WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. — The West Liberty University men's wrestling team heads to Glenville State on Saturday to compete in the 2026 Mountain East Conference Wrestling Championship, looking to build on a strong season and improve on last year's runner-up conference finish.
The Hilltoppers enter the postseason ranked No. 23 nationally in the Open Mat dual team rankings and are coming off a solid stretch of competition, including a 2-2 showing at the NWCA National Duals and a convincing 36-12 victory over No. 19 East Stroudsburg last Friday in a tri-meet at Gannon. West Liberty also pushed nationally ranked Pitt-Johnstown to the wire earlier this season in a narrow 18-17 dual.
West Liberty placed second at the 2025 MEC Championships with 133.5 points and returns several proven conference and national contenders across the lineup.
"We are excited for the opportunity to compete at the Mountain East Conference Championship," said head coach Danny Irwin. "Our team is as prepared as ever and has been attacking how we would expect as of late. We have come up short the last two years here, so we need to set the tone early with bonus-point scoring to make this competition a memorable one."
At 141 pounds, senior Khyvon Grace, who placed third last year at 141, leads the way as a two-time All-American and the top-ranked wrestler in Super Region 3. Grace carries an 18-5 record this season and has posted multiple wins over nationally ranked opponents.
Sophomore Logan Davis (125), the runner-up last year at his weight class, enters the championship ranked nationally by both NWCA and Open Mat and has compiled a 9-4 record against a challenging schedule that includes several ranked foes. At 133 pounds, sophomore James Armstrong Jr., who finished third last year at 133, brings championship experience as the 2025 NCAA Region III champion and national qualifier.At 149 pounds, sophomore Tony Wood adds valuable depth and postseason experience to the Hilltopper lineup. Wood enters the MEC Championship with a 26-11 overall record and a 2-2 mark against conference opponents.
The middle weights are anchored by nationally ranked sophomore Nico Taddy (157), a returning national qualifier with a 22-7 record, and redshirt senior Jordan Watters (165), who owns a 7-1 mark with six bonus-point victories and multiple wins over ranked opponents.
At 174 pounds, redshirt junior Carter Winegardner, the runner-up last year at 174, has enjoyed an outstanding season with a 20-4 record and is ranked in Super Region 3, while sophomore Gabe Blissenbach (184) and sophomore Levi Abbott (197) provide valuable versatility after picking up wins across multiple weight classes during the year.
In the heavyweight division, redshirt junior Parker Bentley enters the postseason ranked in Super Region 3 and returns as last year's MEC runner-up at 285 pounds.
West Liberty University blends a small-town environment with a comprehensive college experience, fostering students' aspirations through hands-on learning, personalized support, and unique academic programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more at westliberty.edu.
