Sergio Vega, less than a year after graduating from Sunnyside High School as a four-time state champion, is in position to win his first NCAA title as a freshman at Oklahoma State.
Vega, the No. 2 seed in the 141-pound division, remained unbeaten at 23-0 this season after defeating Nebraska’s four-time All-American Brock Hardy for the third time this season in a 5-4 decision on Friday in a semifinal match at Rocket Arena at Cleveland.
The 141-pound national championship on Saturday will feature top seed Jesse Mendez of Ohio State against Vega. Mendez defeated Lehigh’s Luke Stanich, the No. 5 seed, by a 4-1 decision in the other semifinal match Friday.
Mendez, 22-0 this season as a senior, will attempt to earn his third straight national championship at 141 pounds when he faces Vega.
Oklahoma State’s True freshman Sergio Vega will wrestle reigning national champion Jesse Mendez in the NCAA finals at 141 pounds!#NCAAs coverage presented by @CKAwrestling pic.twitter.com/T2GoX6Zb03
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) March 21, 2026
The championship matches begin at 3:30 p.m., Tucson time. The event will be broadcast on ESPN.
With Mendez seeded No. 1 and Vega No. 2, a championship match between the two was expected.
“I try not to think about it too much,” Mendez said earlier this week when asked about the potential of going against Vega for the national title. “You get excited for those matches. Going into your senior year, you get a fiery freshman, and you want those cool storylines when you’re looking back at your career, so I’m really excited about it.
“Hopefully, the cards play out to where that match happens.”
The cards played out that way.
Vega, who trailed 1-0 to Hardy in the third period, used a takedown, escape and riding time point to advance.
Hardy used a reversal to tie the match at 3. Vega then scored on an escape and riding time. Hardy attempted a takedown in the last 10 seconds but was unsuccessful.
“It’s been awesome these past couple of days and even the season,” Vega said in a press conference. “Finding out how tough I am and what I’m capable of doing has been cool. If you had told me four months ago that I’d be in the national finals, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.
“I told myself I believed I could do it, but I don’t know if I really did. These past couple of months I’ve been wrestling, and now I really believe I can do it.”
Vega, who wrestled for 10-time state-champion coach Anthony Leon at Sunnyside, garnered a 140-2 record over his time with the Blue Devils.
His father Danny Vega was a three-time state champion wrestler at Sunnyside under Richard Sanchez. The elder Vega owns and operates Tucson Cyclones Wrestling and Fitness, which has produced numerous state and national champion wrestlers.
Sergio’s brother Danny Vega Jr. was also a three-time state champion at Ironwood Ridge before wrestling at Iowa State and South Dakota State.
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