Baschamania

2026 NCAA Finals Recap & Wrap-Up!

2026-03-23

The 2026 NCAA Finals are in the books & so is the 2025-2026 College Wrestling Season.

On today's 'Basch & The Brain', we recap the medal round & NCAA Finals and discuss some of the weekend's best storylines.

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Intro & Setting The Stage
05:00 - Young Champs This Year!
08:20 - 125lbs Picture Wrap-Up
22:25 - 133lbs
33:55 - 141 lbs
46:30 - 149 lbs
01:03:40 - 157 lbs
01:14:30 - 165 lbs
01:23:55 - 174 lbs
01:28:40 - 184 lbs
01:43:40- 197 lbs
01:50:45 - 285 lbs
02:02:30 - Heartbreakers
02:04:15 - Teams: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

WHAT YOU NEED

Crystal Ball on Rokfin
Final 2026 NCAA Brackets (PDF's)

Tweet us and send us messages with questions and general thoughts! Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and go through the archives to hear more great stories & analysis.

PLEASE Support the show & leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and shop some apparel on BASCHAMANIA.com! For all partnership and sponsorship inquiries, email info@baschamania.com.

BASCHAMANIA is a Basch Solutions Production. Learn more about Basch Solutions at www.BaschSolutions.com.

Join the Conversation on Twitter & Instagram: @JustinJBasch @MatScouts1

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Can Iowa Knock Off Ohio State? + Ranking Series, Big 12 Seeds

2026-02-05

Another episode of Basch & The Brain to take us into the weekend!

0:00 - Intro & Setting the Stage
02:40 - New B1G Seeding Formula
14:50 - Ranking Series Update - Day 1
25:15 - Day 2 of Ranking Series
29:15 - Can Iowa Knock off Ohio State
51:55 - Penn State/Michigan & Rest of the Weekend

Tweet us and send us messages with questions and general thoughts! Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and go through the archives to hear more great stories & analysis.

PLEASE Support the show & leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and shop some apparel on BASCHAMANIA.com! For all partnership and sponsorship inquiries, email info@baschamania.com.

BASCHAMANIA is a Basch Solutions Production. Learn more about Basch Solutions at www.BaschSolutions.com.

Join the Conversation on Twitter & Instagram: @JustinJBasch @MatScouts1

Listen on Spotify by clicking here.

Watch on YouTube:

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The College Wrestling Season is Heating Up! January 27th: Weekend Rundown

2025-01-28

Time to Recap the College Wrestling Weekend with Willie 'The Brain' Saylor.

Video Timetamps (Add :30 for Audio)

0:01 - Intro & Willie turns Bills/Redskins Losing into a National Duals Rant
06:25 - Willie Has Some Nuggets & We Talk Injuries & Updates
18:45 - Ivy League Decided No Rev Sharing + Big 12 Rev Sharing Issues
28:00 - Weekend Rundown Starts with Nebraska’s Strong Rebound
40:30 - Rundown Resumes with Big Wins
48:00 - Penn State / Rutgers Breakdown
01:03:10 - Weekend Rundown Continues
01:04:00 - Oklahoma State vs Northern Iowa Breakdown
01:07:45 - Iowa vs Ohio State Breakdown
01:26:45 - The Headgear Throw Point Deduction Needs to Stop
01:33:25 - Iowa State / Oklahoma State & Rest of the Slate

Tweet us and send us messages with questions and general thoughts! Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and go through the archives to hear more great stories & analysis.

PLEASE Support the show & leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and shop some apparel on BASCHAMANIA.com! For all partnership and sponsorship inquiries, email info@baschamania.com.

BASCHAMANIA is a Basch Solutions Production. Learn more about Basch Solutions at www.BaschSolutions.com.

Join the Conversation on Twitter & Instagram: @JustinJBasch @MatScouts1

College Wrestling Weekend Recap & Weekend Preview

2024-11-12

The college wrestling season is underway! Today, Willie & JB recap last week's action and then preview next weekend's action, including the All-Star Classic. Friend of the Show, Don B joins at the end to talk some Jersey Wrestling, as well.

Feel free to tweet us and send us messages with questions and general thoughts! Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and go through the archives to hear more great stories.

Support the show & leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and shop some apparel on BASCHAMANIA.com! For all partnership and sponsorship inquiries, email info@baschamania.com.

Join the Conversation on Twitter: @JustinJBasch @MatScouts1

Audio:

Video:

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Previewing the 2024 Olympics

2024-08-04

It is finally here! Of course, I'm referring to both Wrestling at The 2024 Olympics and our preview show!

Today, Willie "The Brain" and I, Justin Basch, go through Men's Freestyle in-depth, weight-by-weight, and talk picks, betting lines, brackets (what we know), storylines, and more.

Feel free to tweet us and send us messages with questions and general thoughts! Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and go through the archives to hear more great stories.

Support the show & leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and shop some apparel on BASCHAMANIA.com! For all partnership and sponsorship inquiries, email info@baschamania.com.

Join the Conversation on Twitter: @JustinJBasch @MatScouts1

Listen to the episode now:

WATCH VIDEO VERSION ON YOUTUBE OR ROKFIN!

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2024 NCAA Championships Recap Show!

2024-03-24

Back on the podcast for episode 228 today, is our guy Vincenzo Joseph, 2x NCAA Champ, 3x NCAA Finalist (4th year stolen as the 1 seed), as we go weight-by-weight recapping an incredible 2024 NCAA Championships Tournament.

We also talk about Cenzo’s return to the mat in just two weeks at the Olympic Trials Last Chance Qualifier!

