Junior civil engineering major Garrett Totten won the 2026 NCAA Division III wrestling championships with The College of New Jersey wrestling team. The national championship took place in March in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Totten, who also earned Scholar-All America honors, said balancing wrestling with his civil engineering coursework requires him to stay focused on whichever responsibility is in front of him.
“When I’m in the wrestling room, I’m not thinking about class or a test tomorrow,” Totten said. “And when I’m in class, I’m not thinking about wrestling practice later. You just focus on what you’re doing at that moment.”
“Being at the NCAA Division III Tournament is a place where dreams are made or dreams are broken,” Totten said.
After falling short of his ultimate goal at nationals in 2025, that feeling stayed with him throughout the year and motivated him heading into this season.
Before each match, Totten said he reminded himself to have fun, wrestle hard and trust that the results would come. As the tournament progressed, he knew each round would become more challenging, but said those were the moments he was most ready to embrace and compete in.
TCNJ finished fifth nationally with 58.5 team points, the program’s highest finish under head coach Joe Galante.
While physical preparation is important, Totten said his biggest improvement this season came from a change in mindset.
“I’d say my mindset improved the most,” he said. “Not taking losses too hard and just going out there and having fun.”
That approach helped him stay more relaxed during matches.
“I know I can score a lot of points,” Totten said. “My opponent might score on me, but I know I can score more.”
Totten said he competed at this year’s national tournament with more confidence in his abilities than ever before and credited both his mindset and preparation for that shift. He also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent TCNJ and for the support system around him.
“I am incredibly grateful to represent the blue and gold every time I step onto the wrestling mat,” Totten said.
Wrestling has been part of Totten’s life since childhood. He began competing when he was four years old.
“My dad and my uncle wrestled, so I kind of just fell into the sport because of them,” Totten said.
His uncle, Justin Totten, wrestled at TCNJ and won a national championship. Totten’s father, Brandon Totten, also won two national championships while wrestling at Delaware Valley University.
Totten originally began his college career at the United States Naval Academy before transferring to TCNJ. He said the experience helped him learn more about himself before deciding a military career was not the right path for him.
“I learned a lot about myself there and met a lot of great people,” Totten said.
Totten later chose to transfer to TCNJ partly because of its proximity to home and his familiarity with the wrestling program. Outside of athletics, Totten is pursuing a degree in civil engineering and is also involved in Chi Epsilon, the national honor society for civil engineering students. The organization recognizes civil engineering students who rank in the top third of their class and demonstrate strong academic performance.
“I’ve always liked building things,” Totten said.
Looking ahead, Totten said he hopes to work for a civil engineering firm after graduation and may eventually pursue a master’s degree. He also hopes to stay connected to wrestling in the future.
For prospective engineering students, Totten offered simple advice. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” he said. “Go to office hours and show that you care.”
Totten said he is already looking ahead to next season and another opportunity to compete on the national stage.
“I’m already looking forward to next season, to nationals, and to proudly repping that same blue and gold singlet once again,” Totten said.
– Katelyn Schwab
