trumble, NC State, 17-5
8. Luke Luffman, Illinois, 16-6

2024 Place Winners
1. Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State
2. Lucas Davison, Michigan
3. Wyatt Hendrickson, Air Force
4. Zach Elam, Missouri
5. Nick Feldman, Ohio State
6. Cohlton Schultz, Arizona State
7. Yaraslau Slavikouski, Rutgers
8. Taye Ghadiali, Campbell

Last 10 285-pound NCAA champions
2024: Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State
2023: Mason Parris, Michigan
2022: Gable Steveson, Minnesota
2021: Gable Steveson, Minnesota
2020: Canceled
2019: Anthony Cassar, Penn State
2018: Kyle Snyder, Ohio State
2017: Kyle Snyder, Ohio State
2016: Kyle Snyder, Ohio State
2015: Nick Gwiazdowski, NC State
2014: Nick Gwiazdowski, NC State

The Favorite: Gable Steveson

There are favorites, and then there’s Gable Steveson. It’s hard to imagine anyone other than Steveson winning the heavyweight crown. The Golden Gopher star has 14 season wins with nine techs, two falls, and two majors. His lone decision was a 10-3 win over Kerkvliet in the Big Ten finals. 

His last college loss was in the 2019 NCAA tournament semifinals to Penn State’s Anthony Cassar, 4-3. His last freestyle loss was a few months later, to Khasanboy Rakhimov at the 2019 Medved Tournament. 

Steveson has been on a tear ever since, racking up two NCAA titles and an Olympic gold medal. His otherworldly skills place him at the top of the “greatest American heavyweight of all time” conversation. 

Of Steveson’s 10 wins during his 2021 and 2022 NCAA title runs, six were against age-level World champions, and two were against age-level World silver medalists. 

The Apple Valley, Minnesota native is also chasing a special piece of history. Steveson could become Minnesota’s first three-time NCAA champion, a unique distinction for a highly decorated program. 

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Watch highlights from Steveson's 2022 NCAA finals match against Cohlton Schultz

Minnesota's Heavyweight NCAA Champions

The Contenders

#2 Wyatt Hendrickson, Oklahoma State
#3 Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State

Hendrickson and Kerkvliet were on an NCAA tournament finals collision course before Steveson’s arrival. Both are on opposite sides of the bracket from Steveson, offering a sliver of hope for one to win the title. 

Besides the Steveson loss, Kerkvliet has been a wrecking ball the past two seasons. Of his 38 victories, 29 are bonus-point wins. He also notched a 7-2 win over fourth-seeded Owen Trephan early last season and scored an exhibition tech over Hendrickson at the 2023 All-Star Classic. 

Hendrickson transferred to Oklahoma State following four seasons at Air Force. His third-place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships marked the first All-American in program history since 2003. He won the 2023 U23 World Championships and finished third again at the 2024 NCAAs. 

The Cowboy star notched several signature wins this season, including Schultz (twice), Trumble (twice), Kueter, and Feldman. 

It would be shocking if these two didn’t meet in the semifinals. 

Watch highlights from Kerkvliet's 2024 NCAA finals match

Heavyweight Kings Of The World

All-American Contenders

#4 Owen Trephan, Lehigh
#5 Ben Kueter, Iowa
#6 Joshua Heindselman, Michigan
#7 Isaac Trumble, NC State
#8 Luke Luffman, Illinois
#9 Cohlton Schultz, Arizona State
#10 Dayton Pitzer, Pittsburgh
#11 Jimmy Mullen, Virginia Tech
#12 Nick Feldman, Ohio State

The above nine wrestlers are fighting for five remaining All-American spots. 

Lehigh’s Owen Trephan is 21-0 after winning the EIWA title but never reached the podium during his four seasons at NC State. He has wins over Schultz and Luffman but has only faced the top three seeds once, a loss to Kerkvliet last season.

Kueter made a late-season surge by finishing third at the Big Ten Championships. Four of his five losses are to Steveson, Kerkvliet (twice), and Hendrickson. He has two tight wins over Feldman and an early-season loss to Luffman. 

Heindselman lost to Kueter at Big Tens but has a similar story: losses to Kerkvliet and Steveson and wins against everyone else, including Luffman. 

Trumble is a wild card. He moved up from 197 last season but defaulted out of the ACCs following a 4-1 loss to Pitzer. His season losses were to Hendrickson (twice) and Schultz before conference. The NC State star is an undersized heavyweight with freestyle experience. He won the 2023 U23 World Championships and reached the 2024 best-of-three Olympic Trials finals, falling to 2016 Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder in straight matches. 

Luffman has three losses to Feldman and one to Heindselman but has a win over Kueter.

Schultz is 1-1 against Trumble but fell to Hendrickson (twice), Trephan, and Luffman. 

Pitzer defeated Trumble at ACCs but lost to Mullen, Nolan Neves (North Carolina), Trumble and Seth Nevills (Maryland).

Mullen lost to Pitzer, Trumble, and Schultz, but also majored Pitzer.

Feldman finished fourth last year and is lurking as the 12-seed. A second-round match with Kueter is looming. He fell twice to the Iowa star during the season, and a win for either is crucial for the team race. 

This is a three-person title race, but there is competitive balance for spots on the podium. One takedown or one escape can make all the difference at heavyweight. 

Watch scoring highlights from Kueter's 2022 U20 World gold medal final

Dark Horses & Landmines

#13 Seth Nevills, Maryland

Nevills transferred from Penn State after the 2023 season. He can be competitive with the All-American tier and has a 7-0 win against Pitzer. A possible second-round match with Trephan will be interesting, and it’s highly winnable for Nevills. 

Predictions

Steveson is a transcendent talent who should win his third NCAA title. Enjoy the ride. This is his last college season.

Kervliet and Hendrickson are great college heavyweights but a tier below Steveson. Never rule out an upset or glitch in the Matrix, but this weight belongs to the Golden Gopher star for now.

The All-American contenders are good, too — but a level below Kerkvliet and Hendrickson. Seniors Trephan, Heindselman, and Luffman have never reached the podium and would like to change that. 

Schultz is a proven star who would like to end on a high note. 

Kueter, Mullen, and Feldman want to prove it's their time.

Lots of storylines for the final chapter of a memorable heavyweight era. 

1. Gable Steveson, Minnesota
2. Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State
3. Wyatt Hendrickson, Oklahoma State
4. Ben Kueter, Iowa
5. Cohlton Schultz, Arizona State
6. Owen Trephan, Lehigh
7. Nick Feldman, Ohio State
8. Luke Luffman, Illinois