(WIAA) – The 83rd Annual Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Individual Wrestling Tournament and the fifth Girls Individual Wrestling Tournament will be held in conjunction Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 26-28, at the Kohl Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wis.
THE SCHEDULE: Below is the schedule of competition for the individual tournament. All weight classes will be wrestled in consecutive order through the classes on a “next available mat” basis within the mat assignments.
Thursday, Feb. 26
Session 1:
Div. 1 Boys & Girls Preliminaries – 2 p.m.
Div. 1 Boys & Girls Quarterfinals – approximately 4:30 p.m.
Div. 2 & 3 Boys Preliminaries – approximately 6 p.m.
Div. 2 & 3 Boys Quarterfinals – approximately 8 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 27
Session 2:
Girls Consolation Prelims – 10 a.m.
Girls Consolation Quarterfinals – approximately 11 a.m.
Div. 2 & 3 Boys Consolation Prelims – approximately 1 p.m.
Div. 2 & 3 Boys Consolation Quarterfinals – approximately 2 p.m.
Session 3:
Div. 1 Boys Semifinals at 7 p.m. on mats 1 & 2
Div. 2 Boys Semifinals at 7 p.m. on mats 5 & 6
Div. 3 Boys Semifinals at 7 p.m. on mats 7 & 8
Girls Semifinals at 7 p.m. on mats 3 & 4
Saturday, Feb. 28
Session 4:
Boys Div. 1, 2, 3 & Girls Consolation Semifinals – 10 a.m.
Div. 1, 2, 3 & Girls Fifth-place Matches*
Div. 1, 2, 3 & Girls Third-place Matches*
* Third-place and fifth-place matches will run concurrently by weight class after all consolation matches are completed.
Session 5:
Boys Division 1 Championships at 5:30 p.m. on mat 1
Girls Championships at 5:30 p.m. on mat 2
Boys Division 2 Championships at 5:30 p.m. on mat 3
Boys Division 3 Championships at 5:30 p.m. on mat 4
2026 TOURNAMENT BY THE NUMBERS: There will be champions crowned in 14 weight classes in three divisions for boys and 12 weight classes in one division for girls. Wrestlers who finished first or second in each weight class at last weekend’s boys’ seven sectionals in each division, as well as the eight girls sectionals qualified for the State Tournament. There are 196 qualifiers for the championships in each boys’ division for a total of 588. The girls have 192 qualifiers. There are 222 programs represented at this year’s individual championships for the boys. There are 124 programs represented in the girls tournament.
SECOND GIRLS WRESTLING TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS: The 2026 Individual Wrestling Tournament will produce the girls’ team champion for the second year. A girl’s team champion and runner-up will be recognized based on results of individual performances from the schools represented in the tournament. Girls are scheduled to compete in their first team-formatted State Tournament in 2027.
MORE NUMBERS: Kaukauna has qualified the most wrestlers in the Division 1 field with eight. The Brown Deer/Messmer/Shorewood co-op and Holmen both have seven qualifiers. Coleman has the distinction of qualifying the most individuals in Division 2 with nine, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau/Melrose-Mindoro and Wilmot Union are next with eight. In Division 3, Cedar Grove-Belgium claims the most qualifiers with 10. Weyauwega-Fremont is next on the list with nine, and Shiocton follows with eight qualifiers. In addition, there are 16 former champions in the boys’ tournament field this year. Milton had claimed the most State qualifiers in the girls tournament with five. Bay Port, Cadott, Kenosha Bradford and New Berlin West/Eisenhower are next on the list with four. There are 10 former girls’ champions qualified this year.
TOTAL INDIVIDUAL TITLES BY SCHOOL: Mineral Point has produced the most individual boy champions with 58, followed by Stoughton with 55. Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln is next on the list of titles won with 47 and then Luxemburg-Casco 65. Others with significant totals are Coleman with 40 and Milwaukee South with 39. For the girls, Badger, De Pere and New London each have three individual champions to lead the membership.
DIVISION 1 RETURNING CHAMPS: The Division 1 field features four former champions on a quest for another crown. Senior Kellen Wolbert of Oconomowoc is three-time champion seeking an illustrious fourth title, a feat done by only 31 wrestlers. He is the top seed in the 150 bracket with a 49-0 mark. Wolbert won the 144 title last season, the 132 championship in 2024 and the 120 crown in 2023. He has compiled a 196-3 career record entering the tournament. Senior Liam Crook of Kaukauna seeks to win a third State title. He returns to the 175 weight class to defend his championship at the weight last season. Crook also won the 165 title in 2024 with an unblemished mark of 42-0. The top seed of the bracket possesses a 49-1 record this year to give him a 145-2 record the last three seasons. Junior Camden Rugg of Union Grove moves up a weight class to 113 after winning the championship at 106 last year on the heels of a third-place finish in 2024. He is the top seed in the bracket with a 49-0 record after compiling the same mark in 2025. Junior Carson Neubert of Luxemburg-Casco jumps up to the 144 bracket after conquering the 126 bracket a year ago and placing third in the Division 2 at 120 in 2024. He is the top seed this season with a 50-1 record after amassing a 55-1 tally last season.
