NC State’s Isaac Trumble claims heavyweight national championship

After wrestling his way to a fourth-place finish and All-America status on a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus suffered at last year’s NCAA Championships, NC State’s Isaac Trumble had his knee surgery as soon as possible. It wasn’t in an effort to return to the mat in a timely manner, but he wanted to walk down the aisle at his own wedding.

But fast-forward exactly 366 days since he worked his way through pain in the 2025 iteration of the event, Trumble’s bounce back from his significant knee injury was capped with the biggest bout of his collegiate career: A three-period battle for the heavyweight national championship. 

The second-seeded Trumble topped Iowa State’s top-seeded Yonger Bastida 5-0 to claim the crown on Saturday evening inside a packed Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

“It’s been a long journey to get here. I’ve been doubted my entire life, coming from Nebraska,” Trumble said after earning the championship victory. “I haven’t really soaked it in yet. But I will say it was incredible to see my teammates there, cheering me on, and coaches, my wife right next to me. I wouldn’t be able to do it without her and my teammates pushing me to be where I am today. Great coaches, great training staff. They’re incredible.”

After a scoreless first period of action, Trumble was on the board first with an escape to open the second frame before posting a takedown midway through to take a commanding 4-0 lead. From then on, it was all Trumble, who allowed just two points scored against through his five bouts at the championships.

The Springfield, Neb., native rode Bastida for the duration of the third period to add one riding point and win his first-ever national title by a 5-0 decision.

“I was kind of expecting him to hop up, jump up, ready to wrestle. But I don’t know if the lights or cameras got to him. He just didn’t look or feel the way that he seemed in other matches,” Trumble said of Bastida. “I could tell from that first whistle he wasn’t as aggressive or didn’t take as many attacks as he used to. But I knew once he chose bottom [in the third], I put a solid 30-second ride on that that would seal the match.”

Trumble became the Wolfpack’s 10th individual champion in program history, joining current teammate Vince Robinson, who claimed the 2025 125-pound title. Additionally, Trumble is the fourth NC State wrestler to claim the heavyweight championship, joining back-to-back winner Nick Gwiazdowksi (2014 and 2015), who he routinely trains with in Raleigh.

Moments after winning the title, Trumble was quick to give a lot of credit to Gwiazdowski for helping him reach the pinnacle of college wrestling.

“He helps me with my technique. He goes live with me. He’s got two kids. He’s my landlord. He’s just an incredible mentor for me,” Trumble said. “He’s got a lot going on in his life, and he’s willing to sacrifice his time to get on the mat with me and give back to a program that he did so much for. He’s just been incredible the last three years for me.”

Trumble cruised his way through his final college season en route to the final bout of the year. A perfect 20-0 before going for the title, Trumble kicked off the NCAA Championships with a fall over Virginia’s Brenan Morgan before he earned a major and a pair of decisions over a trio of top-20 foes with a 17-2 aggregate score. 

In just his second season at heavyweight, Trumble was a dominant force in the ACC. He was 9-0 against conference competition, including two major decisions to claim the league crown with a combined score of 22-2 earlier this month in Blacksburg, Va.

He came a long way from wrestling through pain at last year’s championships. Trumble, who owns the 2023 U23 97-kilogram World Championship, can add another trophy to his mantle in Raleigh after overcoming one of the toughest situations of his wrestling career a year ago.