By: Alec Beaudin, Intern Assistant Sports Information Director
WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College men's wrestling program look to build off last season's momentum and continue their success in 2025-26 under fourth year head coach
Sonnie Blanco.
2024-25 Season in Review: The Presidents wrapped the 2024-25 season with a 6-7 overall record with an unbeaten 4-0 conference mark.
"Last season was a great year for us. As a team, we came together and competed with purpose every time we stepped on the mat," stated Blanco. "Finishing 4-0 in conference duals and winning the PAC Championship for the second time during my tenure was a major accomplishment and a reflection of our athletes' hard work."
W&J claimed key dual wins against Thiel, Hiram, Waynesburg, and Saint Vincent throughout the regular season. The team headed into the conference championships winning six out of the last seven duals.
The Presidents claimed their eighth Presidents' Athletic Conference Championship last season and had five individual championships at the event. The victory marked the Presidents' second PAC Championship under the tutelage of Coach Blanco and his staff.
Hunter Swedish (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) '25 was awarded the PAC's Most Valuable Wrestler and rising sophomore
Josh Smith (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) won the Newcomer of the Year honor. The Presidents sealed the victory with 116.5 team points.
This led to an eighth-place finish at the NCAA Division III Southeast Regional. Three Presidents qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships. This is the first time that three PAC wrestlers have advanced to nationals since 2020 and the fourth time in W&J history.
"Having three national qualifiers was another highlight, showing the dedication and growth within our program. Most importantly, I'm grateful for the group we had, the way they supported each other and fully bought into what we're building," replied Blanco. "We're excited for what's ahead and to see the conference continue to grow."
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. |
"We're grateful to see our conference continue to grow. I remember when there were only a couple of teams competing, and now there are six or seven programs sponsoring wrestling. It's exciting to see the level of competition rising, and we're looking forward to the conference duals," replied Blanco. "Being picked as co-favorites with Saint Vincent is an honor, but for us, it's not about polls, it's about how we perform on the mat every day. Our team will keep working hard, focusing on improvement, and giving our best throughout the season."
Key Returners: The W&J men's wrestling team returns a youthful unit for the 2025-26 season. The Presidents have two seniors including
Bryce Rodriguez-Uram (Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton) and
Holden DuBois (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair).
"Since day one, Bryce has been someone special and I'm grateful to have him back on the mat this season. He brings experience, the ability to compete at the National level, and leadership that is critical for guiding our younger athletes," stated Blanco. "Upperclassmen like Bryce have been through the grind, understand what it takes to succeed, and set the tone for the rest of the team. I know I can count on him, along with our other upperclassmen, to lead by example and help our team reach its full potential."
Rodriguez-Uram returns to the team after a year break. During the 2022-23 season, Rodriguez-Uram was the PAC champion at the 141-pound weight class and was voted the PAC Newcomer of the Year. He was also selected as a two-time NWCA Scholar All-American. DuBois finished with a 4-12 record last season with one victory by pinfall at the 125-pound weight class.
The junior class holds the majority of the Presidents' depth heading into the renewed season.
Junior
Jaden Fields (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) will look to top his 9-10 record last season in the 184-pound weight class. Fields had 5 falls, 1 tech fall, and two decisions. He will look to compete at the 197-pound weight class this season following a productive offseason.
Additionally, Junior
Jiovanni DeChicchis (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) will look to build upon his 7-10 record from the previous year. DeChicchis had two majors and four decisions last season. He also finished second in the PAC Championships last season in the 165-pound weight bracket with a 1-1 record.
John Starusko (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) was a late riser for W&J last season, wrestling in the 174-pound weight class. The junior posted a 9-13 record on the mats last year with one victory by major decision.
Juniors
Peyton Carter (Front Royal, Va./Skyline),
Brandon Dami (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan),
Connor Garren (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) and
Vontez Tyus (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Maple Heights) will all look to put together complete seasons in Red & Black this season. Each wrestler put in work on the mats last season but struggled to maintain a consistent presence.
The sophomore class returns a handful of contributors from last season's team including PAC Newcomer of the Year
Josh Smith (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra).
Smith looks to build upon his 12-9 record between the 133- and 125-pound weight classes. His wins consisted of three falls, two tech falls, and two decisions. Smith is the defending PAC champion at the 133-pound weight class.
"Josh has continued to grow every day, and it's been exciting to watch. Last year, he showed flashes of the impact player he can be and earned PAC Newcomer of the Year, but he's far from reaching his full potential," said Blanco. "His work ethic stands out, he finds ways to improve every day, and that mindset has helped him step into a leadership role for our team this season."
