Rutgers’ Ayden Smith Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week Following Top-10 Victory
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As the winter chill of February gives way to the heat of the postseason, the national landscape of collegiate wrestling is coming into sharp focus. On February 12, 2026, the NCAA officially released the second set of coaches' rankings and the first Ratings Percentage Index for the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
A Historic Accolade for Rutgers Wrestler Ayden Smith
All 10 Rutgers starters appear in the latest coaches' rankings, with eight members of the squad featuring in the initial RPI. The national momentum was fueled in part by a historic individual performance. On Thursday, the conference office announced that 125-pounder Ayden Smith has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
Thanks to his top-10 win last Friday, Ayden Smith is your @B1GWrestling Freshman of the Week!
— Rutgers Wrestling (@RUWrestling) February 12, 2026
📰: https://t.co/RHGOBB6sFX#RelentlessPursuit | #GoRU pic.twitter.com/ATiBn7sxka
The coaches’ rankings are determined by a vote of three coaches in each weight class. For consideration, wrestlers must be designated starters at their respective weight, have competed in at least eight Division I matches at that weight, and wrestled at least once in the last 30 days.
The RPI is a data-driven metric calculated using three factors: winning percentage, opponent winning percentage, and opponents’ opponent winning percentage. Only Division I matches at a wrestler’s designated weight count toward the RPI, and a minimum of 15 matches is required for inclusion.
Smith becomes the first Scarlet Knight in program history to earn this specific weekly award. It also marks the first time a Rutgers wrestler has received weekly conference honors since Dean Peterson was named Co-Wrestler of the Week last season.
Smith’s recognition stems from a clinical performance on February 6, where he spearheaded a massive 23-15 upset of then-No. 6 Minnesota in front of a raucous home crowd in Piscataway.
Every great season has a turning point, and for Ayden Smith, it arrived at Jersey Mike's Arena against Jore Volk. Entering the duel, Volk was the gold standard. He was a 2024 NCAA All-American with a 17-3 record and a top-10 national ranking.
Smith dictated the pace from the opening whistle, securing a lightning-fast takedown in the first period to jump out to a 3-1 lead. Volk narrowed the margin to 4-2 in the closing seconds, but Smith maintained his composure and executed a perfect re-attack for a second takedown to secure the 7-2 decision.
Ranked as high as No. 22 nationally by FloWrestling, Smith now stands at 13-6 overall, 9-6 in duals, and 4-3 in Big Ten Conference matches.
He owns four ranked victories this season. Those wins include No. 10 Jore Volk of Minnesota, No. 19 Diego Sotelo of Michigan, No. 32 Andrew Binni of Navy, and a sudden victory win over Ashton Jackson of Purdue. Smith’s rapid ascent is rooted in a dominant high school career
A two-time PIAA state champion and four-time state place winner at Notre Dame-Green Pond, he compiled 152 scholastic victories. As a senior, he finished 49-2 en route to his second state title at 114 pounds.
He was also a Beast of the East champion, runner-up at the 2023 Ironman, and bronze medalist at Ironman in 2022. Nationally, he was the No. 2-ranked 125-pound signee and the No. 34 overall recruit in the country.
Rutgers Wrestling Validated by NCAA Rankings and RPI
Beyond Smith’s individual success, the latest NCAA data confirms that Rutgers is a threat at nearly every weight class under head coach Scott Goodale.
In the second NCAA Coaches’ Rankings released on February 12, 2026, Rutgers placed all 10 starters. That includes Ayden Smith, who is No. 21 at 125. Dylan Shawver is No. 27 at 133, Joseph Olivieri checks in at No. 8 at 141, and Andrew Clark is No. 27 at 149.
Anthony White, on the other hand, is No. 22 at 157. Andrew Barbosa is No. 22 at 165. Lenny Pinto is No. 16 at 174. Shane Cartagena-Walsh is No. 14 at 184. Remy Cotton is No. 16 at 197. Hunter Catka is No. 20 at heavyweight.
In the first RPI release on the same date, eight Scarlet Knights appear, and Ayden Smith is No. 11 at 125. The disparity between certain coaches’ rankings and RPI placements, notably Remy Cotton at No. 5 in RPI. The coaches' ranking and RPI are two of several criteria evaluated by the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee during the at-large selection and seeding process.
Rutgers closes its Big Ten dual schedule on Friday with a road test at Michigan State, which enters at 4-7 overall and 1-5 in Big Ten competition. The match is set for 6:30 p.m. at Jenison Field House and will stream on Big Ten Plus.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.