Men's Wrestling | 11/6/2026 11:00:00 AM
TRAFFORD, Pa. (pacathletics.org) - Winners of two of the last three Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) men's wrestling championships, Saint Vincent College was tabbed as this year's favorite when the league's preseason coaches poll and Wrestlers to Watch list were released Friday morning.
PAC wrestling is continuing to grow with four programs joining in the last four years. 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 in 2024-25. Bethany College brought back men's wrestling as a varsity sport a year ago and this winter, Chatham University starts its first season as a varsity program.
Led by four weight class champions and seven others who earned all-conference accolades, Saint Vincent captured the 2026 PAC Men's Wrestling Championship, the Bearcats' second championship in three years since the program returned as a varsity program to the school.
In this year's preseason poll, SVC collected four first-place votes and scored 34 points to edge out last year's runner-up at PAC Championships, Thiel College, who secured two first-place votes and 31 points. Washington & Jefferson College was third with the final first-place vote and 28 points, followed by Hiram in fourth place (19 points), Waynesburg University in fifth (16), Bethany College in sixth (13) and Chatham (nine).
This year's Wrestlers to Watch List features five returning champions and a dozen All-PAC wrestlers from last season. Of Saint Vincent's four champions in their title run, three are on the Watch List this year. They include sophomore Logan Connolly, the 133-pound champion last year; junior Anthony Orlandini, who won at 149 last season; and the winner at 165 in 2026, senior Logan Bechtold.
Also back are two wrestlers who won titles as freshmen a year ago. Hiram's Taveon Moss posted three pins on his way to the championship at 125, the first PAC title for a Hiram wrestler since Jim Geesey won at 190 in 1987. The impressive 3-0 run by Moss also earned him the PAC Newcomer of the Year award.
Thiel's Jonathan Bissell also captured gold in his first season on the PAC mats, using a tech fall in the semifinals and pin in 1:21 in the championship match to take first at 157. He was one of nine Tomcats to earn all-conference last winter in their team runner-up finish. Thiel head coach Craig Thurber, who is entering his 24th season this year, was voted as the PAC Coach of the Year for the 10th time in his career after last year's championships.
The 2027 PAC Wrestling Championships are scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 13, beginning at 11 am, with Saint Vincent College hosting this season. 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. 26th-28th at sites to be announced. The NCAA Division III Championships are scheduled for Friday-Saturday, March 12-13.
| 2026-27 PAC Men's Wrestling Preseason Poll |
| School (first-place votes) |
Points |
2025-26 dual meet record (PAC); PAC Championships finish |
| 1. Saint Vincent College (4) |
34 |
5-2 (4-1); 1st/6, 118.5 pts. |
| 2. Thiel College (2) |
31 |
4-2 (4-1); 2nd/6, 100 pts. |
| 3. Washington & Jefferson College (1) |
28 |
6-12 (4-1); 3rd/6, 67 pts. |
| 4. Hiram College |
19 |
2-8 (1-3); 4th/6, 58 pts. |
| 5. Waynesburg University |
16 |
1-10 (0-5); 5th/6, 24 pts. |
| 6. Bethany College |
13 |
3-6 (1-3); 6th/6, 23.5 pts. |
| 7. Chatham University |
6 |
First-year program |
PAC Wrestlers to Watch in 2026-27
1 = 2025-26 1st Team All-PAC; 2 = 2nd Team; HM = Honorable Mention |
| Bethany |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Jonathan Braun (HM) |
Sr. |
174 |
Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearly |
| Angelo Di Pol |
Jr. |
125 |
Gibbstown, N.J./Paulsboro |
| Tristan Eckles |
Fr. |
125 |
East Liverpool, Ohio/East Liverpool |
| Jeremiah Stalling |
So. |
149 |
Buckeye, Ariz./Buckeye Union |
| Chatham |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| JT Hollyfield |
Sr. |
157 |
Oakdale, Pa./est Allegheny |
| Antwon Bell |
So. |
285 |
New Oxford, Pa./New Oxford |
| Carson Cannone |
Fr. |
184 |
Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt Lebanon |
| Mason Koberna |
Fr. |
197 |
Homerville, Ohio/Black River |
| Joey Geller |
Fr. |
174 |
Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel |
| Hiram |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Taveon Moss (1) |
So. |
125 |
Roxboro, N.C./Person |
| Dino Longo (HM) |
So. |
197 |
Bunn, N.C./Bunn |
| Jackson Bowers |
Jr. |
157 |
Waterford, Pa./Fort LeBoeuf |
| King Amari Wright |
Jr. |
165 |
Ashtabula, Ohio/Lakeside |
| Saint Vincent |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Logan Connolly (1) |
So. |
133 |
Bridgeville, Pa./Chartiers Valley |
| Anthony Orlandini (1) |
Jr. |
149 |
McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour |
| Logan Bechtold (1) |
Sr. |
165 |
Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area |
| Chase Brandebura (2) |
Sr. |
174 |
Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton |
| Jonah McCoy (2) |
So. |
285 |
Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop |
| Thiel |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Mequan Maxwell (2) |
Jr. |
149 |
Sharon, Pa./Sharon |
| Jonathan Bissell (1) |
So. |
149/157 |
Sharpsville, Pa./Sharpsville |
| Jacob Potts (HM) |
Sr. |
149/157 |
Oakdale, Pa./South Fayette |
| Tony Ceriani |
So. |
157 |
Brookville, Pa./Brookville Area |
| Brian White |
So. |
285 |
Sharpsville, Pa./Sharpsville |
| W&J |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| Brandon Dami (2) |
Sr. |
125 |
Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan |
| Joshua Smith |
Jr. |
133 |
Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra |
| Lucas Barr |
Fr. |
133/141 |
West Alexander, Pa./McGuffey |
| Emmet Wolfe |
Fr. |
149 |
Claysville, Pa./McGuffey |
| Vitali Daniels |
Jr. |
184 |
Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth |
| Waynesburg |
| Name |
Yr. |
Wt. Class |
Hometown/High School |
| AJ Tomaino |
Jr. |
184 |
Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park |
| Landon Heath |
Fr. |
285 |
Jefferson, Pa./Jefferson-Morgan |