Men's Wrestling | 10/28/2025 12:00:00 PM
TRAFFORD, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - The last two Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) wrestling champions, Washington & Jefferson College and Saint Vincent College were both voted as preseason favorites when the programs tied for first in the league's preseason poll, which was released Tuesday morning along with the conference's Wrestlers to Watch list.
Those voting in the preseason poll included the six head coaches of the programs in the conference.
For the second third consecutive year, PAC wrestling expanded by one program. In 2023-24, it was Saint Vincent returning to the mats for their first season in nearly 50 years before Hiram College returned to the PAC last winter. This year, Bethany College brings back men's wrestling as a varsity sport to bring the conference to six programs.
While the PAC continues to grow, it was one of their longest-tenured programs who hoisted the championship trophy a season ago. W&J, paced by five champions and four others who earned all-conference honors, scored 116 team points to win their eighth PAC title in program history and second in the last three years. Saint Vincent, the 2024 PAC champions, totaled 99 points to finish second, followed by Thiel College in third (55), Hiram in fourth (44.5) and Waynesburg University in fifth (37.5).
With W&J returning one champion and two other Second Team All-PAC wrestlers and Saint Vincent bringing back one champion as well to go with four others who were runners-up in their class last year, the teams both earned three first-place votes and tied with 28 points in this year's poll. Thiel placed third with 22 points, while Bethany earned fourth with 17 points, Hiram ranked fifth with 14 and Waynesburg totaled 11 points in the voting.
W&J and fourth-year head coach Sonnie Blanco will lean on sophomore Josh Smith, who earned PAC Newcomer of the Year after winning the title at 133 in his freshman campaign. Also on the Wrestlers to Watch list for the Presidents is senior Bryce Rodriguez-Uram, who missed all of last season, but was the 2023 PAC Newcomer of the Year after he won the 141-pound weight class that year.
Headlining the roster for first-year Saint Vincent head coach Colin Johnston is junior Chase Brandebura, who captured his second consecutive championship at 165 last winter. The Bearcats also bring back senior Kyle McCollum and sophomore Anthony Orlandini, who were Second Team All-PAC at 141 and 149, respectively, at last year's Championships.
With 24 PAC wrestling championships, the most in conference history, 23rd-year head coach Craig Thurber will have last season's 197-pound winner in senior Joey King, who posted a 19-4 record last year, in his line-up again to try to help the Tomcats add to their team title collection.
A new coach will lead Waynesburg this winter in Bobby Patnesky, whose previous coaching tenures include 12 years as head coach at Davidson and five years at Penn State Behrend. The Yellow Jackets' roster this season will feature junior Jessie Orbin, last year's champion at 174 pounds and he would compile a 42-6 record in his sophomore season.
Hiram's second season in the PAC will also be the second year head coach Dustin Porter leads the Terriers' program. Hiram had three wrestlers earn all-conference in their initial year back in the conference and two of their Wrestlers to Watch this year, sophomore Jackson Bowers and senior Will Brodbeck, posted victories at the NCAA Central Regional.
After a successful first season starting the women's wrestling program at the College, Bethany announced Pete Di Pol would also be the head coach for the new Bison men's wrestling program. A solid year of recruiting has 23 wrestlers on the Bethany roster coming into the 2025-26 season.
The 2026 PAC Wrestling Championships are scheduled to be held at Hiram on Saturday, Feb. 14, beginning at 11 am. The conference championships will feature double-elimination brackets with each participating school having the opportunity to enter up to two wrestlers in each of the 10 weight classes.
Regional Championships will be held Feb. 27th-28th at sites to be announced. The NCAA Division III Championships are scheduled for Friday-Saturday, March 13-14 at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
| 2025-26 PAC Wrestling Preseason Poll |
| School (first-place votes) |
Points |
2024-25 dual meet record (PAC); PAC Championships finish |
| 1t. Washington & Jefferson College (3) |
28 |
6-7 (4-0); 1st/5, 116 pts. |
| 1t. Saint Vincent College (3) |
28 |
5-7 (3-1); 2nd/5, 99 pts. |
| 3. Thiel College |
22 |
2-4 (2-2); 3rd/5, 55 pts. |
| 4. Bethany College |
17 |
First-year program |
| 5. Hiram College |
14 |
3-8 (1-3); 4th/5, 44.5 pts. |
| 6. Waynesburg University |
11 |
1-14 (0-4); 5th/5, 37.5 pts. |
PAC Wrestlers to Watch in 2025-26
1 = 2024-25 1st Team All-PAC; 2 = 2nd Team; HM = Honorable Mention |
| Bethany |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Jonathan Braun |
Jr. |
174 |
Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearly |
| Angelo Di Pol |
So. |
125 |
Paulsboro, N.J./Paulsboro |
| Zach Kuneff |
Gr. |
285 |
Martins Ferry, Ohio/Bridgeport |
| Cameron Mockbee |
Fr. |
165 |
Conover, Ohio/Conover |
| Hiram |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Jackson Bowers |
So. |
149/157 |
Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf |
| Will Brodbeck |
Sr. |
141/149 |
Hudson, Ohio/Hudson |
| Taveon Moss |
Fr. |
125 |
Roxboro, N.C./Person |
| Saint Vincent |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Chase Brandebura (1) |
Jr. |
174 |
Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton |
| Owen Caracciolo |
So. |
133 |
Irwin, Pa./Hempfield |
| Kyle McCollum (2) |
Sr. |
141 |
Beallsville, Pa./Beth-Center |
| Anthony Orlandini (2) |
So. |
149 |
McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour |
| Ryan Weinzen (HM) |
Sr. |
184 |
North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin |
| Thiel |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Jonathan Bissell |
Fr. |
149 |
Sharpsville, Pa./Sharpsville |
| Joey King (1) |
Jr. |
197 |
Cooperstown, Pa./Maplewood |
| Mequan Maxwell |
So. |
141 |
Sharon, Pa./Sharon |
| EJ McCarthy |
Sr. |
125 |
Hubbard, Ohio/Hubbard |
| Landon Mead |
Sr. |
165 |
Clarendon, Pa./Sheffield |
| W&J |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Vitali Daniels |
So. |
184 |
Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth |
| Joey Gardner |
Fr. |
157 |
Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan |
| Bryce Rodriguez-Uram |
Sr. |
149 |
Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton |
| Logan Rumberger |
Fr. |
133 |
Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone |
| Josh Smith (1) |
So. |
141 |
Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area |
| Waynesburg |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Jessie Orbin (1) |
Jr. |
184 |
Houston, Pa./Chartiers-Houston |
| Ryland Parker |
So. |
125 |
Summerville, S.C./Ashley Ridge |