The NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships for individuals and teams were first officially sponsored in 1963 and have since been held annually.
The NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships is a double-elimination tournament for individuals competing in ten weight classes. Sixteen wrestlers in each class qualify through four "Super Regional" tournaments. During the championships, individual match winners earn points based on the level and quality of the victory, which are totaled to determine the team championship standings.
In addition to determining the national championship, the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships also determine the Division II All-America team. The top eight finishers in each weight class qualify for Division II All-American status.
On March 13, 2020, the NCAA cancelled all of its 2020 wrestling championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Team champions Prior to 1963, only a single national championship was held for all members of the NCAA; Division II competition began in 1963, with Division III following in 1974. Names used are those current in the years listed.
1963 Cedar Falls, IA(State College of Iowa) Western State (CO) (1) 62 Southern Illinois 57 Not awarded 1964 Cedar Falls, IA(State College of Iowa) Western State (CO) (2) 51 Colorado School of Mines 49 Not awarded 1965 Golden, CO(Colorado School of Mines) Mankato State (1) 57 Cal Poly 54 Not awarded 1966 Mankato, MN(Mankato State College) Cal Poly (1) 55 Wilkes 51 Warren Crow (Albany) (123) 1967 Wilkes-Barre, PA(Wilkes College) Portland State (1) 86 Mankato State 57 Rich Sanders (Portland State) (115) 1968 Mankato, MN(Mankato State College) Cal Poly (2) 91 Portland State 62 Rich Sanders (Portland State) (123) 1969 San Luis Obispo, CA(California State Polytechnic College) Cal Poly (3) 127 Colorado State College 81 Carl Ragland (Old Dominion) (152) 1970 Ashland, OH(Ashland College) Cal Poly (4) 82 Northern Iowa 58 Terry Hall(Cal Poly) (118) 1971 Fargo, ND(North Dakota State University) Cal Poly (5) 118 Slippery Rock State 58 Stan Dziedzic(Slippery Rock State) (150) 1972 Oswego, NY(State University of New York at Oswego) Cal Poly (6) 94 North Dakota StateNorthern Iowa 65 Wade Schalles(Clarion State) (150) 1973 Brookings, SD(South Dakota State University) Cal Poly (7) 108 Clarion State 80 Larry Morgan (Cal Poly) (134) 1974 Fullerton, CA(California State University, Fullerton) Cal Poly (8) 112 Northern Iowa 95 Floyd Hitchcock(Bloomsburg State) (177) 1975 East Stroudsburg, PA(East Stroudsburg State College) Northern Iowa (1) 124 SIU Edwardsville 71 Randy Batten(Chattanooga) (118) 1976 Fargo, ND(North Dakota State University) Cal State Bakersfield (1) 92 Chattanooga 88 Rick Jensen(South Dakota State) (126) 1977 Cedar Falls, IA(University of Northern Iowa) Cal State Bakersfield (2) 107 Augustana (SD) 78 Franc Affentranger(Cal State Bakersfield) (134) 1978 Cedar Falls, IA(University of Northern Iowa) Northern Iowa (2) 124 Cal State Bakersfield 100 John Azevedo (Cal State Bakersfield) {118) 1979 Brookings, SD(South Dakota State University) Cal State Bakersfield (3) 112 Eastern Illinois 112 Joe Gonzales(Cal State Bakersfield) {118) 1980 Omaha, NE(University of Nebraska Omaha) Cal State Bakersfield (4) 110 Northern Iowa 89 Brian Parlet(Augustana (SD)) (177) 1981 Davis, CA(University of California, Davis) Cal State Bakersfield (5) 144 Eastern Illinois 98 Dan Cuestas(Cal State Bakersfield) (126) 1982 Kenosha, WI(University of Wisconsin–Parkside) Cal State Bakersfield (6) 166 North Dakota State 78 Mike Langlais(North Dakota State) (142) 1983 Fargo, ND(North Dakota State University) Cal State Bakersfield (7) 107 North Dakota State 103 Jessie Reyes(Cal State Bakersfield) (142) 1984 Baltimore, MD(Morgan State