With win, No. 1 Penn State sets new NCAA Div. I dual meet record

written by Gerry deSimas, Jr. , Connecticut Wrestling Online | December 23, 2025

No. 1 Penn State established a new NCAA Division I winning streak record on Sunday with a 42-0 win over Stanford at the Journeyman Duals in Nashville. Since 2020, the Nittany Lions (6-0) have won 77 dual meets in a row, erasing the 74-year-old record held by Oklahoma State of 76 in a row set from 1937 through 1951.

Penn State also shutout North Dakota State, 45-0 before they beat the Cardinal, who had Stratford native Nico Provo in the starting lineup at 125 pounds.

The Nittany Lions are now tied with Division II St. Cloud State for the longest win streak in NCAA wrestling history. The Nittany Lions can take hold of the NCAA mark on January 10 at Rec Hall when they host Rutgers.

Sacred Heart was part of the historic streak. They lost a 47-3 decision on Nov. 13, 2021.

Penn State remained No. 1 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll that was released on Tuesday.

No. 2 Ohio State continued its perfect start, moving to 10-0 with wins over Little Rock, 34-9, and Iowa State, 21-13 also at the Collegiate Duals.

Iowa State split its weekend, defeating then-No. 20 Lehigh 26-11.

Fifth-ranked Oklahoma State added another ranked win with a 22-12 victory over No. 6 Nebraska in Lincoln. The dual drew 7,094 fans, setting a new home attendance record for the Huskers. Nebraska picked up a ranked win on Friday, defeating then-No. 16 North Carolina 27-9.

North Carolina would pick up a solid win on the road in Cedar Falls, beating then No. 12 Northern Iowa 19-13. The Tar Heels (7-1) jumped to No. 13 this week, the highest the program has been ranked since it checked in at No. 7 in the final poll of the 2019-20 season.

No. 8 South Dakota State moved to 3-0 with a 45-3 win over Campbell. No. 9 NC State went 3-0 on the week, defeating The Citadel, George Mason and Buffalo. Danbury’s Ryan Jack had two wins against The Citadel and George Mason to help the Wolfpack.

Back in Nashville, No. 10 Illinois earned two ranked wins, edging then-No. 18 Cornell 21-18 and defeating Lehigh 24-12

NWCA DIVISION I MEN’S WRESTLING COACHES POLL
DECEMBER 23, 2025

Rank Team (First) Record Points Conference Previous
1 Penn State (14) 6-0 398 Big Ten 1
2 Ohio State (2) 10-0 386 Big Ten 2
3 Iowa State 3-1 368 Big 12 3
4 Iowa 7-2 351 Big Ten 4
5 Oklahoma State 8-1 337 Big 12 5
6 Nebraska 6-3 320 Big Ten 6
7 Virginia Tech 4-2 297 ACC 7
8 South Dakota State 3-0 286 Big 12 8
9 NC State 8-3 267 ACC 9
10 Illinois 7-2 257 Big Ten 10
11 Minnesota 6-2 249 Big Ten 11
12 Michigan 4-2 195 Big Ten 13
13 North Carolina 7-1 191 ACC 16
14 Pittsburgh 7-1 187 ACC 14
15 Oklahoma 6-1 183 Big 12 15
16 Northern Iowa 3-3 158 Big 12 12
17 Rutgers 6-2 136 Big Ten 19
18 Missouri 6-6 129 Big 12 17
19 Wisconsin 8-0 111 Big Ten 21
20 Cornell 1-3 102 Ivy League 18
21 West Virginia 5-2 69 Big 12 22
22 Lehigh 3-6 61 EIWA 20
23 Oregon State 2-0 43 Pac-12 24
24 Stanford 2-3 40 ACC 23
25 Indiana 5-1 36 Big Ten 25

Others Receiving Votes: Purdue 20, Penn 10, Wyoming 5, Utah Valley 4, Rider 3, Columbia 1.
Methodology: The poll is voted on by two coaches from each Division I wrestling conference. Each first-place vote is worth 25 points, 24 points for a second-place vote, 23 points for a third-place vote, and so on, through to one point for a 25th-place vote. The poll is based on dual meet results.

Longest College Wrestling Win Streaks 

Team Consecutive Wins Years Recorded Division
Grand View 117 2013-22 NAIA
SUNY Delhi 92 1979-83 NJCAA
St. Cloud State 77 2017-22 NCAA Div. II
Penn State 77 2020-present NCAA Div. I
Oklahoma State 76 1937-51 NCAA Div. I
Oklahoma City 76 2008-12 NAIA Women
Iowa 69 2007-11 NCAA Div. I
Oklahoma State 69 1996-99 NCAA Div. I
Oklahoma State 69 1921-32 NCAA Div. I

Courtesy Jason Bryant, Mat Talk Online