Stats
Bonus-point wins at the NCAA championships, 1928–2026: 11,191 wins by 4,663 wrestlers from 234 schools: 5,279 falls, 848 technical falls, 4,451 major decisions and 613 superior decisions.
Wrestlers
Most bonus-point wins in a career
See all 4,663 wrestlers →Every NCAA tournament a wrestler entered, added together.
| Rank | Wrestler | School | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cael Sanderson7 falls · 6 majors · 5 tech falls | Iowa State | 18 |
| 2 | James Green12 majors · 3 tech falls · 1 fall | Nebraska | 16 |
| T3 | David Taylor11 falls · 2 tech falls · 2 majors | Penn State | 15 |
| T3 | Ed Banach10 falls · 4 superiors · 1 major | Iowa | 15 |
| T3 | Gene Mills10 falls · 3 superiors · 2 majors | Syracuse (NY) | 15 |
| T3 | Jason Nolf8 tech falls · 4 majors · 3 falls | Penn State | 15 |
| T3 | Wyatt Hendrickson9 falls · 6 majors | Air Force (CO), Oklahoma State | 15 |
| T8 | Jake Herbert7 majors · 6 falls · 1 tech fall | Northwestern (IL) | 14 |
| T8 | Logan Stieber7 falls · 5 tech falls · 2 majors | Ohio State | 14 |
| T8 | Mark Churella10 falls · 2 majors · 2 superiors | Michigan | 14 |
| T8 | Spencer Lee5 tech falls · 5 majors · 4 falls | Iowa | 14 |
Most bonus-point wins in one tournament
See all →6 bonus-point wins is the record, reached once.
| Rank | Wrestler | Year · weight | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steve BarrettOklahoma State2 falls · 2 majors · 2 superiors | 1976 · 142 lb | 6 |
| T2 | Bill KollNorthern Iowa5 falls | 1948 · 147 lb | 5 |
| T2 | John Fletcher IINavy (MD)5 falls | 1948 · 147 lb | 5 |
| T2 | Verne GagneMinnesota5 falls | 1948 · 191 lb | 5 |
| T2 | Dan GableIowa State5 falls | 1969 · 137 lb | 5 |
| T2 | Dan GableIowa State5 falls | 1970 · 142 lb | 5 |
| T2 | Chris TaylorIowa State5 falls | 1973 · Unlimited | 5 |
| T2 | Larry BielenbergOregon State3 falls · 1 major · 1 superior | 1976 · Unlimited | 5 |
| T2 | Mike McArthurMinnesota2 falls · 2 majors · 1 superior | 1977 · 118 lb | 5 |
| T2 | Bruce KinsethIowa5 falls | 1979 · 150 lb | 5 |
Streaks
Longest streaks of bonus-point wins
See all 1,795 streaks →Consecutive NCAA tournament wins, each a bonus-point win, counted across a wrestler's tournaments in order. A loss or any other win ends a streak; a win by forfeit, default or disqualification is passed over.
| Rank | Wrestler | Wins | Years | Ended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zain RetherfordPenn State7 tech falls · 5 falls · 1 major | 13 | 2016–2018 | Decision, 2018 Semifinal |
| 2 | Dan GableIowa State10 falls | 10 | 1969–1970 | Lost, 1970 Final |
| T3 | David TaylorPenn State8 falls · 1 tech fall | 9 | 2012–2013 | Lost, 2013 Final |
| T3 | Cael SandersonIowa State4 tech falls · 3 majors · 2 falls | 9 | 2000–2001 | Decision, 2001 Final |
| T3 | John SmithOklahoma State4 falls · 2 tech falls · 2 majors · 1 superior | 9 | 1987–1988 | Decision, 1988 Final |
| T3 | Ed BanachIowa6 falls · 3 superiors | 9 | 1981–1982 | Lost, 1982 Final |
| T7 | Parker KeckeisenNorthern Iowa5 majors · 3 tech falls | 8 | 2024–2025 | Decision, 2025 Semifinal |
| T7 | Stephen NealCalifornia-Bakersfield4 falls · 2 tech falls · 2 majors | 8 | 1998–1999 | Decision, 1999 Final |
| T7 | Ricky BonomoBloomsburg (PA)4 superiors · 2 falls · 2 tech falls | 8 | 1985–1986 | Decision, 1986 Quarterfinal |
| T7 | Dan HodgeOklahoma8 falls | 8 | 1955–1957 | Decision, 1957 Semifinal |
Schools
Most bonus-point wins by a school
See all 234 schools →Each win counts for the school the winner wrestled for that year.
| Rank | School | Wrestlers | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa302 majors · 269 falls · 84 tech falls · 59 superiors | 171 | 714 |
| 2 | Oklahoma State352 falls · 243 majors · 54 tech falls · 36 superiors | 226 | 685 |
| 3 | Penn State223 majors · 186 falls · 81 tech falls · 16 superiors | 157 | 506 |
| 4 | Iowa State249 falls · 173 majors · 41 tech falls · 38 superiors | 171 | 501 |
| 5 | Oklahoma234 falls · 144 majors · 38 superiors · 23 tech falls | 157 | 439 |
| 6 | Minnesota167 majors · 161 falls · 31 tech falls · 10 superiors | 128 | 369 |
| 7 | Michigan154 falls · 136 majors · 20 tech falls · 11 superiors | 112 | 321 |
| 8 | Nebraska142 majors · 125 falls · 40 tech falls · 12 superiors | 105 | 319 |
Most bonus-point wins by a school in one tournament
See all →A team's best single tournament.
| Rank | School | Year | Wrestlers | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa11 majors · 10 tech falls · 6 falls | 1992 | 10 | 27 |
| 2 | Penn State17 tech falls · 5 majors · 4 falls | 2026 | 9 | 26 |
| T3 | Iowa11 superiors · 8 falls · 5 majors | 1981 | 9 | 24 |
| T3 | Penn State10 majors · 8 tech falls · 6 falls | 2024 | 8 | 24 |
| T3 | Penn State10 majors · 7 falls · 7 tech falls | 2025 | 10 | 24 |
| 6 | Iowa10 falls · 7 majors · 6 superiors | 1983 | 10 | 23 |
| 7 | Iowa13 falls · 7 majors · 2 superiors | 1979 | 7 | 22 |
| T8 | Oklahoma State14 majors · 4 falls · 3 tech falls | 1990 | 9 | 21 |
| T8 | Iowa9 falls · 9 majors · 3 tech falls | 1997 | 9 | 21 |
| T8 | Penn State9 tech falls · 7 falls · 5 majors | 2017 | 7 | 21 |
| T8 | Iowa12 majors · 6 tech falls · 3 falls | 2021 | 7 | 21 |
Each win is credited to the winner and to the school the winner wrestled for that year. Career totals span eras: superior decisions were scored from 1972 to 1987, major decisions from 1976 and technical falls from 1985, and the number of rounds and wrestlers in a bracket changed over time. A win counts by its recorded method, whatever the score. What counts as a bonus-point win