CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference is set to make a strong showing at the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, sending 43 wrestlers to Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, March 19–21.
The total marks the second highest in conference history under the current qualification format, with all seven ACC programs represented: Virginia Tech (10), Pitt (8), Stanford (8), NC State (7), North Carolina (6), Virginia (3) and Duke (1).
More than half of the field—24 wrestlers—return to the national stage, bringing valuable experience from the NCAA Championships. The group includes standout competitors from last year’s championships, such as Eddie Ventresca (VT), Vincent Robinson (NC State), Tyler Knox (Stanford) and several others.
The ACC earned 39 automatic bids—tying a conference record—and added four at-large selections to reach 43 total qualifiers across all 10 weight classes.
The conference’s depth continues to be nationally recognized, with at least two ACC teams finishing in the top 20 at the NCAA Championships in 10 of the last 11 years. ACC wrestlers have also claimed 24 individual NCAA titles all-time, including NC State’s Vincent Robinson at 125 pounds in 2025.
The championships begin Thursday, March 19, with full coverage across ESPN platforms, culminating in the finals Saturday night on ESPN.
The complete 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships schedule:
Thursday, March 19
Noon ET – Session 1 (Prelims) | ESPN2/ESPN+
7 p.m. ET – Session 2 (Prelims, Wrestle-backs) | ESPN/ESPN+
Friday, March 20
Noon ET – Session 3 (Quarterfinals, Wrestle-backs) | ESPNU/ESPN+
8 p.m. ET – Session 4 (Semifinals, Wrestle-backs) | ESPN2/ESPN+
Saturday, March 21
11 a.m. ET – Session 5 (Consolation Finals) | ESPNU/ESPN+
6:30 p.m. ET – Session 6 (Championship Finals) | ESPN
Fans can watch every match of the NCAA Wrestling Championships live, as ESPN will provide comprehensive coverage across all sessions. Every bout will be streamed on Watch ESPN and the ESPN app, with session broadcasts airing on ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPNU.
A complete NCAA bracket featuring all participating wrestlers can be found
HERE.
Visit http://ncaa.com/wrestling for more information about this year’s championship.