The Open Mat presents awards annually in three categories for each division of college wrestling at the conclusion of the season. Awards are presented for Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year and Wrestler of the Year.

Cael Sanderson has been named the 2026 NCAA Division I Coach of the Year by The Open Mat after leading Penn State to another historic season.

The Nittany Lions captured their fifth straight NCAA team title in dominant fashion, further cementing one of the greatest dynasties in college wrestling history.

Penn State's dominance was evident all year. The Nittany Lions went 15-0 in dual meets, including an 8-0 mark in Big Ten competition, before delivering a statement performance at the Big Ten Championships. Competing at the Bryce Jordan Center, Penn State crowned seven individual champions and won the team title with a school-record 184 points, nearly 40 points ahead of second-place Ohio State. It marked the program's 10th conference title under Sanderson.

At the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Penn State overwhelmed the field once again. The Nittany Lions clinched the team title early on the final day and finished with a record-setting 181.5 points, more than 50 points clear of the runner-up. The total broke Penn State's own NCAA scoring record from the previous year and gives the program the top three scoring marks in NCAA history over the past three seasons. Penn State crowned four national champions -- Mitchell Mesenbrink, Levi Haines, Josh Barr, and Luke Lilledahl -- and tied an NCAA record with six finalists, going 4-2 in the championship matches.