Feel free to tweet us and send us messages with questions and general thoughts! And be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and go through the archives to hear more great stories. If you want to support the podcast, be sure to leave a 5-star rating & review on Apple Podcasts, and shop some apparel on BASCHAMANIA.com! For all partnership and sponsorship inquiries, email info@baschamania.com.

Join the Conversation on Twitter: @JustinJBasch @CenzoJoseph

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2024 Big Ten Wrestling Championships Preview & Picks

2024-03-05

Great time with Willie as we preview the Big Ten Wrestling Championships, weight-by-weight, making picks at each weight along the way.

Listen on Apple here.

Listen on Spotify.

Watch on YouTube below!

2023 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational

2023-11-30

It's CKLV weekend, and it's time to preview what is arguably the toughest tournament of the season! Another fun episode of 'Basch & The Brain' as we go weight by weight through the CKLV, talk a little CyHawk dual, some other college tidbits and even end the show looking at the College Football Championship Conference weekend!

This show is brought to you by our friends at ATAC. Video Game Stats, Meets Real Life Training. What's your #ATACrating? Put in the work to get closer to your goals. Download the ATAC app and #LevelUp today!

Join the Conversation on Twitter: @JustinJBasch @MatScouts1

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College Wrestling's #1 P4P, Carter Starocci, Talks Upcoming Season

2023-11-20

He's the #1 P4P wrestler in college today and he's back on the Baschamania podcast to talk all about this upcoming season and the looming 2024 Olympic Trials. We talk all things ranging from:

Winning His 3rd Natty
The Elite Company He's With at Penn State
Staying Hungry for 4
The Decision To Come Back
Would He Come Back For #5?
Olympic Trials Weight, Prep
Freestyle Plans
MMA Plans
The In-Season Chirping/Social Media
All-Star Classic Coming Up

Join the Conversation on Twitter: @JustinJBasch @CarterStarocci

Listen to the episode now:

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Did Yianni's World Medal Cost Him The Hodge? I Asked His Thoughts.

2023-03-26

I put out a long Twitter thread this morning so for people not on Twitter, I thought I'd share an article version here and add a few more notes.

Some thoughts in a thread about Yianni D being a 4x’er and likely not winning a Hodge.

TL/DR: My opinion is that it ended up being a senior level sacrifice, in hindsight of course, and one that Yianni was ok with.

I was thinking about our convo on Baschamania, and started thinking that one can make the argument that the Hodge seems like a sacrifice Yianni ultimately made to compete on the senior level and win a senior world medal, working towards his goal of World/Olympic Gold.

Writing this now because all signs point to Mason Parris winning the Hodge tomorrow, which is so well-deserved! 33-0, undefeated, 63% bonus wins, while in the Big Ten and in a tough weight.

As much as many people want Yianni to win a/the hodge, it’s not a career achievement award. It’s an award for the most dominant season, and after his loss to Austin Gomez early on, he knew Hodge was (probably) out. At the time, you also had Spencer still going for #4.

In a post-season Baschamania show we just did, YD said that lone loss, that arguably cost him the Hodge, was a result of a lack of folkstyle focus. A needed loss to get him back on track, but 1 that he believes came from him still focusing on his World Championships finals loss.

Now, if you look back at the other four 4x’er’s, none won a World Medal in college - Cael, arguably, by choice, and he’s the only one who even made a World/Olympic team while still in college.

In 2001, Cael Sanderson was the World Teamer but after a few postponements to Thanksgiving weekend, he chose not to compete at the Worlds to focus on Folkstyle and his college career, and in 2002, the USA team did not compete as a whole.

In those 2001 Worlds that Cael chose to skip, Brandon Eggum replaced him & went on to win a silver medal. Gotta think Cael would’ve likely medaled here, right?

Next 4x’er: After going 3-2 at the World Team Trials in 2011, Dake wrestled in the 2012 Olympic Team Trials as a 3x NCAA Champ, but did not make the team. He was beat by Trent Paulson in the semis.

Next up: Logan Stieber wrestled in both 2012 Olympic Trials & 2013 World Team Trials during college, but didn’t make a team.

Lastly, Pat Smith didnt make a World/Olympic team in or after college.

When I asked Yianni about the Hodge on Baschamania before the season, he said of course, everyone wants it, but it’s more of a cherry on top, as it’s been no secret that Yianni wants a World/Olympic title above all else.

When chatting this morning, I said to Yianni: “In one perspective/take, it seems like you arguably traded a potential Hodge for a World Silver Medal, looking back - would you do anything different knowing that’s how it plays out?”

His response, in summary, was nope. He said his World Silver Medal is a direct result of his effort and dedication to his craft, while the Hodge is technically an opinion based award - just like OW - that most kids don’t grow up longing for like they do a Championship.

From a different perspective: You don’t really focus on winning an Oscar, you focus on making a great movie, and if you win an Oscar, it’s a nice bonus that you’ll cherish forever.

And, again, we're talking about the Hodge here, not the National Championship. So to be able to split focus and do both, and STILL become just the 5th ever FOUR TIME champ is crazy.

So, not only would Yianni trade the Hodge for his World Medal over again, but he also said freestyle is truly his love and he'd arguably trade all 4 national Championships to be a World Champion.

Hodge or no Hodge, while making multiple World teams & winning a Senior World Medal - ending the USA Wrestling drought at 65kg - Yianni D will go down as 1 of the all-time collegiate greats; a 4x NCAA champ with just 2 losses!

Now, it’s finally his time to stop dividing his attention and give everything he has to his ultimate goal: Become a World/Olympic champion! LFG!

To get caught up on Yianni’s appearances and interviews on BASCHAMANIA, head here.