DIVISION 2 RETURNING CHAMPS: The Division 2 field has six former champions, including senior Haakon Peterson of Dodgeville, who is in pursuit of his fourth straight title, winning at 144 last year, 113 in 2024 and at 106 in 2023. He is 46-0 heading into the tournament as the #1 seed in the 165 bracket. As impressive as his three titles have been, equally astonishing is the fact he has not lost a match in his career, entering the tournament with a 170-0 record. Junior Collin Frey of Evansville is a three-time qualifier. He won the 106 championship in 2025 and advanced to the second round before being ousted from title contention in 2024. He moves up to 113 this season, earning the top seed with a 54-1 record. Sophomore Kolten Bollig of Evansville moves up to 120 this year following last year’s title at 113. He enters action this week as the top seed with a 49-3 record after posting a 49-3 mark his freshman campaign. If he advances to the final, he could face another former champion in a rematch of last year’s 113 title bout versus junior Shane Rochon of Dodgeville, who looks to return to the championship form. He earned a title at 106 in 2024 prior to his runner-up finish last season. Rochon is the #2 seed this year with a 28-2 record. Junior William DuChemin of Wilmot Union moves up a pair of weights to 126 after claiming the gold medal at 113 in Division 1 a year ago and the 106 crown in 2024. He is the #1 seed with a 49-2 record heading into the tournament. Senior Ethan Immel of Kewaskum seeks a second straight gold medal, moving up to 144 after winning the 138 bracket last season. He was issued the #1 seed with a 47-1 record this year after posting a 44-1 mark last year. In addition, he placed third at 132 in 2024. Senior Garett Kawczynski of Port Washington moves down into Division 2 this season after he won the Division 1 championship at 215 last season. He’s the top seed at the same weight this year with a 35-0 record.
DIVISION 3 RETURNING CHAMPS: The Division 3 field has five former champions looking to add another gold medal to their collection. Junior Reegan Roy of Wabeno/Laona/Three Lakes is the top seed at 126 this season after winning at 106 last season. He enters competition with a 52-3 record after compiling a 56-3 tally last year. He placed fourth at 106 his freshman season in 2024. Senior Blake Underwood of Marathon is a four-time qualifier. He moves up to 120 this season after capturing the crown at 113 in 2025. His previous to State experiences resulted in a runner-up finish at 106 in 2024 and a third-place standing at the same weight in 2023. This season, he has earned the #1 seed with a 52-0 record after going 51-0 in 2025. He past the 200-win threshold in his career with a 204-3 mark. Underwood’s teammate, senior Cale Quaintance, is the defending champion at 138. He begins his defense of the title at that weight this season with a 49-4 record and the #1 seed. Quaintance also qualified in 2024 but fell from title contention in the preliminary round. Senior Jaxon Busse of Iowa-Grant/Highland returns to the 165-pound weight class after winning the championship last year. He is the top seed in the bracket with a 37-4 record. Busse also qualified as a freshman in 2023, placing fourth in the 152 bracket. Senior Grant Mathews of Riverdale, the defending champion at 285, is seeded #2 in the bracket this season. He has posted a 50-3 mark this year after posting a 51-2 in 2025. In addition, he placed fourth at this same weight in 2024.
BOYS UNDEFEATED QUALIFIERS: There are 24 undefeated boys wrestlers that have qualified for the State individual championship. In addition to the five former champions that enter the tournament without a loss, the other 19 undefeated wrestlers by division, beginning with Division 1 are senior Maximus Hay of Brown Deer/Messmer/Shorewood (28-0) at 126, who was runner-up at 126 last year and at 113 in 2024, and he was fifth at 113 in 2023; senior Gavin Wolters of Hartford Union (27-0) at 126, who was fifth at 113 last season and fourth at 106 in 2024; senior Declan Koch of Neenah (47-0) at 157, who was runner-up at 157 a year ago and at 138 in 2024, and he was third in 2023; senior JD Minder-Broeck of Hudson (50-0) at 165; junior Reed Falk of Middleton (47-0) at 190, who placed sixth last year and in 2024; and senior Makhi Rodgers (7-0) of Brown Deer/Messmer/Shorewood at 285, who was sixth last season. In addition to undefeated former champions in Division 2, the other wrestlers without a loss are senior William Christopher of New London (53-0) at 138, who was sixth at 132 in 2025; junior Max Gonzalez of East Troy (16-0) at 150, who placed third at 126 in 2024: junior Bryston Scoles of Kewaskum (40-0) at 157, who placed third at 138 in 2024; senior Spencer Madsen of Southern Door/Sevastopol (47-0) at 175 who was third at 157 last year; senior Eli Leonard of Mount Horeb/Barneveld (53-0) at 190, who was runner-up at 175 in Division 1 last year and fourth at 165 in 2024; senior Sawyer Dailey of Plymouth (45-0) at 190, who was third at this weight last year; senior Max Matthias of Two Rivers (28-0) at 215, who was the runner-up at 190 last season and third in 2024, and he was third at 182 in 2023; and senior Cael Leisgang of Seymour (37-0) at 285, who finished runner-up last year at 215 and fifth in 2024. In Division 3, the undefeated wrestlers without a previous championship are junior Josue Azuara of Weyauwega-Fremont (23-0) at 120; junior Braden Johnson of Cumberland (48-0) at 138, who was runner-up at 120 last year and third at 106 in 2024; sophomore Karrsen Bussan of Pardeeville (50-0) at 144; senior JJ Adomaitis of Phillips (41-0) at 150 after placing sixth at 144 last year; and senior Gabe Gerber of Ladysmith (19-0) at 157, who was fourth at 144 last year and fourth at 132 in 2024.