University) SIU Edwardsville (1) 141 Cal State Bakersfield 93 John Davis(Morgan State) (158) 1985 Fairborn, OH(Wright State University) SIU Edwardsville (2) 132 Nebraska–Omaha 84 Koln Knight(Augustana College (SD)) (190) 1986 Edwardsville, IL(Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) SIU Edwardsville (3) 119 Edinboro 106 Koln Knight(Augustana (SD)) (190) 1987 Edwardsville, IL(Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville) Cal State Bakersfield (8) 90 SIU Edwardsville 69 Daryl Pope(Cal State Bakersfield) (184) 1988 Omaha, NE(University of Nebraska Omaha) North Dakota State (1) 88 Nebraska–Omaha 81 Carlton Haselrig(Pittsburgh–Johnstown) (Hwt.) 1989 California, PA(California University of Pennsylvania) Portland State (2) 102 Ferris State 56 Dan Russell(Portland State) (150) 1990 Kenosha, WI(University of Wisconsin–Parkside) Portland State (3) 100 Central State (OK) 96 Dan Russell(Portland State) (158) 1991 Fargo, ND(North Dakota State University) Nebraska–Omaha (1) 79 Central State (OK) 64 Dan Russell{Portland State) (167) 1992 Greeley, CO(University of Northern Colorado) Central Oklahoma (1) 91 North Dakota StatePortland State 78 Mike Leberknight(Northern Colorado) (177) 1993 Brookings, SD(South Dakota State University) Central Oklahoma (2) 108 Nebraska–Omaha 68 Glen Frank(Colorado School of Mines) (134) 1994 Pueblo, CO(University of Southern Colorado) Central Oklahoma (3) 127 Mankato State 67 Brian Melchiori(Central Oklahoma) (126) 1995 Kearney, NE(University of Nebraska at Kearney) Central Oklahoma (4) 148 Nebraska–Omaha 103 Brian Kapusta(North Dakota State) (118) 1996 Greeley, CO(University of Northern Colorado) Pittsburgh–Johnstown (1) 86 Central Oklahoma 81 Chad Lamer(South Dakota State) (190) 1997 Fargo, ND(North Dakota State University) San Francisco State (1) 95 Nebraska–Omaha 81 Nate Hendrickson(Moorhead State) (167) 1998 Pueblo, CO(University of Southern Colorado) North Dakota State (2) 112 South Dakota State 78 Travis King(South Dakota State) (150) 1999 Omaha, NE(University of Nebraska Omaha) Pittsburgh–Johnstown (2) 110 Nebraska–Omaha 105 Jody Strittmatter(Pittsburgh–Johnstown) (125) 2000 Brookings, SD(South Dakota State University) North Dakota State (3) 91 Central Oklahoma 75 Kris Nelson(North Dakota State) (133) 2001 Greeley, CO(University of Northern Colorado) North Dakota State (4) 98 South Dakota State 91 Steve Saxlund(North Dakota State) (184) 2002 Kenosha, WI(University of Wisconsin–Parkside) Central Oklahoma (5) 128 North Dakota State 116 Todd Fuller(North Dakota State) (174) 2003 Wheeling, WV(West Liberty State College) Central Oklahoma (6) 87 Nebraska–Kearney 73 Cole Province(Central Oklahoma) (133) 2004 Mankato, MN(Minnesota State University, Mankato) Nebraska–Omaha (2) 97 North Dakota State 95 Waylon Lowe(Findlay) (165) 2005 Omaha, NE(University of Nebraska Omaha) Nebraska–Omaha (3) 109 Augustana (SD) 101 Tom Meester(Augustana (SD)) (184) 2006 Findlay, OH(University of Findlay) Nebraska–Omaha (4) 117 Nebraska–Kearney 98 Les Sigman(Nebraska–Omaha) (Hwt.) 2007 Kearney, NE(University of Nebraska at Kearney) Central Oklahoma (7) 124 Nebraska–Kearney 108 J.D. Naig(Nebraska–Omaha) (174) 2008 Cedar Rapids, IA(Upper Iowa University) Nebraska–Kearney (1) 108 Minnesota State 108 Cody Garcia(Nebraska–Omaha) (125) 2009 Houston, TX(NCAA Division II) Nebraska–Omaha (5) 146 Newberry 80 Joe Kemmerer(Kutztown) (133) 2010 Omaha, NE(University of Nebraska Omaha) Nebraska–Omaha (6) 131 Augustana (SD) 72 Shane Valko(Pittsburgh–Johnstown) (133) 2011 Kearney, NE(University of Nebraska at Kearney) Nebraska–Omaha (7) 102 St. Cloud State 90 Donovan McMahill(Western State (CO)) (197) 2012 Pueblo, CO(Colorado State University Pueblo) Nebraska–Kearney (2) 107 St. Cloud State 95 Luke McPeek(Adams State) (197) 2013 Birmingham, AL(NCAA