Other sophomores including
Colin Feeney (Frederick, Md./Tuscarora),
Griffin Sams (Chillicothe, Ohio/Chillicothe),
Jackson Sandor (Apollo, Pa./The Kiski School),
Nathan Thomas (Elizabethtown, Pa./Elizabethtown) and
Gunnar Hickman (Nashport, Ohio/Licking Valley) all look to contribute on the mats this winter as well.
Newcomers: W&J welcomes the addition of 16 new wrestlers to the squad.
"We've added some strong newcomers this year, which gives us the depth we needed. They're acclimating well, working hard daily, and buying into the process," said Blanco. "Their energy and effort will help push the team through the rigors of the season and make us stronger overall."
Abraham House (Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth) / Fr / 174
Fre Beasley (Alexandria, Va./Alexandria City) / Fr / 197
Drake Buzzard (Avella, Pa./Avella Area) / Fr / 125
Vince Coleman (Zanesville, Ohio/Zanesville) / Fr / 125
Joey Gardner (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) / Fr / 165
Vitali Daniels (Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth) / So / 184
De'Mier Hamilton (Canton, Ohio/McKinley) / Fr / 165
Jayden Johnson (Keansburg, N. J./Keansburg) / Fr / 174
Adis Karybekov (Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan) / Jr / 147
Thaddeus Martineau (Steubenville, Ohio/Steubenville) / Fr / 149
John Radnor (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) / Fr / 141
Logan Rumberger (Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone) / Fr / 133
Albert Sherman (New Orleans, La./Holy Cross) / Fr / 285
Zander Tompkins (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy Berlin) / Fr / 174
Alex Tucker (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) / Fr / 125
Jack Viti (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) / Fr / 184
Coaching Staff: Sonnie Blanco, a 2017 Washington & Jefferson College graduate and the program's all-time wins leader, joined W&J as head coach of the W&J wrestling program in September 2022. Blanco will enter his fourth season as head coach in 2025-26.
W&J won it's eighth Presidents' Athletic Conference Wrestling Championship in Blanco's third season as head coach. W&J won five individual title as well, including major awards presented to
Hunter Swedish (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) (PAC Most Valuable Wrestler) and
Josh Smith (Palmyra, Pa./Palmyra) (PAC Newcomer of the Year). The Presidents sent three wrestlers to the NCAA National Championships including
Christian McChesney (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg-Salem),
Casey Smith (Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata) and
Taylor Smith (Mifflintown, Pa./Juniata). T. Smith repeated as the 149-pound Regional Champion.
Returning to the staff for this season are
Ron Dami,
Jeff Breese and
Kenneth Burrs. The Presidents also add
Seth Evans and
Brandon Matthews to the staff.
Looking at the Schedule: The Presidents have six invitationals and 17 duels on the schedule. Two of the invitationals and nine duels will be held here at the Salvitti Family Gymnasium.
The Presidents open their season at the Ned McGinley Invitational (Nov. 1). They then follow up with their first home duel against Saint Vincent (Nov. 5) and by hosting the W&J Invitational (Nov. 8).
The Presidents then travel to Wheeling for a dual before attending the Penn State Behrend Duals in Erie. While there, the Presidents will take on Lycoming, RIT, and the hosts Penn State Behrend.
After the duals, the Presidents will be traveling to the Scotty Wood Invitational in Allentown. The Presidents will also compete in the Ohio Northern Invitational and host the
Jeff Breese Invitational.
The Presidents complete their final preparations for the post season with the Virginia Duals in Hampton. They will be hosting the Jim White Duals here in Washington and will be battling Bethany, Wilmington, Hiram, and Mount St. Joseph. Senior Recognition night will be held on Friday (Jan. 30) against fellow PAC opponent Thiel. The Presidents close out the regular season on Saturday (Feb. 7) when they travel to the John Summa Invitational hosted by Baldwin Wallace University.
The PAC Championships will be held at Hiram on Saturday (Feb. 14). Regionals will be held a week later and the NCAA Championships will be held on Friday (Mar. 13) and Saturday (Mar. 14) in Cedar Rapids.
Final Word from Blanco: "We're pumped for another strong year at W&J. Thank you to our wrestling community, athletes, coaches, and families. Together we're building something special. We're focused on helping young men achieve their goals, have fun, and compete at a high level. I'm looking forward to coaching alongside Coach Dami, Coach Evans, Coach Burrs, and Coach Matthews as we continue to grow this program."
