The tour of California high school wrestling continues with the Sac-Joaquin Section, which covers quite a bit of real estate in, and around, the southern portion of the state’s Central Valley. 

Even though this section of the California Interscholastic Federation spans more than 14,000 square miles, parts of it actually aren’t that far from Bakersfield, California, so the upcoming state championships could be like a home meet for some of the Sac-Joaquin qualifiers.

However, they probably don’t want to get too far ahead of themselves. They still must conquer the 2026 Sac-Joaquin Section Wrestling Championships, also known as the Sac-Joaquin Section Masters Tournament, which is being held Feb. 20-21 at Adventist Health Arena in Stockton, California. 

For those who can’t make it there to watch in person, all of the action will be broadcast live on FloWrestling and the FloSports app.

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For the boys of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section, the competitive structure includes 21 leagues placed into five divisions. 

The first step toward claiming a medal at the state championships was for the wrestlers to survive their divisional tournaments.

Since the leagues and divisions vary in size, they don’t all qualify the same number of wrestlers, but its proportional, and each weight class at the divisional tournament features 16 wrestlers.

From Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3, eight wrestlers in each weight class advance from the divisional events to the Masters Tournament. From Division 4 and Division 5, four wrestlers from each weight class move on.

At the Masters Tournament, the top five finishers qualify for the state event. 

The girls in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section take a different path through the season. 

The girls compete across three regions – North, Central and South – each with seven, six and five participating leagues, respectively. 

Each league sends four qualifiers and one alternate per weight class to the regional tournaments, and eight competitors in each weight class then move on to the girls Masters event, where they’ll fight for five spots per weight class in the state tournament. 

In all, California includes 10 geographic sections that all are enduring the same challenges in February on their way to the 2026 CIF State Wrestling Championships presented by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association.

The state event will be held Feb. 26-28 at Dignity Health Arena in centrally located Bakersfield, California. 

As you get settled in for the next step of the championship season, here's everything you need to know about the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Wrestling Championships, including a link to the brackets:

What Are The Weight Classes In California High School Wrestling?

In Pounds

• Boys: 108, 115, 122, 128, 134, 140, 146, 152, 159, 167, 177, 192, 217, 287 
• Girls: 102, 107, 112, 117, 122, 127, 132, 137, 142, 147, 157, 172, 192, 237

NOTE: The additional 2-pound growth allowance has been added to these weight classes. According to NFHS rules, wrestlers will be given one pound for the second day weigh-in.

2026 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Wrestling Championships Brackets

Here’s where you’ll be able to find the brackets for the 2026 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Wrestling Championships: 

• 2026 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Wrestling Championships Brackets Can Be Found Here

How To Watch The 2026 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Wrestling Championships

Live coverage of the 2026 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Wrestling Championships on Feb. 20-21 will be broadcast on FloWrestling and the FloSports app, with news, notes, stats and more available on both platforms.

Archives will be available immediately following the conclusion of each match.

If you’re going to be in the area and want to catch the action in person, go to this page for spectator and ticket information.

How Many Wrestlers From Each Section Advance To The State Tournament?

Here’s a look at how many athletes from each section, per weight class, will advance to the state event:

Boys

• Southern Section: 10
• Central Section: 10
• Sac-Joaquin Section: 5
• North Coast Section: 2
• Central Coast Section: 4
• San Diego Section: 4*
• Northern Section: 2
• Los Angeles Section: 1
• Oakland Section: 1
• San Francisco Section: 1

*San Diego Section will fill any voids left vacant by the Oakland Section.

Girls

• Southern Section: 8
• Central Section: 5
• Sac-Joaquin Section: 5
• Northern Section: 2
• North Coast Section: 3
• Central Coast Section: 4
• San Diego Section: 3
• Los Angeles Section: 2

Read more about the 2025 state meet: 2025 CIF California State Wrestling Championship Results And Brackets

2026 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Wrestling Championships Schedule

Here’s a look at when everything is going down in California:

All Times Pacific

Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 

• 6 a.m. – Wrestles can enter the facility 
• 7 a.m. – Boys/Girls weigh-in
• 8 a.m. – Admission/Doors open
• 8:30 a.m. – Coaches’ meeting
• 9 a.m.-Noon – Boys Championship Round 1 (seven mats)
• 9 a.m.-Noon – Girls Championship Round 1 (three mats)
• Noon-3 p.m. – Boys Championship Round 2 (seven mats)
• Noon-3 p.m. – Boys Consolation Round 1 (seven mats)
• Noon-3 p.m. – Girls Championship Round 2 (three mats)
• 3-5 p.m. – Boys Consolation Round 2 (five mats)
• 3-5 p.m. – Girls Consolation Round 1 (five mats)
• 5-7 p.m. – Boys/Girls Quarterfinals (five mats)
• 5-7 p.m. – Girls Consolation Round 2 (five mats)

Saturday, Feb. 21

• 6 a.m. – Wrestles can enter the facility 
• 7 a.m. – Boys/Girls weigh-in
• 8 a.m. – Admission/Doors open
• 9-10:30 a.m. – Boys Consolation Round 4 (four mats)
• 9-10:30 a.m. – Girls Consolation Round 3 (four mats)
• 10:30 a.m.-Noon – Boys Championship Semifinals (two mats)
• 10:30 a.m.-Noon – Girls Championship Semifinals (two mats)
• 11 a.m.-Noon – Boys Consolation Round 5 (four mats)
• 11 a.m.-Noon – Girls Consolation Round 4 (four mats)
• Noon-1 p.m. – Boys Consolation Semifinals (four mats)
• Noon-1 p.m. – Girls Consolation Semifinals (four mats)
• 1-2:30 p.m. – Boys & Girls Third-, Fifth- and Seventh-Place matches
• 3-5:30 p.m. – Boys and Girls Championship Finals (awards to follow)

When Is The 2026 CIF Wrestling Championships?

The 2026 CIF Wrestling Championships presented by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association will be held Feb. 26-28 at Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield, California. 

Did You Know: High School Championship Wrestling In California Spans Five Decades

The first CIF state championship for boys was held in 1973. The first event for the girls took place in 2011. 

Amazingly, it took three decades for California to see its first four-time state champion. That honor went to Bakersfield’s Darrell Vasquez from 1999-2002 at 103, 112, 119 and 125 pounds. In the years since, three more athletes have added their names to the list.

There are 24 three-time champions and 83 wrestlers who have won twice. 

On the girls side, five wrestlers own three CIF state titles. 

Clovis tops the list of all-time team titles with 13, while the Selma girls lead the way with three.

The Central Section Division IV boys tournament first was held during the 2021-2022 season. 

2025-2026 FloWrestling High School Wrestling Rankings

Top 20 as of Feb. 18, 2026

Curious about how the top wrestlers from each state stack up against competitors from across the country?

Click here to see the latest high school rankings from FloWrestling.

Throwback: Every Offensive Point From The California Wrestling State Finals

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Trackwrestling Has Joined The New FloWrestling

Trackwrestling officially has merged with FloWrestling, bringing its powerful tournament tracking tools and live data into a modern, all-in-one platform. 

Fans can follow every bout with pro-grade brackets, mat schedules, team rosters and detailed wrestler profiles—all seamlessly integrated within FloWrestling.

This move delivers a faster, smarter and more connected experience for the wrestling community. Through the updated FloSports app, users can track live results, explore brackets and even sign up for free alerts so they never miss a match.

FloWrestling Archived Footage

Video footage from all events on FloWrestling will be archived and stored in a video library for FloWrestling subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.

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