THE COMEBACK KID! Isaac Trumble puts on tactical masterclass to become NCAA Heavyweight Champion (Watch the full match)

NC State’s Isaac Trumble capped an extraordinary comeback story by claiming the NCAA Division I heavyweight national championship at 285 pounds. The sixth-year senior from Springfield, Nebraska, defeated Iowa State’s top-seeded Yonger Bastida by a decisive 5-0 score in the finals, handing Bastida his only loss of the season and finishing his own campaign a perfect 21-0.

This victory marked a remarkable redemption for Trumble, who just 366 days earlier had battled through a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus to place fourth at the 2025 NCAA Championships and earn All-American honors. He underwent immediate knee surgery after that tournament, prioritizing recovery so he could walk at his wedding, and returned stronger than ever in his second year competing at heavyweight.

The championship match itself was a tactical masterclass in control and discipline. The first period remained scoreless as both wrestlers probed cautiously. Trumble, seeded second, struck first in the second period with an escape to take a 1-0 lead, followed by a key takedown midway through to extend his advantage to 3-0. In the third period, Bastida opted for the bottom position, but Trumble rode him out effectively for 30 seconds to secure a riding time point and seal the 5-0 shutout. Across the entire tournament, Trumble surrendered just two points in five bouts, showcasing dominant defense and opportunistic offense.

Trumble’s path to the title included a first-round fall over Virginia’s Brenan Morgan, followed by a major decision and two hard-fought decisions against top-20 opponents. He entered the finals with momentum from an undefeated ACC season, where he went 9-0 and captured the conference title with major decisions in the finals.

For NC State, the win represented the program’s 10th individual national champion overall and the fifth at heavyweight. It followed in the footsteps of legends like Nick Gwiazdowski, who won back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015. Trumble credited Gwiazdowski heavily as a mentor; he trains with the former champion in Raleigh, where Gwiazdowski also serves as his landlord, praising his willingness to sacrifice time despite family commitments. The victory also marked the second straight year NC State produced an individual NCAA champion, following Vincent Robinson’s 125-pound title in 2025. The Wolfpack finished 10th in the team standings with 44.5 points under head coach Pat Popolizio, marking their sixth top-10 finish under his leadership.

From Iowa State’s side, Bastida, entering at 29-0, finished as national runner-up, capping a stellar senior season at 29-1 and a career heavyweight record of 57-3. The Cyclones placed eighth as a team with 52 points, their 60th top-10 finish in program history.

Post-match, Trumble reflected on his journey with humility and gratitude.

“It’s been a long journey to get here. Kind of been doubted my entire life, coming from Nebraska,” he said. “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.”

He also offered insight into the final:

“I was kind of expecting [Bastida] 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… 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, whose overall collegiate record stands at 88-20 across weight classes, previously won the 2023 U23 97kg World Championship. With his collegiate career now complete, he plans to commission as a field artillery officer in the U.S. Army.

In a sport defined by grit and perseverance, Trumble’s triumph stands as a testament to resilience, overcoming devastating injury, proving doubters wrong, and etching his name into NC State’s storied wrestling legacy. As he poignantly noted about the fleeting nature of glory:

“Within a week, it’s going to be in a bag in my guest room closet, and it’s just going to be a piece of memorabilia I can show my kid in the future.” For now, though, that piece shines brightly as the 2026 NCAA heavyweight crown.