2026 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

March 20, 2026

Christopher Minto

Rocket Arena

Nebraska

Semifinals Media Conference

Christopher Minto (Nebraska) d. Cam Steed (Missouri), 5-1

THE MODERATOR: Welcome to the 2026 NCAA Division I wrestling championships press conference. We have Christopher Minto from Nebraska.

Christopher, I was wondering if you could reflect on your past couple days, the match tonight, and competing tomorrow for a championship.

CHRISTOPHER MINTO: I would say it's a mixture of excitement and being grateful. I'm grateful that I get to go compete tomorrow again. I'm just excited that I get to compete more tomorrow again as well. I'm just really looking forward to it as well.

Q. Folks may not know, moment one, I identified you as Mr. Minto. You saw the path. Now you're here. Are you done? Are you done yet?

CHRISTOPHER MINTO: No, nowhere near done, no.

Q. You and Antrell Taylor are the two big red Huskers that have made it to the finals. What does it feel like to share that with your teammate?

CHRISTOPHER MINTO: I haven't got to see him yet. I saw him win it, though, which was pretty cool.

Yeah, it's just we've been working so hard for this, and you kind of see people or you hear all the doubts or you can even have doubt, and it's just exciting that we both get to share this moment together. And even with other teammates as well.

Q. Just talk about your opponent Levi Haines. You had a Big Ten final with him that didn't go your way. What's going to change this time around for you?

CHRISTOPHER MINTO: Just looking forward to it. I'm glad he made it to the finals this year. I have five losses this year, two are to him, and the other three I've avenged them. So I'm really looking forward to seeing him in the finals and wrestling that one out again.

Q. The program that is Nebraska wrestling, you face some absolute dogs every day at practice. Talk about the people that you sharpen your skills against. Part of the reason why you're here today.

CHRISTOPHER MINTO: Yeah, just all the athletes there too and even our coaches, like you got Kokesh, Snyder, Griess, old teammates, Adam Thebeau, Lenny who used to be on our team, and teammates now, Anthony DeLeon, who push me now, Antrell. I'm grateful for them because they push me every day. Even more people than that. I'm just grateful they push me every day.

Q. You mentioned flipping matches this year, turning a loss into a win. How do you approach a loss, learn from it, formulate a plan and actually implement it and get it done?

CHRISTOPHER MINTO: You hear it a lot, it's kind of cliche, but surrender the outcome. Also having a growth mindset. If I'm always looking at the outcome, it's hard to control everything. Every time I've taken a loss or a win, we go back to the room and grow from it. That's definitely been a big part in this whole season is just growing throughout the journey.

Q. I've seen on your Instagram and Nebraska posts, why do they call you Tophy?

CHRISTOPHER MINTO: Ever since I was born, that was just my nickname. I couldn't tell you, to be honest. They just fell along with it too.