Portal Points

[wrestleknownothing]

With ramped up transfer activity, and pending activity, it got me thinking about the returning points graphic I did last year with color coded sources. I started building the data and it struck me how few returning points are actually up for grabs in the portal this year.

For returning points I am being strict in the definition. This is based on points scored in the 2025 tournament. I know if it is your team you want to put on those rose colored glasses and talk about the most points the wrestler has ever scored (sorry Richie Figueroa), or what you think they are capable of scoring (everyone is a potential finalist in someone's opinion). But I am unmoved.

Portal Points Available



Only 25.5 returning points have transferred so far (1.8% of all points scored). And only 26 remaining points are looking for a new home. There are 51.5 total points (3.6%) looking to, or already, transferred (vs. last year 120.5 or 8.4%).

That's it.

Everything else is about potential, that most elusive of mistresses.

What about those 120.5 transferred points from 2024?

They only scored 111.5 points in 2025.

Returning Points

In general there are fewer returning points this year. A lot fewer.

Last year 196 wrestlers who scored 1,066.5 points (out of 1,437.5, 74.2%) returned in 2025.

This year 206 wrestlers who scored 863.5 points (out of 1438, 60%) return for 2026.

 

[ping72]

Thanks for doing this.

 

[Herkylian]

Nicely done, very informative. Thanks!

 

[Hawkeye in DFW]

Puts it in perspective. But I do like my rose colored glasses.

 

[HawkAlum2002]

So on paper it was basically AJ and then a bunch of low point guys with upside moving. Still feels like it's been a very interesting portal with top guys that sat out (Elam, Welsh), top guys that underperformed (Figs, Bailey), and some that haven't even wrestled (Ryder). Going to outperform that 51.5 pretty easily I'd think.

 

[dtripp26]

I understand what you're doing but career NCAA scoring would be a valuable metric to look at.

This year isn't the bonanza that previous years were with the portal (thank goodness covid years are nearly done) but guys like Figs, Elam and Bailey have proven NCAA results, and those cannot be overlooked.

 

[wrestleknownothing]

So on paper it was basically AJ and then a bunch of low point guys with upside moving. Still feels like it's been a very interesting portal with top guys that sat out (Elam, Welsh), top guys that underperformed (Figs, Bailey), and some that haven't even wrestled (Ryder). Going to outperform that 51.5 pretty easily I'd think.

And Lachlan McNeil. He and Ferrari are the only double digit scorers last year in this year's portal.

 

[wrestleknownothing]

I understand what you're doing but career NCAA scoring would be a valuable metric to look at.

This year isn't the bonanza that previous years were with the portal (thank goodness covid years are nearly done) but guys like Figs, Elam and Bailey have proven NCAA results, and those cannot be overlooked.

I didn't overlook any of those guys. Bailey and Figueroa did what they did last year. And Elam was injured. Assuming they will return to their best selves is not for me. I am not aware of a lot of situations like that.

It would be fair to say I overlooked Rocco Welsh, though.

 

[dtripp26]

I didn't overlook any of those guys. Bailey and Figueroa did what they did last year. And Elam was injured. Assuming they will return to their best selves is not for me. I am not aware of a lot of situations like that.

It would be fair to say I overlooked Rocco Welsh, though.

As did I...but there are a lot of NCAA points not included in your data, just not 2025 points.

Not faulting your data, it's fine for the very small sample of 2025.