Wheeling, W. Va. – When he took over the program five years ago, Wheeling University Head Men's Wrestling Coach Shane Brown was tasked with rebuilding the program from the ground up. Five years later, they have seen several milestones, including the highest finish at the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Wrestling Championships in program history and the first three All-MEC Wrestlers. Over the off-season, he went out and added 15 new wrestlers, including three veteran transfers, as they continue to battle for their first-ever MEC Championship.
During the 2025-2026 season, the Cardinals took another step towards that goal, putting together their best dual meet record since the 2018-19 season. The Cardinals would go 6-4 overall and 3-1 in MEC play, including a perfect 4-0 record on their home match. In their tournament schedule, that success would continue, with the team picking up a top 10 finish or better in two of their three regular season events. Their best finish would come in the Fairmont State Invitational, where they finished third overall. It set them up for the 2026 MEC Men's Wrestling Championships, where they would finish fifth overall, scoring 67.5 points. They had five wrestlers competing in at least the fifth place match of their respective weight classes, and had their first two qualifiers for an MEC Championship match. The success continued on the regional stage, with Wheeling finishing with an NCAA DII National Championship alternate for the second consecutive year.
As the calendar flips to 2026-2027, the Cardinals return both of those MEC Championship match qualifiers in heavyweight Gavin Harper and 197-pounder Jaxon Butcher. Harper would be the team leader a season ago, finishing 25-6 overall and finishing with an .806 winning percentage. Harper would lead the teams in wins (25), pinfalls (11), and tech falls (5), and finished tied for second with four decisions on the season. Harper has been an All-MEC honoree in each of the last two seasons, earning Second Team All-MEC honors just a season ago. He would round out his season earning the nod as an NCAA DII National Alternate in the 285-pound weight class. As he enters his redshirt senior season, Harper is approaching a milestone, sitting just 10 wins away from becoming the 13th Cardinal in program history to reach the 50-win mark, and he looks to lead the Cardinals on their quest for an MEC Championship.
The other Cardinal to qualify for an MEC Championship match was Jaxon Butcher, who qualified for the MEC Championship match as a freshman. Butcher would finish his freshman season going 18-14, finishing with three pinfalls, while tying for the team lead with seven decisions on the season. Burcher will look to continue his growth in his sophomore season as he battles for the 197-pound championship. Wheeling will also welcome back senior Kyle Snider, who missed most of last season due to injury. Before getting hurt, Snider posted a record of 8-3, posting a .727 winning percentage across 11 matches. The senior transfer from Kent State looks to solidify himself in the 184-pound weight class and build off his strong start to his Cardinal career that saw him finish with two pinfalls, one tech fall, one major decision, and four decisions.
Along with the returning talent, the Cardinals have also brought in a veteran transfer class that looks to make a mark of their own on the program. Leading the charge is senior Javien Deleon, who enters the year as the #8 ranked wrestler in the 133-pound weight class. The senior is coming off his best season with the Golden Bears that saw him go 22-5 across 27 matches, earning First Team All-PSAC honors, while advancing to the NCAA DII National Championships. He will be joined by fellow transfers Chris Casale and Liam Lusher, who each look to bring a veteran presence of their own to the mat. Lusher comes to Wheeling after wrestling two seasons at WVU, where he competed in nine dual matches through two seasons. Meanwhile, Casale came from Sussex County Community College, where he was a 2x National qualifier, and finished fourth in the NJCAA Region 9.
As their roster and depth continues to grow, so too does their schedule, with the team competing across seven tournaments and 14 dual matches throughout the season. The year kicks off with the Mount Union Invitational on Saturday, November 7, before the Cardinals begin a schedule of five home dual events. The first of those will feature a tri-meet against Lake Erie and Seton Hill on November 11 at 6 PM. The home schedule will also see Wheeling bring in Fairmont State (11/18), Point Park (12/4), Davis & Elkins and Kentucky Wesleyan (12/11), and Salem and Muskingum (2/5). The 2026 MEC Men's Wrestling Championship will be held at Glenville State University on January 30, where Wheeling will look to claim their first conference title, before competing in the NCAA DII Super Region I tournament on February 27.
The Wheeling University Men's Wrestling team begins the 2026-2027 season on Saturday, November 7, when they take on the Mount Union Invitational.
