The 141-pound division at the NCAA Tournament is filled with talent, led by two-time NCAA Champion Jesse Mendez and freshman contender Sergio Vega. Beyond the top two at this weight, nine other past All-Americans add incredible depth to this field. Check out the below article for a full breakdown of this weight, along with predictions for how we think it will play out in Cleveland!

2026 NCAA Division 1 Rankings - 125 lbs

Interactive Brackets on FloWrestling

The Favorite

• Jesse Mendez, Ohio State

After winning the last two NCAA titles at 141 pounds, Jesse Mendez is the clear favorite to win this year. Mendez has put together the best season of his career with a perfect 22-0 record and an 86.4% bonus rate - 6 pins, 10 techs, and 3 majors. Mendez’s dominance is even more impressive considering the competition he’s faced this year. 13 of his 22 opponents are 2026 National Qualifiers. Beyond that, 11 of his victories this year are over past All-Americans. Mendez will face a deep field in Cleveland, but all signs point to the Buckeye reaching the top of the podium once again. 

Mendez's win over Anthony Echemendia at the 2025 NWCA All-Star Classic:

The Contenders

• Sergio Vega, OK State
• Brock Hardy, Nebraska
• Anthony Echemendia, Iowa State
• Luke Stanich, Lehigh

This group of four wrestlers represents a very real challenge to Jesse Mendez. True freshman Sergio Vega leads this group with a 19-0 record and two victories apiece over Brock Hardy and Anthony Echemendia. Vega’s defense and scrambling have been the difference makers for him this year as he’s yet to surrender a takedown. Vega also has a great spot in the bracket, considering he’ll wrestle Nasir Bailey or Jack Consiglio in the quarters and then Brock Hardy in the semis. Vega is 4-0 combined against those wrestlers this year, making him a big favorite to reach the finals opposite Mendez.

Sergio Vega's win over Brock Hardy at the National Duals Invitational:

Brock Hardy comes in at the #3 seed with his only losses coming against Sergio Vega (2) and Jesse Mendez (3). Hardy is already a three-time All-American with 6th (2023), 3rd (2024), and 2nd (2025) place finishes. Because he has to go through Vega, Hardy might be a bit of an underdog to make the finals, but no one should underestimate Hardy’s skills if he’s wrestling his best. 

Brock Hardy's win over Vance VomBaur in the semifinals at the 2026 Big Ten Championships:

Anthony Echemendia is 19-3 on the year with his only losses coming against Sergio Vega (2-1 in overtime and 4-2) and Jesse Mendez (5-1). It’s also worth noting that Echemendia lost to Mendez at the All-Star Classic to kick off the season, 7-3. Beyond those matches, Echemendia has recorded ranked victories over Nasir Bailey, Jack Consiglio, Eli Griffin, Jordan Titus, Tyler Weels, and Carter Nogle. With as good as Echemendia has been, it’s still hard to imagine him in the finals because he has to get by Mendez. Still, Echemendia is ultra-dangerous on his feet, and if Mendez isn’t at his best, Echemendia is a threat.

Anthony Echemendia's win in the finals of the 2025 CKLV:

Lehigh’s Luke Stanich marks the third undefeated wrestler in this bracket. Stanich is 13-0 on the year but received a low seed because he didn’t wrestle his first match until January 10. Beyond that, Stanich’s only ranked wins this year are over Vince Cornella, Caedyn Ricciardi, Matthew Martino, Braden Basile, and Dylan Chappell. Because of the lack of high-level competition, some might overlook Stanich in this bracket. Stanich had an outstanding summer, winning a U20 World title in Samokov, Bulgaria. Just to make Team USA, Stanich had to defeat Daniel Zepeda and Bo Bassett (3 times). Stanich is one of the best hand-fighters in the country and finishes his single-leg at an extremely high rate. Though he’s the #5 seed, Stanich might present the biggest threat to Mendez in this bracket.

Luke Stanich's win over Bo Bassett at the 2025 US Open:

Sleepers & Landmines

• Jack Consiglio, Stanford
• Luke Simcox, North Carolina
• Julian Tagg, SD State

There is a HOST of wrestlers that are capable of earning All-American honors in this bracket. Wrestlers like Nasir Bailey, Vance VomBaur, CJ Composto, Braeden Davis, and Ryan Jack are all past All-Americans who are threats to the contenders at 141. However, as past All-Americans, these wrestlers don’t quite fit the “Sleepers & Landmines” category quite like the above three wrestlers. 

ACC champ Jack Consiglio leads this group and is the highest-seeded wrestler at the #10 spot. Just a freshman, Consiglio is 14-5 this year with ranked victories over Luke Simcox (2), Gable Porter, Tom Crook, Lorenzo Frezza, Carter Nogle, Greyson Clark, and Tyler Wells. Consiglio is great in scramble positions and difficult to score on. As the #10 seed, he’ll likely have to beat Nasir Bailey to All-American, and no one should be surprised if this happens.

Jack Consiglio's win in the ACC finals over Luke Simcox:

Luke Simcox is another freshman from the ACC who has the potential to make a deep run in this bracket. Simcox is 13-6 on the year with notable victories over Tom Crook, Jordan Titus, Caedyn Ricciardi, Gable Porter, and Ryan Jack (two). Simcox has a tough draw as the #12 seed and will likely have to defeat either Luke Stanich, Nasir Bailey, or Jack Consiglio to reach the podium. That’s not an ideal draw, but if Simcox is wrestling his best, he’s capable of pulling off an upset or two in Cleveland.

Julian Tagg is 18-6 this year and likely would have received a higher seed at NCAAs if he hadn’t forfeited to Jordan Titus and Carter Nogle at Big 12s. Tagg has shown his potential over the past two years with victories over All-Americans Vance VomBaur, Cael Happel, and CJ Composto. Tagg is a dangerous wrestler and hasn’t yet been able to showcase his best wrestling when it matters most. As the #20 seed, I have Tagg defeating #13 Wyatt Henson in the first round and making a run to the round of 16, but he has the potential to reach the podium in Cleveland.

Who’s Winning The 141 Pound Bracket?

The potential finals match between Jesse Mendez and Sergio Vega is one of the most anticipated bouts in Cleveland. Can Vega knock off two-time champ Mendez? Or will Mendez cement his legacy as a three-time champion and go out on top? I have Mendez defeating Vega in the finals. In my opinion, Mendez is the more complete wrestler, and I believe his offensive ability will prove to be the difference over Vega. 

Full 141 Pound Predictions

1st - Jesse Mendez, Ohio State

2nd - Sergio Vega, OK State

3rd - Luke Stanich, Lehigh

4th - Brock Hardy, Nebraska

5th - Anthony Echemendia, Iowa State

6th - Jack Consiglio, Stanford

7th - Vance VomBaur, Minnesota

8th - Vince Cornella, Cornell

Rd of 12 - Nasir Bailey, Iowa

Rd of 12 - CJ Composto, Penn

Rd of 12 - Luke Simcox, North Carolina

Rd of 12 - Joey Olivieri, Rutgers