Coming off a breakout junior season highlighted by a 28-4 record, fifth place at the NCAA Championships and a Big Ten runner-up finish, Dylan Ragusin appeared poised to make his final season at Michigan his finest.  

"One last dance. One last shot at the title," he posted to Instagram roughly two months before the 2025 season began.

That post appeared on Sept. 5, 2024 and yet the final chapter of Ragusin's college wrestling career remains unwritten.

Ragusin, a four-time NCAA qualifier, began last season as he had ended the previous one -- on a tear -- winning his first six matches, including three technical falls and a pair of major decisions. 

Ragusin seemed on track to perhaps surpass what he had accomplished in 2023-24 before his season suddenly fell off the rails.

Sensing something was amiss with his right knee, Ragusin soldiered through his final three matches of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, losing all by decision. 

Unfortunately, diagnostic testing revealed devastating news. 

Ragusin had suffered tears in his anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments. His fifth season in Ann Arbor was over and surgery was scheduled for January of 2025 followed by a lengthy recovery process.

Fortunately, Ragusin still had not utilized his redshirt, meaning his "one last dance" was delayed, but not denied. 

"It's been a tough road, to say the least, and I certainly went through some mental struggles in the process of coming back," he said. "I'm not used to being away from something I love doing for so long, but my unreal support system pulled me through, starting with my parents, who have always kept me going, to my teammates and coach (Sean) Bormet. I can't thank him enough for always helping me see the brighter side of things."

While acknowledging some dark days, the outpouring of encouragement fueled Ragusin as he worked to strengthen his body and increase his endurance. 

It was after Labor Day before Ragusin was finally able to mix it up with teammates again. 

Now wrestling at 141 pounds after four seasons at 133, Ragusin finally returned to competition at the Dec. 20 Kent State Holiday Classic with mixed results, going 2-2. He is 6-2 since, including a technical fall and a pair of major decisions. 

"I was glad to finally to be competing again, but it has felt like at uphill battle, at times," Ragusin said. "It was frustrating not being able to perform in practice like I wanted to and losing to guys I probably should not have been losing to."

Ragusin's frustrations lessened as the calendar turned to 2026. He finally feels as though he has truly turned a corner following a pair of dominating wins during Michigan's razor-thin dual losses to Iowa and Wisconsin last weekend. 

Ragusin handed the Hawkeyes' Kale Petersen an 11-2 loss Friday before a 19-3 technical fall over the Badgers' Carson Exferd two days later. 

"Last weekend was huge from a motivational standpoint, mentally, and I feel like I'm putting the pieces together to have a good March," he said. "My last two wins are a huge step in the right direction after what's been a tough journey mentally, physically and emotionally. I've had to find my way through all of that while also trying to be a senior leader for this team."

While waiting to make his season debut, Ragusin helped coach teammate Sergio Lemley, a two-time NCAA qualifier who is redshirting this season, to the Michigan State Open title. 

He also worked closely with true freshman Eren Sement, who started the first six duals of the season at 141 before Ragusin took over. 

"I loved giving back in that way because I'm thankful for being a part of the Michigan program that has done so much for me and molded me into the man I am today," he said. 

Lemley redshirting is what prompted Ragusin's move to 141, where Lemley started the previous two seasons. Ragusin, who spent his first season at Michigan at 125, has adjusted well to his new weight.

"Once Sergio decided to redshirt, the coaches and I felt it would be best for me to move up in weight," he said. "It's certainly helped that I have not had to put so many miles on my legs running on treadmills to stay at 133. I worked with coaches on the right eating plan and getting stronger."

Ragusin will continue working feverishly to recapture the form he displayed from 2022-24 come March. 

Ragusin defeated 13 All-Americans during that time, including winning one of his four lifetime meetings with two-time NCAA champion and three-time All-American Jesse Mendez of Ohio State. 

He also knocked off three-time All-American and 2025 national champion Lucas Byrd of Illinois and two-time All-Americans Chris Cannon, Sam Latona and Patrick McKee. 

Ragusin, whose career record stands at 93-34 with 44 bonus point wins, will need a solid showing at the March 7-8 Big Ten Championships to ensure a fifth trip to the NCAAs. He was 30th in the latest NCAA Coaches Rankings at 141, released prior to last weekend, with eight Big Ten wrestlers ahead of him. 

"The focus now is really simple because it's just about getting better with every single day," Ragusin said. "I feel like there is still huge improvement I can make before the Big Ten tournament, while some guys are plateauing at this point of the season. That's a strong motivation to become consistently better."

It goes without saying that Ragusin would love nothing more than to win a Big Ten title and finish higher than ever on the NCAA Championships podium, but that's not all he hopes to glean from the final stretch of his college career.

"My real goal is taking in every aspect of the rest of my time in a Michigan uniform because I've been so grateful to be a part of this program," Ragusin said. "I'm going to love everything about these final weeks of the season, appreciating the bigger picture of my time here and showing gratitude. Coach Bormet is probably going to get more hugs from me."

Those personal relationships are what Ragusin values most from his time in Ann Arbor.

"I'm very thankful for the lifelong friendships I've formed during almost six years here," he said. "I've met people I really care about and who care about me, which is so valuable in life. I'll also miss just competing in the sport I love on such a big stage."

Beau's Big Win

Michigan's Beau Mantanona was finding offense difficult to generate and running out of time during his 174-pound match against Iowa's Patrick Kennedy last Friday. 

With Kennedy escaping quickly in the third period and then securing riding time thanks in large part to riding out Mantanona for the entire second period, Mantanona appeared headed for a 2-0 loss.

The redshirt sophomore's motor is always churning, however, and he finished a takedown with 11 seconds remaining to essentially snare a 3-2 lead, only to be hit with stalling call with just two seconds left.

Tied 3-3, Mantanona and Kennedy went to the mat early in the extra session with the Hawkeye on top. Kennedy came close to finishing on a go-behind takedown, but as he has done throughout his career, Mantanona scrambled out of danger and gradually gained the advantage. 

Blood running from his nose and a gash over his right eye, Mantanona ended the match with a takedown 42 seconds into sudden victory, handing the third-ranked Kennedy just his second loss of the season. 

Knocking off Kennedy, a three-time NCAA qualifier who finished fourth at last season's NCAA Championships, is arguably the finest performance of Mantanona's career thus far and his second win over an All-American.

He pinned All-American Caleb Fish at the 2023 Midlands Championships. 

Mantanona decisioned Wisconsin's Lucas Condon, 14-4, on Sunday, improving to 16-5 this season with four pins, three technical falls and three major decisions. He is third on the team in bonus-point wins, tied with brother Brock, and third in dual points with 43. 

Mantanona, who reached the round of 12 at last season's NCAAs while wrestling at 165 pounds, jumped from #11 to #8 in the latest rankings and fifth among Big Ten wrestlers.

He has gone 14-3 since falling to 2025 All-Americans Christopher Minto (#4, Nebraska) and Cam Steed (#10, Missouri) by a combined five points at National Duals.