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Ohio Wrestler Sal Perrine lifting his hand after winning a dual at the 2026 NCAA Championships. [Andy McLean | WOUB Public Media]

Ohio Wrestling completes day one at the 2026 NCAA Championships

By: Marc Goldstein
Posted on: Thursday, March 19, 2026

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CLEVELAND (WOUB) — Ohio began its run with four participants in the NCAA Wrestling Championships inside Rocket Arena. The results over the course of the day were mixed, but there are still chances at All-American status for two of the wrestlers.

157-pound class

Ohio Wrestler Derek Raike during day one of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. [Andy McLean | WOUB Public Media]

No. 13 Derek Raike got his tournament started when he faced No. 20 Jimmy Harrington of Harvard. Raike made his NCAA Wrestling Championship debut and the offense was not doing much early in the first period. After a scoreless first period, Harrington got a quick escape in the second to put the first points on the board. Raike would return the favor in the beginning of the third period, tying the score at one apiece. It appeared as if Raike could have gotten a match-winning takedown if only he had a few more seconds. Regardless, the match went to sudden victory. Harrington got the match-winning takedown over a minute into the extra period, winning a 4-1 decision to send Raike to the consolation bracket.

Raike looked to be in a good spot early in the match against No. 29 Blake Lowery from Indiana. He got a takedown and four nearfall points to go up 7-0 in the middle of the first period. However, everything flipped when Lowery escaped and got a takedown of his own to end the first. Lowery would continue his strong performance by getting an early takedown in the second before putting Raike on his back for a fall at the 4:06 mark of the match. Raike’s season might have ended with two losses at the NCAA Championships, but the strong showing should give him a lot to build on ahead of his senior season.

174-pound class

Ohio Wrestler Garrett Thompson after his defeat at the 2026 NCAA Championships. [Andy McLean | WOUB Public Media]

No. 24 Garrett Thompson was looking to pull off a big upset when he took on No. 9 Beau Mantanona from Michigan. Thompson had to scratch and claw his way to the NCAA Championships, coming back from the consolation bracket to even get the autobid, so it would only be right that his NCAA Championships run would start the same way. Mantanona got a pair of takedowns in the first period and largely took his foot off the gas offensively. Thompson dropped a 7-3 decision to send him to the consolation ladder.

In order to keep his season – and career – alive, Thompson would need to stack some wins in the consolation bracket. His first match there was against No. 25 Sergio Desiante of Virginia Tech. Thompson started the match by surrendering a takedown in the first period before escaping with just under a minute left in the period. Thompson would get another escape just over a minute into the second, making the score 3-2 in favor of Desiante. However, the offense was largely nonexistent for Thompson as he would drop the match, 5-2.

184-pound class

Ohio Wrestler Sal Perrine during day one of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. [Andy McLean | WOUB Public Media]

Unlike his two teammates that wrestled before him, No. 15 Sal Perrine was determined to get to his offense early in the match against North Carolina’s Jake Dailey. Perrine got two first period takedowns of his own to gain control. Perrine dictated the action for the final four minutes, keeping Dailey away from any takedowns, ultimately taking a 9-3 decision.

Perrine’s task was a tall one in the second round when he faced Missouri’s No. 2 Aeoden Sinclair. Perrine was able to stave off a flurry of attacks from Sinclair in the first. In the second, though, he gave up a quick escape point before Sinclair was able to finally land a takedown. Perrine was stymied by Sinclair throughout the match as Sinclair advanced with a 5-0 decision.

Perrine will start Friday’s action with a bout against Utah Valley’s No. 33 Caleb Ulhenhopp in the consolation bracket. Should Perrine win three matches, he would achieve All-American status.

197-pound class

Ohio Wrestler Zayne Lehman during day one of the NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. [Andy McLean | WOUB Public Media]

Zayne Lehman, ranked No. 19, put himself in a large hole in his match against No. 14 Gabe Sollars. After Sollars rode out the entire second period, Lehman needed a big comeback. He was down 2-0 early in the third after giving up a stall and escape to Sollars. However, Lehman had some magic left. He got a takedown and released Sollars for an escape, making the score 3-3. However, Sollars had the riding time point in his pocket, so Lehman still needed another takedown. He got that go-ahead takedown and rode out the match to win a 6-4 decision.

Like Perrine, Lehman was a heavy underdog in his second round match against No. 3 Stephen Little from Little Rock. Little is a multi-time All-American and showed his patience in waiting to get to his offense in the second period. The match for Lehman was similar to that of Perrine against Sinclair as the inability to get anything on offense kept his chances at winning very low. Little notched a takedown in the closing seconds of the match to seal the 7-1 decision and send Lehman to the consolation ladder.

Lehman’s match in Friday’s consolation ladder is far more difficult than Perrine’s, though. Lehman will face No. 4 Sonny Sasso from Virginia Tech, who got upset in the first round before coming back with a fall in the consolation bracket. Like Perrine, Lehman will need three victories on Friday to become an All-American.