Wheeling, W. Va. – When Wheeling University Head Wrestling Coach Shane Brown took over the program, the Wheeling Wrestling team had just five wrestlers. Three years later, the Cardinals have grown their roster to 15 and hit many program milestones during the 2024-2025 season. From their best dual meet record since the 2018-19 season, to earning a National Alternate at the NCAA Super 1 Regional Championships, the Cardinals have laid the foundation for program success for years to come.
As they did the season before, the Cardinals began the year at the Purple Raider Open and would start the year off strong. They would take 7th as a team and had a wrestler place second at the event to start the year. After taking their first dual meet loss and splitting their squad at the Ohio Collegiate Open, the Cardinals would come back and picked up their first dual meet win of the year at the Washington & Jefferson dual meet. They would carry that momentum into their final tournaments of the first half. They competed at the Midwest Classic, and were one match away from advancing to the final day of competition. The Cardinals would have two wrestlers on the cusp of advancing and used that momentum to run into the second half.
When they returned from the winter break, the Cardinals hit the home mat for the first time this season when they hosted Muskingum and Waynesburg in Tri-Meet action. The Cardinals would sweep the day, winning 48-6 and 26-22. After competing in the Purple Raider Open, the Cardinals would make history at the 2025 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Championships. The Cardinals would pick up the highest finish in team history, taking fourth overall and had their best finish in program history, taking fourth overall, and finished with their first ever All-MEC honoree. The Cardinals would finish the season with their final dual meet win, taking down Davis & Elkins 40-16 heading into the Regional Championship.
The Cardinals would send their biggest roster since the 2019 regional championship, with nine wrestlers competing at the event. As they went through the day, the Cardinals would send three wrestlers to placement matches, with one wrestling for a chance to get to the National Championships. Brent Bosley would compete in the third place match in the 125lb weight class, and finished the day at a career-best 3-2. The other two wrestlers to place were Gavin Harper and Austin Hinzman, who had been a leader for the team all season long. Harper would be the Cardinal with the most wins on the day, finishing 4-2 across six matches, and finished fifth in the tournament. Austin Hinzman would be the final placer for the Cardinals, taking 6th at the 184lb weight class.
Leading the way for the Cardinals throughout the season was Harper, who finished with a record of 22-13 across 31 matches this season. Harper was the Cardinal's first All-MEC honoree, earning Honorable Mention All-MEC honors in the 285lb weight class. He finished in the third place match and defeated Frostburg State's Gavin Bage in a 16-0 Tech Fall. After going 6-10 during the regular season, Brent Bosley had a strong showing in each of his two postseason performances. At the MEC Wrestling Championships, Bosley would make the third place match and finished fourth at the event. He would duplicate the performance at the NCAA Super Regional 1. He finished 3-2 at the event and carries momentum into the off-season.
The Wheeling University Wrestling team now heads into the off-season as they look to grow on the mat.
