WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (Nov. 7, 2026) – The USMMA wrestling team opened the 2026-27 season with a third-place finish at the Ned McGinley Invitational, hosted by King's College (Pa.) on Saturday. The Mariners compiled 126.5 team points to place third out of 12 teams, behind only NYU (154) and Stevens (140). A total of 24 Mariners competed at the event, with eight finishing in the top six of their respective weight classes.
 
Meet Links

• Complete Results
• Final Brackets (PDF) 

Junior Logan Weaver (Suwanee, Ga.) led the Mariners with a runner-up finish at 157 pounds, posting a 4-1 record on the day. Weaver opened with a pin in 3:43 before earning a 5-0 decision in the Round of 16 and an 8-5 sudden-victory decision in the quarterfinals. He then picked up a 10-7 decision in the semifinals before falling to Cole Gibbons of NYU in sudden victory, 4-1, in the championship bout.
 
Three Mariners earned third-place finishes, highlighted by freshman Jeremy Hajzus (Ebensburg, Pa.), who went 4-1 at 285 pounds in his collegiate debut. Hajzus opened the tournament with an upset victory over top-seeded Noah Berlin-Langston of Stevens by fall in 6:26. He followed with a 17-0 technical fall and another pin in 2:03 to reach the semifinals. After suffering his lone loss of the day, Hajzus bounced back with a 12-4 major decision over Jayden Toppan of Roger Williams in the third-place match.
 
Freshman Griffen Reid (Pittsburgh, Pa.) also placed third, posting a 4-1 record at 165 pounds. Reid recorded a technical fall, a pin and an 8-0 major decision to advance to the semifinals before suffering his only defeat. He responded with a convincing 14-2 major decision over John Gleason of NYU in the third-place bout.
 
Junior Maxwell Corral (Oak Forest, Ill.) rounded out Merchant Marine's third-place finishers with a 4-1 showing at 174 pounds. Corral opened with consecutive major decisions, 19-5 and 11-2, before recording a pin in 5:59 in the quarterfinals. Following a semifinal loss, he defeated Ian Flanagan of Stevens by a 9-6 decision to secure third place.
 
Three additional Mariners finished fourth in their respective brackets. Freshman Kenneth Nichols (Spring, Texas) went 2-2 at 125 pounds, opening his collegiate career with a 10-3 decision over third-seeded Charlie Piccione of Stevens and a 10-2 major decision over the sixth seed to reach the semifinals. Classmate Attila Vigilante (Manahawkin, N.J.) posted a 3-2 record at 149 pounds, registering two pins and a 22-9 major decision on his way to the semifinals. Sophomore Andrew Huesgen (Shillington, Pa.) also reached the semifinals at 184 pounds, finishing 2-2 with a pair of major-decision victories.
 
Sophomore Charles Case (Cream Ridge, N.J.) rounded out the Mariners' eight placewinners with a sixth-place finish at 133 pounds. Case posted a 4-2 record, recording two pins and a 17-2 technical fall while also advancing once via medical forfeit. Four of USMMA's eight placewinners were freshmen.
 
Also picking up wins throughout the day were sophomore Jhett Harber (Winnemucca, Nev.) with four bracket victories at 174 pounds, including two technical falls, a pin and a medical-forfeit advancement; sophomore Aiden Krass (Gonzales, La.) with three at 149, including two pins and a technical fall; and freshman Keith Fernandez (Norfolk, Va.) with three at 125, including a pin and a technical fall.
 
Five other Mariners recorded two bracket victories apiece – sophomore Jacob Wilson (Ebensburg, Pa.) at 157, junior Jacob Brockey (Syosset, N.Y.) at 174, sophomore Aidan Dugan (Westwood, N.J.) and junior Giacomo Smith (Whitefield, Maine) at 184, and junior Alexander Soto (Fort Myers, Fla.) at 197. Dugan and Smith each advanced once by forfeit, while Brockey and Soto recorded pins. Also earning victories were freshman Wynn Pooler (China, Maine) at 141 with a major decision, junior Lucas Maneckshaw (Maurepas, La.) at 157 with a pin and freshman Josh Petty (Tucson, Ariz.) at 197 with a decision.
 
The Mariners return to action on Saturday, Nov. 21, when they compete at the New York State Championships, hosted by Nassau Community College in Garden City, N.Y. Action is scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m.
 
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