Wheeling, W. Va. - The Wheeling University Wrestling team has put a lot of prep work into their 2025-2026 season, bringing in 22 recruits, their largest class since 2019. They are looking to turn that into success on the mat as they kick-off the 2025-2026 season at the Mount Union Invitational Saturday at 9 AM. For many of Wheeling's wrestlers, it will be their first time on the collegiate mat, and Head Coach Shane Brown is looking for them to get out there and get that first match off their backs as they begin the preparation for the 2025 Midwest Classic in December.
The 2024-2025 season was another year of experience for the team, and they crossed some firsts off their list along the way. It began with the dual meet schedule where, after dropping their opening dual to Frostburg State, the Cardinals would go on to win each of their next four to finish with their best record since the 2019 season in dual meet action. The success continued into tournament play, and the Cardinals headed into the MEC Wrestling Championships with momentum on their side after having a fourth place finisher at the Purple Raider Open. The Cardinals would pick up their best finish in program history at the event, finishing fourth, as well as their first-ever All-MEC wrestler. The success would keep going into the NCAA Super Regional 1 Tournament, where the Cardinals had a National Alternate to round out the year.
As they head into the 2025-2026 season, the Cardinals only have four returners from last year's lineup, led by redshirt junior Gavin Harper in the Heavyweight. Harper would be the Cardinal to earn All-MEC honors, taking home Honorable Mention after a third place finish at the 285LB weight class. It was the capper to what was a big season for Harper that saw him finish with 31 wins, putting him just two wins shy of the single-season wins record, held by former Cardinal Dustin Warner during the 2014-2015 season. Harper has already made history before he takes the mat this season becoming the first ranked wrestler for the program since the 2019 season. He was ranked #13 in the nation in the 285LB weight class, and was one of two Mountain East Conference (MEC) wrestlers to be ranked in the weight class. He will be looking to lead the Cardinal's starting lineup as he builds on last season's success.
Along with Harper, the Cardinals are returning four other placers from last year's conference championship event. The second highest placing returning wrestler for the Cardinals was Brian Crevar, who will return to the 165LB weight class. Crevar had a career year in his sophomore season with the Cardinals, picking up six wins and taking fourth at the MEC Championship event. The Cardinals will also be introducing several new faces to their starting lineup, with 22 new wrestlers looking to make an impact. Leading the incoming group is junior transfer Kyle Snider, who wrestled with Kent State last season. He would compete in the 184-pound weight class and picked up 11 wins in 18 matches for the Golden Flashes. He looks to take over as a veteran presence for the Cardinals as they head into their first tournament of the season.
The early portion of the season will see the Cardinals alternate between tournament play and dual meet action. Their first three tournaments of the season will all take them across the border to Ohio as they compete at Mount Union, Case Western Reserve, and Findlay. It will give them a chance to see competition from across all three levels of the NCAA, including a heavy dose of their regional competition. With so many of Wheeling's wrestlers taking the mat for the first time on the collegiate stage, Brown is just looking for his wrestlers to go out and stay lose on the mat. It will be a good test for the young wrestlers as they show what they have on the mat against another opponent for the first time this season.
Wrestler to Watch
Gavin Harper: As they head into their opening tournament, heavyweight Gavin 'Harper looks to show why he was ranked by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). He is the first ranked wrestler for the Cardinals since the 2019 season, and earned Honorable Mention All-MEC in the 285-lb weight class. He was the Cardinal's pin leader last season with 10 and favors the grapple technique on the mat. He will look to use his stamina to his advantage and tire out his opponents.
Expected Wheeling Wrestlers
Neal Krysty (125), Jack Dinwiddie (141), Mannix Wasco (149), George Croy (157), Bradley Spencer (157), Frank Aquila (165), Tucker Steiner (165), Jordan Solis (165), Kyle Snider (184), Jaxon Burcher (197), Gavin Harper (285)
The Details
The Mount Union Invitational is set for Saturday, November 1st, with first matches beginning at 9 AM. Follow along with wucardinals.com for updates throughout the day.
