NCAA Division DII wrestling has long been a sport built on dynasties. Since Western State went back-to-back in the first two DII wrestling championship tournaments in 1963 and 1964, all but two programs have repeated at least once in the 56-year history of the event. Only Minnesota State in 1965 and San Francisco State in 1997 have one title to its names.
Which dynasties brought in the most titles? Let’s take a look at the programs with the most championships in DII wrestling history.
MORE: NCAA releases its first award standings of 2019
8 — Cal Poly (1966, 1968-74)
Not only are the Mustangs tied for the most national championships in DII wrestling history, they also own the longest streak ever. Cal Poly was the team to beat for seven-consecutive seasons, defeating six different programs over that stretch.
8 — Cal State Bakersfield (1976-77, 1979-83, 1987)
Head coach Joey Seay had quite the stretch with the Roadrunners. Cal State Bakersfield finished national champion or runner up for nine consecutive seasons, winning five in a row from 1979 to 1983. T.J. Kerr took over after 1984 and got the Roadrunners back to the top one last time before they headed to Division I.
7 — Nebraska-Omaha (1991, 2004-06, 2009-11)
Mike Denney patiently waited a long time to become a wrestling coach icon. He waited 12 years in between his first and second title — with three national runners-up seasons — before winning six of the next seven and dominating the early 2000s. Sadly, when the Mavericks jumped to Division I, the wrestling program was discontinued. Their DII era of dominance, however, will never be forgotten.
7 — Central Oklahoma (1992-1995, 2002-03, 2007)
The Bronchos ran the 1990s in DII wrestling, finishing first or second every year from 1990 to 1996. David James etched his name in head coach history, winning four-straight titles between 1992 and 1995, before repeating again in the early 2000s. James retired in 2016 with 396 wins and an unreal .726 winning percentage.
4 — North Dakota State (1988, 1998, 2000-01)
The Bison liked to keep themselves relevant during their DII stay. North Dakota State spread the wealth, being the only program to win a national championship in the 1980s, 90s, and 2000s. Head coach Bucky Maughan was there for the entire ride, retiring in 2011.
Three’s a crowd: Four programs have won three national championships. SIU Edwardsville won three-straight from 1984 to 1986 before finishing runners-up in 1987. Portland State was one of the first national champions in 1967 before repeating 21 years later in 1989-90, the longest drought between titles. Nebraska-Kearney has been a steady force of late, first winning in 2008 before repeating in 2012 and 2013. St. Cloud State has won three of the last four titles and has four national runners-up this decade.
Here is the complete list of DII wrestling national champions:
| YEAR | CHAMPION | COACH | POINTS | RUNNER-UP | POINTS | HOST OR SITE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | St. Cloud State | Steve Costanzo | 91.5 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 84 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa |
| 2017 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | Frank Romano | 103.5 | St. Cloud State | 67 | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 2016 | St. Cloud State | Steve Costanzo | 90 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | 82 | Sioux Falls, S.D. |
| 2015 | St. Cloud State | Steve Costanzo | 84.5 | Nebraska-Kearney | 76.5 | St. Louis |
| 2014 | Notre Dame (Ohio) | Frank Romano | 99.5 | Nebraska-Kearney | 64.5 | Cleveland |
| 2013 | Nebraska-Kearney | Marc Bauer | 108 | St. Cloud State | 105 | Birmingham, Ala. |
| 2012 | Nebraska-Kearney | Marc Bauer | 107 | St. Cloud State | 95 | CSU-Pueblo |
| 2011 | Nebraska-Omaha | Mike Denney | 102.5 | St. Cloud State | 90.5 | Nebraska-Kearney |
| 2010 | Nebraska-Omaha | Mike Denney | 131 | Augustana (S.D.) | 72 | Nebraska-Omaha |
| 2009 | Nebraska-Omaha | Mike Denney | 146.5 | Newberry | 80.5 | Houston |
| 2008 | Nebraska-Kearney | Marc Bauer | 109.5 | Minnesota State-Mankato | 108 | Upper Iowa |
