Ben Davino: NCAA Runner-Up in 133-Pound Final 2026

Ben Davino: Ohio State's Redshirt Freshman Makes NCAA Championship Run at 133 Pounds

In one of the most captivating stories from the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Ohio State redshirt freshman Ben Davino announced himself to the college wrestling world in the most dramatic fashion possible. Wrestling at 133 pounds, Davino battled through a grueling bracket — including a heart-stopping overtime semifinal — before falling just short in the national championship match on March 21, 2026. The runner-up finish cements Davino as one of the sport's most exciting young talents and sets the stage for what figures to be a remarkable career in Columbus.

Who Is Ben Davino?

Ben Davino is a redshirt freshman competing for the Ohio State Buckeyes wrestling program at the 133-pound weight class. Despite being in the early stages of his college career, Davino has already demonstrated the kind of competitive poise and technical skill that typically takes years to develop at the Division I level.

Before the NCAA Championships even began, Davino had already earned recognition as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2026 — a testament to his dominant performance throughout the regular season and conference tournament. Entering the national championships as the No. 2 seed at 133 pounds, expectations were high, and Davino more than delivered on them.

One key element of Davino's development has been his training environment at Ohio State. He and fellow Buckeye standout Jesse Mendez are daily drill partners in the wrestling room, a partnership that has clearly sharpened both athletes. Eleven Warriors reported that both Mendez and Davino finished as runners-up at the 2026 NCAA Championships, underscoring just how formidable Ohio State's 133-pound pipeline has become.

The Road to the Championship Final

Davino's path through the 2026 NCAA Championships was anything but routine. He navigated a loaded bracket to reach the semifinal round on March 20, 2026, where he faced one of the toughest opponents in the field: Penn State's Marcus Blaze.

Blaze entered the semifinal with an outstanding 24-2 record on the season — and notably, both of his losses came at the hands of Davino. That head-to-head history didn't make the semifinal any easier. The two wrestlers battled to a deadlock that required overtime tiebreakers to resolve, with Davino ultimately prevailing in one of the most thrilling matches of the entire tournament.

Yahoo Sports covered the semifinal match, noting how the overtime drama illustrated just how closely matched these two competitors were despite Davino's head-to-head edge. The win punched Davino's ticket to the championship final and secured his status as a First-Team All-American.

As reported by the News-Herald, Davino's semifinal victory — along with Mendez's own advancement — set the stage for a remarkable dual Ohio State appearance in separate championship finals.

The Championship Match: Davino vs. Forrest

The 133-pound national championship final on March 21, 2026 was a historic matchup: an all-freshman final between Ohio State's Ben Davino and Oklahoma State's Jax Forrest, the No. 1 seed at the weight class.

In a match that showcased the extraordinary depth of young talent in college wrestling, Forrest edged Davino by a score of 5-2 to claim the national title. While the result stung, the performance represented a breakthrough moment for Davino — competing for a national championship in your first active season is an achievement most wrestlers never reach in their entire careers.

MSN Sports highlighted the all-freshman nature of the final, a rare occurrence that underlines how two elite programs — Ohio State and Oklahoma State — have developed exceptional young wrestlers at the same weight class simultaneously.

A Dramatic Semifinal Moment: The Official Review

One of the more compelling subplots of Davino's championship run involved an official review during his path to the final. As MSN Sports reported, the wait was "worth it" as Davino was confirmed to have advanced to the NCAA wrestling final after a review process — adding yet another layer of drama to what was already a memorable tournament run.

Moments like these define championship runs. The ability to stay composed during a review, trust the process, and remain locked in mentally reflects a maturity that goes well beyond what most redshirt freshmen demonstrate on the national stage.

Ohio State's Team Performance and the Bigger Picture

While Davino and Mendez both came agonizingly close to individual titles, the Ohio State Buckeyes finished fifth in the team standings with 84.5 points at the 2026 NCAA Championships. It's a solid result for the program, even as the team grappled with the dominance of Penn State, which won its 13th national title in 15 years with a record-setting team score of 181.5 points.

Penn State's dynasty remains the gold standard in college wrestling, but Ohio State's pipeline — exemplified by the simultaneous runner-up finishes from Davino and Mendez — signals that the Buckeyes are building toward something special. The duo's daily training partnership in the wrestling room has clearly paid dividends, and their continued development could make Ohio State a serious contender for team titles in the coming years.

For Davino specifically, finishing as runner-up as a redshirt freshman puts him on a trajectory that few wrestlers can match. With three or more years of eligibility remaining, the ceiling is genuinely difficult to calculate.

What's Next for Ben Davino?

The immediate future looks bright. Davino is expected to return to Ohio State next season, giving the Buckeyes a rare combination: a proven All-American and national finalist who is still in the early stages of his college career. He'll enter the 2026-27 season with a massive target on his back — the kind of attention that comes with being a runner-up at the nation's most prestigious wrestling tournament.

The rematch with Oklahoma State's Jax Forrest will be one of the most anticipated storylines in college wrestling heading into next season. Similarly, the possibility of another deep tournament run with training partner Jesse Mendez makes Ohio State's wrestling room one of the most exciting in the country.

Davino's Big Ten Freshman of the Year award, combined with his All-American status and national finalist achievement, give him a foundation that most college wrestlers spend four years trying to build. At this point, the question isn't whether Ben Davino can compete for a national title — it's how many times he'll get the chance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ben Davino

Who is Ben Davino?

Ben Davino is a redshirt freshman wrestler at Ohio State University competing at the 133-pound weight class. He won the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award in 2026 and reached the NCAA Division I Championship final before losing to Oklahoma State's Jax Forrest 5-2 on March 21, 2026.

How did Ben Davino do at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships?

Davino was the No. 2 seed at 133 pounds and advanced to the national championship final, earning All-American status along the way. He defeated Penn State's Marcus Blaze in a dramatic overtime semifinal on March 20, 2026, before finishing as runner-up with a 5-2 loss to top-seeded Jax Forrest of Oklahoma State.

Who did Ben Davino beat in the NCAA Wrestling semifinals?

Davino defeated Penn State's Marcus Blaze in overtime tiebreakers in the 133-pound semifinal on March 20, 2026. Blaze finished the season 24-2, with both of his losses coming against Davino.

Will Ben Davino return to Ohio State?

Yes. Davino is expected to return to Ohio State for the 2026-27 season, where he will be one of the most highly regarded returning wrestlers in the country at 133 pounds.

Who is Jax Forrest?

Jax Forrest is a freshman wrestler from Oklahoma State University who was the No. 1 seed at 133 pounds at the 2026 NCAA Championships. He defeated Ohio State's Ben Davino 5-2 in an all-freshman national championship final to claim the national title at his weight class.

Conclusion

Ben Davino's run at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships was the kind of debut that legends are built on. From earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors to navigating a stacked 133-pound bracket to an overtime semifinal win and a championship final appearance — all as a redshirt freshman — Davino has established himself as one of the most compelling figures in college wrestling today.

The 5-2 loss to Jax Forrest in the final is a result that will fuel Davino's offseason preparation and sharpen his focus heading into next year. With his training foundation at Ohio State, a battle-tested understanding of high-pressure moments, and the full backing of one of the sport's elite programs, Ben Davino is positioned not just to contend for future national titles — but to define a generation of wrestling at 133 pounds.