NCAA Wrestling & @NUwrestle alum | “The Best to Never Win It” depending on who you ask
Pennsylvania, USA
Joined September 2025
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Great analysis
The results are in and it's not a great story for the 3-point takedown.
In fact, it's a terrible one. The data supports some of the more cynical predictions when 3-point takedowns were proposed, so I suspect we'll hear some I-told-you-so's in the comments.
I analyzed every point scored in the last 6 NCAA National Tournaments, which totals 3,840 matches, between the best D1 wrestlers in the country. That's 1,920 matches in the 2-point takedown era, and 1,920 matches in the 3-point takedown era.
Here's what I found...
This is going to radically change after the LA 2028 games. Legacy post-college “RTC Athlete” concept will become increasingly rare (likely reserved for past world medalists / world team members). All other RTC $’s will go towards current NCAA athletes bc they’re just as good and can also score points at the NCAA tournament, which is ultimately what these alumni/donor groups care about
I think at that point, you’ll see the US wrestling >> MMA pipeline start to pick back up again
Daniel “DC” Cormier says America has no male UFC champions because the best wrestlers would rather coach for $200,000 than fight
“We might’ve done so much to grow the sport everywhere else that the American wrestler isn’t as available right now”
“There are RTCs in wrestling where guys are making a little more money. How many times did I go right when I should’ve gone left?”
“Now it is $200,000 a year to coach. And most wrestlers think $200,000 is a lot of money, especially living in those small towns like Stillwater, Happy Valley, Raleigh”
“It’s a lot of money. So the American wrestler isn’t as open to fighting as we need him to be”
This is why RTCs proliferated in the 2010s. USA Wrestling has been a massive beneficiary of various university alumni subsidizing their freestyle athletes’ development costs. Different school alumni were willing to do this given having multiple workout partners was viewed as “the way to get a leg up” and differentiate vs your recruiting competition.
This model obviously has benefitted many - USA became significantly more competitive internationally and high school wrestlers got access to college rooms, which helped the next wave develop at an accelerated rate. The result has been a ton of crazy good freshmen that immediately compete with the best in NCAA and int’l competition
Things are different now…these same alumni instead are allocating these funds to current student athletes directly via NIL. Post-college training subsidies are deprioritized, which keeps less in the pot to fund those that have graduated and can’t score NCAA points anymore. Too early to see what this does to USA competitiveness over time, but there likely will be meaningful impact IMO
This time of year is always just such a great reminder to me that folkstyle is so much better than freestyle…
Maybe I’m the only one?
Looking like this is going to age well 🌲
Been thinking more about all these Stanford portal announcements and I actually see a world where most of these guys end up staying in Palo Alto
These athletes could be using this as a signal to their program donors to pony up some defensive NIL offers that are “good enough” vs what they get on the open market. Beyond that, likely trying to see if coveted internships/job opps and ideal grad school acceptances can “make up” for the gap on a competitive, higher offer
Remember: “Keep Stanford Wrestling” raised $12.5M back in 2020. They now have an engaged alumni base and a real shot at a team trophy next year
Did not have this headline on my bingo card for today….interestingly looks like Seth Gross reps this club?
This is a certainly different way to raise funds in today’s world! wsj.com/business/hospitality…
Been thinking more about all these Stanford portal announcements and I actually see a world where most of these guys end up staying in Palo Alto
These athletes could be using this as a signal to their program donors to pony up some defensive NIL offers that are “good enough” vs what they get on the open market. Beyond that, likely trying to see if coveted internships/job opps and ideal grad school acceptances can “make up” for the gap on a competitive, higher offer
Remember: “Keep Stanford Wrestling” raised $12.5M back in 2020. They now have an engaged alumni base and a real shot at a team trophy next year
Can Stanford wrestlers not matriculate into grad school or something? If they can, pretty shocked these guys don’t try to pursue that path…
Those degrees are easily worth $100k+ per year and obviously improve long term earning potential considerably
I guess I’ll just try given no one is answering…Does this seem right?
-$10-40k / year for NCAA qualifier
- $40-80k / year for round of 12
- $80-200k / year for AA
- $200-400k / year for NCAA finalist / champ?
Maybe these fabled “Iowa money bags” are outliers…just trying to get a sense of the current market. Welcome any thoughts
Maybe it’s just me, but does anyone have a general sense re: the going rate for each in the transfer portal:
- NCAA Qualifier
- Round of 12
- AA
- NCAA Champ/Finalist
Hearing a bunch of different numbers, so would be good to get a sense. Obvi many factors that play into each of these, but just looking for ballpark ranges
Maybe it’s just me, but does anyone have a general sense re: the going rate for each in the transfer portal:
- NCAA Qualifier
- Round of 12
- AA
- NCAA Champ/Finalist
Hearing a bunch of different numbers, so would be good to get a sense. Obvi many factors that play into each of these, but just looking for ballpark ranges
My favorite guy to compete against. We had some battles back in the day…
Awesome first career; he will crush his second act
Pretty cool note I got from a tech CEO/founder who watched NCAAs about hiring wrestlers:
“I'll say this: without question my favorite hiring profile is a D3 All-American wrestler. You competed in the darkness. No lights, no crowd, sometimes literally no one watching. You showed up anyway and you figured it out. Give me 10 of those guys and they're worth 50 fancy Ivy League degrees. Every time. The mat doesn't lie.”
Thoughts?
I am with you. IMO, edge wrestling is exciting and adds a nice dramatic layer to the sport. People love toe tap, near out-of-bounds catches in football. Edge wrestling is our version of that
It’s an important element to the current product and channels the ultimate spirit of folkstyle wrestling: working hard to control your opponent. There are bigger things to focus on, as you mention.
Is edge wrestling even the closest alligator to the boat for the sport?
If I think back to this year, my biggest match issues are, in no particular order:
1) reaction time
2) 1-1 overtime matches (not edge)
3) rideout periods/criteria
4) non-independent video review
Otherwise, I think the sport is actually a great product if we take a step back. TV coverage is fantastic, I would assume viewership continues to rise. Resurgence of Okie State as a powerhouse and contender. Non-power schools like Stanford and Princeton having success. Love or hate NIL, but guys are getting paid.
Edge wrestling is annoying when it’s being exploited but provides a great element when both wrestlers are engaging in action and the intent.
Two dusty Silverados well over their 100,000 mile warranties. Warriors
So much respect for these guys!! And guess who offered to take this picture? Levi Haines. Pretty darn cool. These 2 battled 7X in their college careers and 5X this season. It’s an honor to call their matches. @B1GWrestling @Hawks_Wrestling @wrestlingbucks
