Black Wrestlers Make History Again At The 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships

The 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships capped off a historic five year run for Black wrestlers, and it was only fitting that it took place in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love.

Last year’s tournament saw four Black champions take home titles- Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet (285lb), Minnesota’s David Carr (165lb), Penn State’s Carter Starocci (174lb) and Penn State’s Aaron Brooks (197lb).

In Philadelphia this year, four Black champions were crowned once again, and each one either made history or a had special story to complement their feat.

It started with Starocci, who returned for his fifth title appearance and fourth title defense, this time at 184lb and the result was the same. Starocci, a 5x All-American, beat the University of Northern Iowa’s Parker Keckeisen, 4-3, making him the first wrestler in NCAA history to win five NCAA titles. He finished his collegiate career with a record of 107-4 and his name forever cemented in college sports history.

Next up was North Carolina State’s Vincent Robinson at 125lb. The Wolfpack freshman impressed everyone with a surprise run to the title match, where he beat Troy Spratley of Oklahoma St in OT to win his first NCAA championship. He also made history as the first NC State wrestler to win a title at 125lb.

They were followed by Antrell Taylor, a redshirt sophomore whose rise in the sport and life has been rife with heartbreak. At the age of 7, his father was killed. Less than two years ago, his brother was killed. Those tragedies almost led him quit, but he persevered to make it to two NCAA Championships.

“I just know a lot of people haven’t been through that and can’t really go through that,” said Taylor. “People quit when they go through a death in the family. So for me to be here and be doing what I’m doing is crazy, surreal, man, I honestly still can’t believe it.”

Last year he placed 8th, but this year he battled his way through to the title match, where he won the 157lb title, the first championship for the now 2x All-American from the University of Nebraska.

The fourth Black champion to be crowned was Iowa’s Stephen Buchanan II, who took the title at 197lb after beating Penn State’s Josh Barr for the first NCAA title in his career. The former Wyoming Cowboy and Oklahoma Sooner transferred to Iowa this season as a 3x All-American and in his first year with the Hawkeyes, Buchanan became the first wrestler in school history to win a title at 197lb.

Buchanan added another first for Black wrestlers at Iowa, joining a list that includes Simon Roberts who, in 1957, became the first Black NCAA wrestling champion.

The biggest surprise came in the last event of the night, the 285lb final. The highly anticipated match featured Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Hendrickson and 2x NCAA Champion and Olympic gold medalist, Gable Steveson, who returned to the collegiate mat after spending two years trying his hand wrestling in WWE and on the NFL gridiron with the Buffalo Bills.

Steveson had the match in hand until the waning seconds of the final period, where Hendrickson took over and won in a thrilling finish, denying Gable his third NCAA title.

It was an amazing night for the over 18,000 fans in attendance and for Penn State, which captured its fourth consecutive NCAA team title.

And it was also another amazing, history-making night that added to the rich history of Black wrestlers in the sport.

While college wrestling fans won’t get to see collegiate legends like Starocci and Steveson compete again, they can be happy knowing that they got to watch two special athletes build unparalleled careers in the sport while also being excited to watch that future stars like Robinson and Taylor compete next year.