WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson men's wrestling team opens their 2026-27 campaign with a fifth-place finish at the Ned McGinley Invitational, hosted by Kings College (Pa.).
 
Freshman Behr Bruckner (Washington, Pa./Trinity) led the Presidents securing the overall bracket win in the 197-pound division. Bruckner entered the bracket unseeded and went 4-0 en route to a first-place finish.  The freshman opened the day with 12-2 major decision before battling through two sudden victory wins to make the finals. In the quarter finals, the freshman closed regulation on a 5-2 run to force a takedown in overtime. In the semifinals, both players traded escapes before Bruckner won by takedown. The freshman secured first place with a 22-6 technical fall in just over six minutes into the championship bout.
 
 
Junior Vitali Daniels (Scenery Hill, Pa./Bentworth) finished in second place in the 184-pound bracket as the No. 2 seed. Daniels closed out his opening bout on a 7-1 run to secure a 9-5 victory by decision. The junior followed it up with a quarterfinal pin just over a minute in and a 15-0 technical fall in the semifinals. Daniels ultimately fell to the top seed to secure second.
 
Additionally, two Presidents took home fifth place in their respective brackets.  Freshman Emmett Wolfe (Claysville, Pa./McGuffey) took home fifth place in the 149-pound bracket with a 5-1 record. Wolfe opened the day with two technical falls before dropping the quarterfinal bout to the No. 2 seed. In the consolation draw, the freshman earned three victories to pick up fifth.
 
Freshman Malachi Peak (California, Pa./California) also picked up fifth in his first collegiate invitational. In the 285-pound bracket, Peak secured a pin in the opening round before dropping the quarterfinal bout. The freshman then earned three victories in the consolation bracket to take fifth.
 
Freshman Zachary Turberville (Slippery Rock, Pa./Slippery Rock) finished the day 2-2 in the 157-pound division. Turberville started the day with two main draw pins before ultimately falling to the No. 4 seed and a second in the consolation bracket.
 
Sophomore Jack Viti (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel) also ended with a 2-2 record. In the 197-pound bracket, Viti picked up a pin just under 90 seconds. Viti ultimately fell in the main draw to the No. 2 seed before picking up a second victory in the consolation rounds. Viti's day ultimately concluded with a hard-fought 18-12 decision in the consolation round of four to the No. 3 seed.
 
Additionally, senior Vontez Tyus (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Maple Heights) also finished .500 with two victories at 157-pounds. Tyus started out the day with a 7-0 decision in the opening round before falling in the round of 32. Tyus also picked up a pin in thirty seconds during the consolation rounds for his second victory of the day.
 
Freshman Jacob Stewart (New Kensington, Pa./Burrell) started off the season picking up his first collegiate victory at 149-pounds.

The Presidents return to the mats on Saturday (Nov. 14) for the home W&J Invitational. The opening round bouts will begin at 9:00 a.m. inside the Ross Recreation Center.