1981 NCAA Championships
126 lb
Champion Dan Cuestas, California-Bakersfield.
Placers
Places 1 to 8 as the record has them.
Championship
Round of 32 · 16 bouts
- Chris Bell, Wyoming over David Barnes, San Jose State (CA) — Fall 4:21 · View bout
- Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over Gene Leonard, Kent State (OH) — Fall 4:53 · View bout
- Dan Foldesy, Cleveland State (OH) over Pat Souris, Nevada-Las Vegas — MD 12–3 · View bout
- Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina over Marty Nellis, California Poly Humboldt — Dec 12–6 · View bout
- Derek Glenn (1), Oklahoma over Jim Edwards, Louisiana State — Fall 3:35 · View bout
- Ed Fiorvanti, Bloomsburg (PA) over Edwin Dilbeck, Weber State (UT) — SD 16–3 · View bout
- Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over Mark Hirota (12), Oregon State — SD 23–8 · View bout
- Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota over John Thorn, Iowa State — Dec 8–7 · View bout
- Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Doug Tredway, Northern Iowa — Fall 7:15 · View bout
- John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin over Dom Macchia, Rhode Island — Dec 12–7 · View bout
- John Warlick, Clemson (SC) over Tom Husted (6), Lehigh (PA) — Dec 13–11 · View bout
- Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) over Mike Schmidt, Tennessee — MD 19–10 · View bout
- Mike Jacoutot (9), New Jersey (TCNJ) over David Harris, Missouri — Dec 8–5 · View bout
- Sam Edwards, Cornell (NY) over Floyd Dotter, Citadel (SC) — SD 14–2 · View bout
- Tim Riley (5), Iowa over Steve Fontana, Long Island Post (NY) — MD 12–3 · View bout
- Tony Leonino (7), Auburn (AL) over Tom Diamond, Clarion (PA) — Dec 5–3 · View bout
Round of 16 · 8 bouts
- Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) — Fall 3:04 · View bout
- Dan Foldesy, Cleveland State (OH) over Tony Leonino (7), Auburn (AL) — Dec 2–1 · View bout
- Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina over Sam Edwards, Cornell (NY) — Fall 7:33 · View bout
- Ed Fiorvanti, Bloomsburg (PA) over John Warlick, Clemson (SC) — MD 13–3 · View bout
- Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over Derek Glenn (1), Oklahoma — Dec 9–8 · View bout
- Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Mike Jacoutot (9), New Jersey (TCNJ) — Fall 3:13 · View bout
- John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin over Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota — Dec 9–3 · View bout
- Tim Riley (5), Iowa over Chris Bell, Wyoming — MD 16–7 · View bout
Quarterfinal · 4 bouts
- Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over Dan Foldesy, Cleveland State (OH) — Fall 1:50 · View bout
- Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina over Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) — Fall 6:38 · View bout
- Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Tim Riley (5), Iowa — Dec 6–5 · View bout
- John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin over Ed Fiorvanti, Bloomsburg (PA) — Dec 2–2 · View bout
Semifinal · 2 bouts
- Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin — MD 10–2 · View bout
- Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina over Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State — Dec 6–4 · View bout
Final · 1 bout
- Dan Cuestas (2), California-Bakersfield over Dave Cooke (8), North Carolina — Dec 7–5 · View bout
Consolation
Consolation round 3 · 4 bouts
- Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota over Dom Macchia, Rhode Island — Dec 6–2 · View bout
- Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) over Gene Leonard, Kent State (OH) — Dec 12–5 · View bout
- Mike Jacoutot (9), New Jersey (TCNJ) over Doug Tredway, Northern Iowa — MD 13–2 · View bout
- Sam Edwards, Cornell (NY) over Marty Nellis, California Poly Humboldt — Dec 8–5 · View bout
Consolation round 4 · 4 bouts
- Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over Sam Edwards, Cornell (NY) — Dec 17–10 · View bout
- Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota over Ed Fiorvanti, Bloomsburg (PA) — Dec 5–3 · View bout
- Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) over Dan Foldesy, Cleveland State (OH) — Dec 11–5 · View bout
- Tim Riley (5), Iowa over Mike Jacoutot (9), New Jersey (TCNJ) — Dec 11–9 · View bout
Consolation round 5 · 2 bouts
- Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over Tim Riley (5), Iowa — Dec 2–1 · View bout
- Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota over Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) — Dec 12–6 · View bout
Consolation semifinal · 2 bouts
- Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) over John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin — Dec 4–3 · View bout
- Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota — Fall 4:52 · View bout
Placement bouts
3rd-place bout · 1 bout
- Jerry Kelly (4), Oklahoma State over Ed Pidgeon, Hofstra (NY) — Fall 4:54 · View bout
5th-place bout · 1 bout
- John Iannuzzi (10), Wisconsin over Gary Lefebvre (3), Minnesota — Dec 4–3 · View bout
7th-place bout · 1 bout
- Tim Riley (5), Iowa over Mark Galyan (11), Indiana (IN) — Fall 5:53 · View bout
Bouts as the source workbook records them, in round order. No bracket positions or byes are inferred.