Division II) Nebraska–Kearney (3) 108 St. Cloud State 105 Shamus O’Grady(St. Cloud State) (184) 2014 Cleveland, OH(NCAA Division II) Notre Dame (OH) (1) 99 Nebraska–Kearney 64 Casy Rowell(Central Oklahoma) (133) 2015 St. Louis, MO(Maryville University) St. Cloud State (1) 84 Nebraska–Kearney 76 Chris Watson(Central Oklahoma) (165) 2016 Sioux Falls, SD(Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference & Sioux Falls Sports Authority) St. Cloud State (2) 90 Notre Dame (OH) 82 Joey Davis(Notre Dame (OH)) (184) 2017 Birmingham, AL(University of Alabama in Huntsville) Notre Dame (OH) (2) 103.5 St. Cloud State 67 DeAndre’ Johnson (Limestone) (157), 2018 Cedar Rapids, IA(Upper Iowa University) St. Cloud State (3) 92.5 Notre Dame (OH) 84 Nick Becker(Wisconsin–Parkside) (174) 2019 Cleveland, OH(NCAA Division II) St. Cloud State (4) 95.5 Wheeling Jesuit 87.5 Shane Ruhnke(Millersville) (165)2020Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 St. Louis, MO(NCAA Division II) St. Cloud State (5) 107 Nebraska–Kearney 105.5 Lukas Martin(Fairmont State) (149) 2022 St. Louis, MO(NCAA Division II) Nebraska–Kearney (4) 127 Central Oklahoma 86 Darrell Mason(Minnesota State) (285) 2023 Cedar Rapids, IA(NCAA Division II) Central Oklahoma (8) 121 Lander 78Josiah Rider(Adams State) (149) 2024 Wichita, KS(NCAA Division II) Central Oklahoma (9) 110 Lander 86.5 Derek Blubaugh(Indianapolis) (197) 2025 Indianapolis, IN(University of Indianapolis & Indiana Sports Corp) Nebraska–Kearney (5) 115 Augustana (SD) 63 2026Sioux Falls, SD Nebraska–Kearney (6)83 Parkside78Reference: Note: Shaded scores = Closest margin of victory, point in 1979 & widest margin of victory, 88 points in 1982.
Team titles List updated through the 2026 Championships Team # Winning years 9 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2023, 2024 8 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 8 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987 7 1991, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 6 2008, 2012, 2013, 2022, 2025, 2026 5 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 4 1988, 1998, 2000, 2001 3 1967, 1989, 1990 3 1984, 1985, 1986 2 1975, 1978 2 2014, 2017 2 1996, 1999 2 1963, 1964 1 1965 1 1997 Winning streaks Source
SchoolTeam titlesYearsCal Poly 7 1968–1974Cal State Bakersfield 5 1979–1983Central Oklahoma 4 1992–1995 3 1984–1986 3 2004–2006 3 2009–2011
Division II wrestlers to Division I championships Sources
Through 1989, the Division II finalists advanced to the Division I championships, held the following week, where many athletes earned All-American recognition in two divisions during the same season. This practice was discontinued after Carlton Haselrig of the Pittsburgh–Johnstown Mountain Cats won the Division II heavyweight title and advanced to Division I, where he also won the heavyweight title three years in a row, 1987–89.
Former Division II team champions now in Division I Source SchoolChampionshipsYear movedCurrent wrestling conference(as of 2026–27)Note Cal Poly 8–1966, 1968–74 1975 Pac-12 Conference Portland State 3–1969, 1989–90 1996 — Dropped wrestling in 2009 for economic reasons Cal State Bakersfield 8–1976–77, 1979–83, 1987 1988 Pac-12 Conference UNI 2–1975, 1978 1982 Big 12 Conference Won single division (now DI) title in 1950 SIUE 3–1984–86 2009 Southern Conference North Dakota State 4–1988, 1998, 2000–01 2004 Pac-12 Conference Omaha 7–1991, 2004–06, 2009–11 2012 — School dropped wrestling at start of its transition to Division I
Notes
See also NCAA Division I Men's Wrestling Championships NCAA Division III Men's Wrestling Championships NAIA national wrestling championship Pre-NCAA Wrestling Champion U Sports (Canada) Intercollegiate women's wrestling champions
References
External links NCAA Division II wrestling