Wrestling Announces 2025-26 Team Awards
May 10 | Wrestling
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers wrestling announced its team awards for the 2025-26 season. Hunter Catka and Remy Cotton shared the Ted Petty Most Valuable Wrestler Award after both advanced to the 'Blood Round' at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland.
The awards were handed out at the program's end-of-the-year awards banquet, held on May 3 at the Rutgers Club on Livingston Campus.
Catka posted a 22-11 record after his transfer from Virginia Tech, which included a 10-6 mark in dual action and three Big Ten Conference dual victories. The Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, native, recorded 14 wins by bonus, tying Shane Cartagena-Walsh for a team-high eight tech falls. Catka finished ninth at the Big Ten Championships to earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships, where he registered back-to-back wins on the front side of the bracket to advance to the Round of 12.
Cotton went 19-9 after his transfer from Michigan State, recording an 11-3 mark in dual action en route to 44 team points. Cotton delivered the program's signature win of the dual season when he pinned Minnesota's Gavin Nelson in overtime, clinching the Scarlet Knights' dual win over No. 6 Minnesota at Jersey Mike's Arena. Cotton finished sixth at the Big Ten Championships, added a 12-4 major decision over No. 2 seed Rocky Elam at the NCAA Championships and advanced to the Round of 12 in Cleveland.
Rutgers finished No. 11 in the final NWCA Coaches Poll for the second consecutive year in 2025-26. The Scarlet Knights closed the regular season on a six-match winning streak, which included the program's first-ever win over then-No. 6 Minnesota to help RU to its best regular-season Big Ten finish ever. Rutgers secured nine NCAA qualifiers, its most since 2016, under 19-year head coach Scott Goodale.
A full list of 2025-26 award winners can be found below.
Ted Petty Award (Most Valuable Wrestler): Hunter Catka and Remy Cotton
Top GPA: Patrick Adams
Sam Cali Award (Top Redshirt): Jordan Chapman
Dual Scoring Champion: Shane Cartagena-Walsh (54 team points)
Coach's Award: Brandan Chletsos
Most Improved: Ryan Ford
Match of the Year: Anthony White vs. No. 19 Charlie Millard (Minnesota)
Clutch Performances of the Year: Andrew Barbosa vs. No. 2 Joey Blaze (Purdue); Ayden Smith vs. No. 10 Jore Volk (Minnesota)
Pin of the Year: Remy Cotton vs. No. 25 Gavin Nelson (Minnesota)
The awards were handed out at the program's end-of-the-year awards banquet, held on May 3 at the Rutgers Club on Livingston Campus.
Catka posted a 22-11 record after his transfer from Virginia Tech, which included a 10-6 mark in dual action and three Big Ten Conference dual victories. The Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, native, recorded 14 wins by bonus, tying Shane Cartagena-Walsh for a team-high eight tech falls. Catka finished ninth at the Big Ten Championships to earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships, where he registered back-to-back wins on the front side of the bracket to advance to the Round of 12.
Cotton went 19-9 after his transfer from Michigan State, recording an 11-3 mark in dual action en route to 44 team points. Cotton delivered the program's signature win of the dual season when he pinned Minnesota's Gavin Nelson in overtime, clinching the Scarlet Knights' dual win over No. 6 Minnesota at Jersey Mike's Arena. Cotton finished sixth at the Big Ten Championships, added a 12-4 major decision over No. 2 seed Rocky Elam at the NCAA Championships and advanced to the Round of 12 in Cleveland.
Rutgers finished No. 11 in the final NWCA Coaches Poll for the second consecutive year in 2025-26. The Scarlet Knights closed the regular season on a six-match winning streak, which included the program's first-ever win over then-No. 6 Minnesota to help RU to its best regular-season Big Ten finish ever. Rutgers secured nine NCAA qualifiers, its most since 2016, under 19-year head coach Scott Goodale.
A full list of 2025-26 award winners can be found below.
Ted Petty Award (Most Valuable Wrestler): Hunter Catka and Remy Cotton
Top GPA: Patrick Adams
Sam Cali Award (Top Redshirt): Jordan Chapman
Dual Scoring Champion: Shane Cartagena-Walsh (54 team points)
Coach's Award: Brandan Chletsos
Most Improved: Ryan Ford
Match of the Year: Anthony White vs. No. 19 Charlie Millard (Minnesota)
Clutch Performances of the Year: Andrew Barbosa vs. No. 2 Joey Blaze (Purdue); Ayden Smith vs. No. 10 Jore Volk (Minnesota)
Pin of the Year: Remy Cotton vs. No. 25 Gavin Nelson (Minnesota)
Players Mentioned
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Thursday, October 23