GIRLS TOURNAMENT NOTES: Nine of the 12 weight classes feature a former champion in the bracket with 10 former champions in the tournament field. There are two wrestlers seeking to become the first wrestlers to win four State titles. Senior Taylor Whiting of Lena earned the gold medal at 114 last season and at 107 in 2024 and 2023. She qualifies this year at 114 as the #1 seed with a 12-0 record, giving her a 53-1 career mark heading into the tournament. Senior Carley Ceshker of Badger is also in pursuit of her fourth title after earning the crown at 138 the past two seasons and at 126 in 2023. She was issued the top seed in the 138 bracket with a 29-0 mark this season and remains undefeated in her career at 95-0. Three qualifiers are in pursuit of their third State championship. Angie Bianchi, a senior from Two Rivers, won the 120 crown last season after moving up from 114, where she earned the gold medal in 2024 and finished runner-up in 2023. She enters competition with a 22-0 record this season and has posted a 102-2 record during her career. Senior Madilyn Peach of Milton returns to defend the titles she won at 126 the past two seasons following a third-place finish in 2023. As the top seed in the bracket, she has yet to lose a match this year with a 37-0 mark. She has compiled a 120-2 mark in her career and is undefeated the past three seasons. At 132, senior Lillie Banks of Menasha returns in pursuit of her third-straight title in the weight class after finishing runner-up at 126 in 2023. Banks is 47-1 this season and has earned the #1 seed. She has compiled a 174-6 record in her four seasons heading into the tournament. Junior Brooke Huffman of Wittenberg-Birnamwood is the two-time reigning 185 champion. She is seeded first with a 50-0 record, giving her an unblemished 121-0 record in her three seasons. Senior Emjay Neumann of Manitowoc Lincoln was runner-up last year at 120. She drops a weight class to 114 this season, where she has been issued #3 seed with a 39-3 record. She won the 120 championship in 2024 after placing runner-up at that weight in 2023. Neumann is positioned in the opposite side of the bracket as Whiting, which sets up a potential matchup in the title bout. Junior Riley Hanrahan of Black River Falls moves up a class to 145 this season following her championship at 138 a year ago. She also advanced to the title bout at 132 in 2024 and finished runner-up. Hanrahan is the top seed with a current record of 23-0. Senior Olivia Hofrichter of Antigo moves up a weight class to 152 after winning the 145 title last year. She is the #2 seed in the bracket with a record of 46-2. Junior Kimura Hutter of Wittenberg-Birnamwood is the #2 seed in the 165 bracket. She seeks to win back-to-back titles in the weight class, entering the tourney with a 37-4 record.
GIRLS UNDEFEATED QUALIFIERS: There are 14 qualifiers with undefeated records entering the tournament. Apart from the returning champions, others that have not lost a match this year are sophomore Alexa Thomas of Badger (18-0) at 107, after she placed third at 107 last season; sophomore Daelin Cody of Princeton/Green Lake (44-0) at 120, after placing third at 114 last year; senior Hayli Fletcher of Fort Atkinson (46-0) at 132, following a runner-up finish at 132 a year ago; sophomore Brynlee Vaughn of Wautoma/Wild Rose (40-0) at 152, after placing fourth in 2025; senior Terryn McBride of Milwaukee King (36-0) at 152; senior Emersyn Miller of Poynette (28-0) at 152; Laynie Vaughn of Wautoma/Wild Rose (42-0) at 165, after she placed third in this weight in 2025; and senior Izabella Riebe of Wisconsin Lutheran (40-0) at 235, who is a four-time qualifier at this weight. She placed fourth last year, third in 2024 and runner-up in 2023.
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