| 2007 | Central Oklahoma | David James | 124.5 | Nebraska-Kearney | 108.5 | Nebraska-Kearney |
| 2006 | Nebraska-Omaha | Mike Denney | 117 | Nebraska-Kearney | 98.5 | Findlay |
| 2005 | Nebraska-Omaha | Mike Denney | 109.5 | Augustana (S.D.) | 101 | Nebraska-Omaha |
| 2004 | Nebraska-Omaha | Mike Denney | 97.5 | North Dakota State | 95 | Minnesota State-Mankato |
| 2003 | Central Oklahoma | David James | 87.5 | Nebraska-Kearney | 73.5 | Wheeling, W.Va. |
| 2002 | Central Oklahoma | David James | 126 | North Dakota State | 116.5 | Wisconsin-Parkside |
| 2001 | North Dakota State | Bucky Maughan | 98.5 | South Dakota State | 91 | Northern Colorado |
| 2000 | North Dakota State | Bucky Maughan | 91.5 | Central Oklahoma | 75 | South Dakota State |
| 1999 | Pittsburgh-Johnstown | Pat Pecora | 110 | Nebraska-Omaha | 105.5 | Nebraska-Omaha |
| 1998 | North Dakota State | Bucky Maughan | 112 | South Dakota State | 78 | CSU-Pueblo |
| 1997 | San Francisco State | Lars Jensen | 95 | Nebraska-Omaha | 81 | North Dakota State |
| 1996 | Pittsburgh-Johnstown | Pat Pecora | 86.5 | Central Oklahoma | 81.5 | Northern Colorado |
| 1995 | Central Oklahoma | David James | 148 | Nebraska-Omaha | 103 | Nebraska-Kearney |
| 1994 | Central Oklahoma | David James | 127.24 | Minnesota State-Mankato | 65.5 | CSU-Pueblo |
| 1993 | Central Oklahoma | David James | 108.5 | Nebraska-Omaha | 68 | South Dakota State |
| 1992 | Central Oklahoma | David James | 91.5 | North Dakota State/Portland State | 78.5 | Northern Colorado |
| 1991 | Nebraska-Omaha | Mike Denney | 79.5 | Central Oklahoma | 64 | North Dakota State |
| 1990 | Portland State | Marlin Grahn | 100.75 | Central Oklahoma | 96 | Wisconsin-Parkside |
| 1989 | Portland State | Marlin Grahn | 102.5 | Ferris State | 56.25 | California (Pa.) |
| 1988 | North Dakota State | Bucky Maughan | 99 | Nebraska-Omaha | 81.75 | Nebraska-Omaha |
| 1987 | Cal State Bakersfield | T.J. Kerr | 90.5 | SIU Edwardsville | 69.5 | SIU Edwardsville |
| 1986 | SIU Edwardsville | Larry Kristoff | 110 | Edinboro | 106.5 | SIU Edwardsville |
| 1985 | SIU Edwardsville | Larry Kristoff | 132.75 | Nebraska-Omaha | 84.25 | Wright State |
| 1984 | SIU Edwardsville | Larry Kristoff | 141.5 | Cal State Bakersfield | 93 | Morgan state |
| 1983 | Cal State Bakersfield | Joe Seay | 107.5 | North Dakota State | 103.75 | North Dakota State |
| 1982 | Cal State Bakersfield | Joe Seay | 166.5 | North Dakota State | 78.75 | Wisconsin-Parkside |
| 1981 | Cal State Bakersfield | Joe Seay | 144.5 | Eastern Illinois | 98 | UC Davis |
| 1980 | Cal State Bakersfield | Joe Seay | 110.5 | UNI | 89 | Nebraska-Omaha |
| 1979 | Cal State Bakersfield | Joe Seay | 112.75 | Eastern Illinois | 112.5 | South Dakota State |
| 1978 | UNI | Chuck Patten | 124 | Cal State Bakersfield | 100.5 | UNI |
| 1977 | Cal State Bakersfield | Joe Seay | 107.25 | Augustana (S.D.) | 78 | UNI |
| 1976 | Cal State Bakersfield | Joe Seay | 92.5 | Chattanooga | 88.25 | North Dakota State |
| 1975 | UNI | Chuck Patten | 112 | SIU Edwardsville | 71.5 | East Stroudsburg |
| 1974 | Cal Poly | Vaughan Hitchcock | 131.5 | UNI | 95.5 | Cal State Fullerton |
| 1973 | Cal Poly | Vaughan Hitchcock | 109 | Clarion | 80 | South Dakota State |
| 1972 | Cal Poly | Vaughan Hitchcock | 94 | South Dakota State/UNI | 64.5 | Oswego State |
| 1971 | Cal Poly | Vaughan Hitchcock | 118 | Slippery Rock | 58 | North Dakota State |
| 1970 | Cal Poly | Vaughan Hitchcock | 82 | UNI | 58 | Ashland |
| 1969 | Cal Poly | Vaughan Hitchcock | 127 | Northern Colorado | 81 | Cal Poly |
| 1968 | Cal Poly | Vaughan Hitchcock | 91 | Portland State | 62 | Minnesota State-Mankato |
| 1967 | Portland State | Howard Westcott | 86 | Minnesota State-Mankato | 57 | Wilkes |
| 1966 | Cal Poly | Vaughan Hitchcock | 55 | Wilkes | 51 | Minnesota State-Mankato |
| 1965 | Minnesota State-Mankato | Rummy Macias | 57 | Cal Poly | 54 | Colorado Mines |
| 1964 | Western State | Tracey Borah | 51 | Colorado Mines | 49 | UNI |
| 1963 | Western State | Tracey Borah | 62 | Southern Illinois | 57 | UNI |
