2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championships: Preview and Predictions

The 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championships begin Saturday in Evanston, Illinois with Northwestern University as the host. Ahead of the two-day event, we have a preview and predictions.

On the latest On3 Wrestling Podcast, former Michigan wrestler and current Big Ten Network analyst Malik Amine joined the program to break down each weight. There could be some history on the line with certain individuals and teams.

The Big Ten acquired the most auto-bid allocations in the country with 87 bids, including three weight classes with 10 each. Let’s dive in!

125 lbs.

The pick: Matt Ramos (Purdue)
Contenders: Dean Peterson (Rutgers), Caleb Smith (Nebraska), Luke Lilledahl (Penn State)

Ramos is undefeated on the season so he’s the pick here, but this weight is wide open. A semifinal between Peterson and Smith could end up determining Ramos’ opponent and perhaps the winner. Peterson can beat anyone on any given day and has a head-to-head win over Ramos in last year’s Big Ten Tournament.

133 lbs.

The pick: Drake Ayala (Iowa)
Contenders: Lucas Byrd (Illinois), Braxon Brown (Maryland), Braeden Davis (Penn State), Dylan Shawver (Rutgers)

Ayala is wrestling his best and is the top seed. Byrd is wrestling the best he ever has as well, but is the slight underdog to the Hawkeye. Brown is on a tear and Davis and Shawver each won Big Ten titles last season and could easily win this bracket as well.

141 lbs.

The pick: Jesse Mendez (Ohio State)
Contenders: Beau Bartlett (Penn State)

While I want to include Nebraska’s Brock Hardy and Minnesota’s Vance Vombaur, this is a two-horse race. I say Mendez gets the win in the rubber match, going up 3-2 in his series with Bartlett. There could be another rematch at NCAAs.

149 lbs.

The pick: Ridge Lovett (Nebraska)
Contenders: Shayne Van Ness (Penn State), Kyle Parco (Iowa)

Any of these three can win it, but it’s Van Ness lucking out and getting the one seed. He’ll be in the finals but I say Lovett gets by Parco and beats SVN for a second time. He’s got championship experience in this environment.

157 lbs.

The pick: Tyler Kasak (Penn State)
Contenders: Ethen Miller (Maryland), Antrell Taylor (Nebraska), Jacori Teemer (Iowa)

Teemer is the best if he’s fully healthy. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Perhaps the same can be said about Kasak, coming off a concussion. He’s still the pick, but it wouldn’t shock me to see Miller stay undefeated and win it all. He’s been that good and perhaps a little underrated.

165 lbs.

The pick: Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State)
Contenders: None

Nothing against guys like Mikey Caliendo (Iowa), but this weight is heavily one-sided towards Mesenbrink. It would be a monumental upset on Sunday should it happen.

174 lbs.

The pick: Levi Haines (Penn State)
Contenders: Carson Kharchla (Ohio State), Lenny Pinto (Nebraska)

Haines is the big favorite after winning last year’s 157 NCAA final. Kharchla gave him a scare, as did Rutgers’ Jackson Turley, who could be a bit of a dark horse. But this is Haines’ bracket.

184 lbs.

The pick: Carter Starocci (Penn State)
Contenders: Max McEnelly (Minnesota)

Guys like Silas Allred (Nebraska) and Gabe Arnold (Iowa) are intriguing matchups for the four-time NCAA champ, but this is his weight. We just need to see an undefeated McEnelly, who didn’t even lose in redshirt last year, matchup with Starocci. Otherwise, the Nittany Lion takes it. 

197 lbs.

The pick: Stephen Buchanan (Iowa)
Contenders: Josh Barr (Penn State), Jacob Cardenas (Michigan)

Buchanan is the most dominant of the bunch, but Barr has been really impressive as a freshman and Cardenas’ swan song has been dominant. Any of the three can be Big Ten champion, but Buchanan is on another level right now.

285 lbs.

The pick: Gable Steveson (Minnesota)
Contenders: Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State)

Kerkvliet is only mentioned because we haven’t seen this matchup in a few years. Has he gotten better? Of course. But Steveson might as well be wrestling on another planet right now.