2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships#Individual results

{{Short description|College wrestling event in St. Louis}}

{{Infobox NCAA Tournament yearly

| custom_title = 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

| year = 2021

| division =

| sport = Wrestling

| image = 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Logo.jpg

| image_size =

| caption =

| season =

| teams = 63

| format = Knockout

| finals_site = St. Louis
Enterprise Center

| champions = Iowa Hawkeyes

| title_count = 24th

| runner_up = Penn State Nittany Lions

| game_count =

| semifinal1 = Oklahoma State Cowboys

| semifinal2 = Arizona State Sun Devils

| coach = Tom Brands

| coach_count = 4th

| attendance = 25% capacity

| television = ESPN Networks

| radio =

| prev = 2019

| tournament_link = NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships

| next = 2022

}}

The 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships took place from March 18–20, 2021, in St. Louis, Missouri at the Enterprise Center. The tournament was the 90th NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship, following the cancellation of the 2020 edition, and featured 63 teams across that level.{{Cite web|last=Scovel|first=Shannon|title=2021 college wrestling championship: Selection show time, key dates {{!}} NCAA.com|url=https://www.ncaa.com/live-updates/wrestling/d1/2021-college-wrestling-championship-selection-show-time-key-dates|access-date=2021-03-09|website=www.ncaa.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Penn State steals show in NCAA finals, Iowa claims 24th team title|url=http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24450|access-date=2021-03-21|website=InterMat}}

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the event was forced to occur with modifications.{{Cite web|title=What to expect from the 2021 college wrestling season {{!}} NCAA.com|url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling/article/2020-01-07/what-expect-2021-college-wrestling-season|access-date=2021-03-21|website=www.ncaa.com|language=en}} Due to the same reason, the Ivy League was unable to compete through the season, leaving out notable teams like Cornell and Princeton, therefore notable wrestlers such as two-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis and returning All-American Vito Arujau.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-01|title=College Wrestling 2021: RTCs could help programs in shortened season|url=https://www.win-magazine.com/2020/12/01/college-wrestling-2021-rtcs-could-help-coaches-in-short-season/|access-date=2021-03-21|website=WIN Magazine|language=en-US}}

In the tournament, Iowa clinched its first NCAA title since 2010 and finished with one individual national champion, while the defending Penn State became the runner-up of the tournament with four individual national champions.{{Cite web|title=Iowa clinches team title during Saturday's medal round|url=http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24449|access-date=2021-03-21|website=InterMat}} Little Rock made its NCAA tournament debut with one national qualifier, while it was also the last year for Stanford and Fresno State.{{Cite web|title=Historic Second Season Comes to a Close for Little Rock Wrestling|url=https://lrtrojans.com/news/2021/3/19/historic-second-season-comes-to-a-close-for-little-rock-wrestling.aspx|access-date=2021-03-21|website=Little Rock Athletics|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Fresno State to drop wrestling program|url=http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/23935|access-date=2021-03-21|website=InterMat}} Shane Griffith became the second ever NCAA champion from Stanford, and as a response to the cut of the school's wrestling team (Stanford eventually decided to keep the program), he wore a black singlet with no logo during the finals match, and was named the Outstanding Wrestler afterwards.{{Cite web|last=Falk|first=Steven|title=Shane Griffith enables Stanford wrestling program to go out on top with NCAA Tournament title|url=https://www.app.com/story/sports/college/2021/03/20/shane-griffith-enables-stanford-wrestling-program-go-out-top/4780172001/|access-date=2021-03-21|website=Asbury Park Press|language=en-US}} North Carolina also saw its first National champion since 1995, with Austin O'Connor at 149 pounds.{{Cite web|title=Mission Complete: Austin O'Connor Wins 149-Pound National Championship|url=https://goheels.com/news/2021/3/20/wrestling-austin-o-connor-wins-149-pound-national-championship.aspx|access-date=2021-03-21|website=University of North Carolina Athletics|language=en}}