WAYNESBURG, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - Paced by five conference champions and four others who earned all-conference recognition, Washington & Jefferson College won the 2025 Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Wrestling Championship, which was held at Waynesburg University Saturday.

By capturing half of the individual championships, the Presidents totaled 116 team points to win their eighth PAC title in program history and second in the last three years. Saint Vincent College totaled 99 points to finish second, followed by Thiel College in third (55), Hiram College in fourth (44.5) and Waynesburg in fifth (37.5).

W&J had six wrestlers make the final bout in their weight classes and won five, including four consecutive titles in early brackets, to lay claim to the championship. The initial weight class went to Saint Vincent when sophomore Sean Cain won by a medical forfeit in the 125 class, his second straight conference title at that weight.

The Presidents' run started in the 133 bracket, where freshman Josh Smith rallied late in his match to pull out an 11-10 victory. In the 141 final, senior Hunter Swedish, took first by scoring an 18-2 technical fall win in the title bout. It was the third straight PAC crown for Swedish, who won at 133 in 2023 before winning in the 141 class last year.

W&J completed their run of four straight championships with victories at 149 and 157. Sophomore Taylor Smith repeated as the 149 champion when he won by pinfall at 4:50 and that was followed by Taylor's brother, Casey Smith, being victorious in the 157 final with a 16-0 tech fall. It was an outstanding Saturday for the brothers, with Taylor winning by tech fall and pin following a first-round bye and Casey taking two wins by tech fall and one by fall.

Saint Vincent would earn their second title on the day at 165, which was also a repeat winner when sophomore Chase Brandebura recorded a first-period pin, his second of the tournament, in the final to win his second straight crown at that class. The host Waynesburg won its first championship of the weekend at 174 when sophomore Jessie Orbin claimed an 11-2 major decision triumph, his third bonus-point win of the day.

W&J would win their fifth title of the day when unseeded Brayden Roscosky made a run through the 184 bracket. The President senior, who missed all of last year due to injury, started his day with a second-period pin in the opening round. Matched up with the top seed in the semifinal, Roscosky would pull off the upset with a takedown in sudden victory for a 4-1 win. Then in the final, he completed his march to the title and helped W&J clinch the team title when he won by fall in the third period in the final bout.

Winning the championship at 197 was Thiel sophomore Joseph King, who had an exceptional day. He won all three of his matches by pin and all came in the first period, as he wrestled a total of 1:54 in sweeping his three matches.

Thiel made it back-to-back championships to complete the day with a title at 285. Two-time defending champion Seth Phillps entered the day as the three seed and battled to the final to face the No. 1 seed. With the match tied in the closing seconds, Phillips scored a takedown just before the final buzzer to come away with a 4-1 win and his third PAC title in a row. 

Following the Championships, a pair of W&J wrestlers were voted to the major awards. Earning the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament was Swedish. In winning his third PAC title in a row, he won by a first-period pin and then two tech falls. The PAC Newcomer of the Year award went to Josh Smith for his 2-0 performance on the day, which included a 5-4 decision in the semifinals before his come-from-behind one-point win in the title match.

Voted by the coaches of the conference as PAc Coach of the Year was Waynesburg head coach Aaron McKinney. In addition to Orbin winning his first PAC title this year, two other Yellow Jackets earned All-PAC recognition.

All five PAC programs will compete in NCAA Division III Regional Championships Feb. 28-March 2. The Division III National Championships, scheduled for Friday-Saturday, March 14-15, will be held at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island.  

PAC Award Winners
PAC Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament: W&J senior Hunter Swedish (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley)
PAC Newcomer of the Year: W&J freshman Josh Smith (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area)
PAC Coach of the Year: Waynesburg head coach Aaron McKinney
 

PAC Champions
Name	School	Weight	Year	Hometown/High School
Sean Cain	Saint Vincent	125	So.	Mount Pleasant, Pa./Mount Pleasant
Josh Smith	W&J	133	Fr.	Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra Area
Hunter Swedish	W&J	141	Jr.	Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley
Taylor Smith	W&J	149	So.	Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata
Casey Smith	W&J	157	So.	Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata
Chase Brandebura	Saint Vincent	165	So.	Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton
Jessie Orbin	Waynesburg	174	So.	Houston, Pa./Chartiers-Houston
Brayden Rascosky	W&J	184	Sr.	Vandergrift, Pa./Kiski Area
Joey King	Thiel	197	So.	Cooperstown, Pa./Maplewood
Seth Phillips	Thiel	285	Sr.	Hubbard, Ohio/Western Reserve