NC State wrestler wins Wolfpack’s second straight individual national title
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- Isaac Trumble won 285-pound national title, finishing the season 21-0.
- Trumble’s title pushed N.C. State to a 10th-place team finish with 44.5 points.
- Robinson won the 2025 125-pound title; this season, he placed fourth.
N.C. State wrestling has earned an individual national title for a second consecutive season.
Sixth-year senior Isaac Trumble (285 pounds) claimed the heavyweight national title Saturday in Cleveland, Ohio, capping a perfect season.
“I haven’t really soaked it in yet, but I will say it was incredible to see my teammates there, cheering me on, and coaches, my wife right next to me,” Trumble said. “I wouldn’t be able to do it without her and my teammates pushing me to be where I am today.”
Trumble defeated No. 1 seed Yonger Bastida, 5-0, to become the program’s 10th national champion. Trumble finished the season 21-0.
The two wrestlers finished the first period scoreless, but Trumble used an escape and takedown in the second period to gain an advantage over Bastida. He added a riding time bonus and secured the victory.
Trumble said his wife’s pregnancy provided additional motivation, while also reminding him to not focus too much on the outcome. This past week, he balanced the hunger to win and perspective.
“It’s crazy the amount of pressure and stress you put on your body to go and achieve those things, when not even a week later, you’re using it as a coaster for your drink,” Trumble said. “This is incredible to get. It’s a great achievement for me. But, within a week, it’s going to be in a bag in my guest room closet, and it’s just going to be a piece of memorabilia I can show my kid in the future.”
Trumble became N.C. State’s fifth champion in the heavyweight division after Nick Gwiazdowski won it all in 2014 and 2015.
Last season, Trumble finished in fourth place while competing with a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus. The senior also closed his collegiate career with an 88-20 record and consecutive All-America honors.
He credited Gwiazdowski in his post-match press conference. The N.C. State alumnus worked with Trumble regularly, while also serving as Trumble’s mentor and landlord.
“He’s got a lot going on in his life, and he’s willing to sacrifice his time to get on the mat with me and give back to a program that he did so much for,” Trumble said. “He’s just been incredible the last three years for me.”
Trumble’s victory led the Wolfpack to a 10th place team finish. N.C. State finished with 44.5 points and jumped past Virginia Tech. This is the sixth top-10 finish under head coach Pat Popolizio.
“It’s been a long journey to get here,” said Trumble, from Springfield, Nebraska, after the win. “Kind of been doubted my entire life, coming from Nebraska. … I think there’s a group of Nebraska fans that doesn’t even know I’m from Nebraska. I’ve been gone for about six years. They probably forget about me. But I’m glad I can finally put my mark on the map in Nebraska.”
N.C. State claimed the 2025 125-pound title when Vincent Robinson won the championship as a freshman, becoming first rookie to win a title for the team since 1980, and the first in the NCAA since 2018.
Robinson finished fourth this season, falling in a 10-2 major decision to Stanford’s Nico Provo. While the sophomore didn’t repeat as the champion in his weight class, Robinson has now earned back-to-back All-America honors.
This story was originally published March 22, 2026 at 12:49 PM with the headline "NC State wrestler wins Wolfpack’s second straight individual national title."
