NCAA DIII rather focused on Regionals, I think sometimes fans forget that we have actual conferences within the competition as well. So used to end of the year Conference tournaments in NCAA Division I, that also act as qualifiers, NCAA Division III Conference tournaments happen throughout the entire season. The Middle Atlantic, ironically enough, in the "Middle" of the season.
Like all tournaments that don't have a Q attached to them, the MAC is a tournament where you never quite know who is and who isn't going to show up. You simply hope for the best, which in this case, is pretty good. Some weights obviously better than others, but there will be some good wrestling in this tournament. Some great wrestling, if all who can show up, show up.
 |
| 125 |
Ironically enough, #4 Malik Asfour made the MAC finals last season competing for Delaware Valley. The 2025 NCAA DIII qualifier is currently 13-4 on the season & he's likely to see #19 Ethan Liptzin a fellow '25 D3 qualifier in this year's finals. Liptzin competed for Elizabethtown last season & is currently 10-0 on the year.
 |
| 133 |
Without a doubt the heavy favorite for a MAC title at 133 lbs will be #2 ranked Jacob Blair, another former Delaware Valley wrestler who is now competing for Arcadia. The three-time NCAA DIII qualifier, who was 5th in the D3 nation back in 2024, is currently 15-1 on the year. His likely finals opponent will be Vince Paloucci who gave him a respectable 6-0 match at the Cougar Classic earlier this season.
 |
| 141 |
Pretty sure we will not see 2025 MAC champion Sean O'Toole, who was also an NCAA DIII qualifier last year, in action this weekend. The Aggie has yet to compete in '25-'26, and I wouldn't plan on seeing him make his debut here. #3 ranked Nico Diaz an NCAA D3 qualifier in 2023 is currently 14-1 on the season. Should he compete this weekend, a heavy favorite to win a title. Also look for Jacob Cunningham to have a good season. He dropped down from 149 lbs in December & has looked pretty good ever since. Has already racked up 23 wins on the year.
 |
| 149 |
Here's your, "this is what I paid to see" weight class. 149 lbs in the MAC is going to be very, very competitive.
First off we have #14 Chance Babb who has thus far placed 3rd-2nd-1st in the MAC championships. The two-time NCAA DIII qualifier is looking to make his third final & win his second championship. In order to do so, he's going to have to somehow figure out a way to get past #3 Cole Handlovic. Handlovic is an NCAA DI transfer from Cornell. Not just a, "I rode the bench, never saw any action" DI wrestler, but a, "I beat Cesar Alvan, Jason Miranda & Max Brignola," NCAA DI wrestler.
On top of Handlovic, Babb is gonna need to watch his back against other hungry members of the MAC conference. He does own a fall over Dalton Monger at the 5:29 mark, but Monger is a wrestler that lives & dies by the pin. He himself has a 2:23 fall over Caden Frost, a 35 second fall over Mike Williams & a 1:49 fall over Shane Kibler. As to Babb he also owns a 6-3 decision over Kibler, as well as both a 13-2 & 12-3 major over Mike Williams. Frost owns an 11-3 major over Williams as well.
 |
| 157 |
157 has plenty of interesting factors. We have #8 Ryan Smith, a three-time NCAA DIII All-American with finishes of 8th-6th-7th. Thus far in the MAC championships he's been 2nd-1st-1st, as he hunts for his fourth finals appearance and his third title. Here to try and deny him of that MAC gold, will be #4 Trent Mahoney. A guy who won 101 matches, including 50 via fall for King (Not King's) in NCAA DII, a qualifier last season. Now he's down in D3 & he's still kicking major ass. 15-0 on the season, 10 falls & 3 technical falls. It's kind of a question of, who stops who at this point?
Anyone to come in and spoil the plans of what I think is going to be a kick-ass final between Mahoney & Albright? I would keep an eye on Clay Gainer. He's always a tough match up & he currently holds a 17-5 record on the year.
 |
| 165 |
29-0 on the year, with a 17-2 technical fall over Luke Moore, an MAC runner-up last season, I can almost guarantee (if he enters of course) #7 Keegan DeMarest is going to be our 2026 MAC champion. The finals here is not the story, the semi-finals is. Our semi-final is likely to be a meet up of two former teammates, Luke Moore & Nick DeLorenzo. They have met twice this season, splitting 1-1. Moore owns a 12-9 s.v. over DeLorenzo & DeLorenzo owns a 6-1 decision over Moore.
 |
| 174 |
No ranked wrestlers here at 174 lbs, but it should still be a fun weight class. I've always enjoyed Zach Needles & I'm anxious to see how 174 lbs treats him overall considering he's spent the bulk of his career at 165. An NCAA DIII qualifier in 2023, he's currently 12-2 on the year. Also gunning for an MAC title this weekend will be Davis Keppley, who on an 11-1 record has won titles at the Tony Ellis Memorial as well as the Blue Jay Classic. Anthony Matas another tough wrestler, currently 21-5 on the year.
 |
| 184 |
To address the elephant in the room, I'm pretty sure we do not see Frankie Theroux this tournament. He's only wrestled one match thus far back in early November & we haven't seen him on the mat since. I have no idea what the scoop is, but I highly doubt he makes his return this weekend. If he does, look for him to compete for a spot in the finals. He was 3rd here a year ago & he owns a 10-9 decison over Hayden McLellan, who is currently ranked #18 in the country with a 24-3 record.
Our forerunner for the MAC title however, is going to be two-time MAC finalist #7 Austin Brass who is looking to add a gold medal to the two silver he already owns. 18-3 on the year, Brass was also one match shy of being a D3 All-American last season as well.
Add in #19 Noah MacIlroy, 19-2 on the year & you can see why 184 lbs, semis, finals, consolation finals is gonna be a fun ride.
 |
| 197 |
I think we're gonna see a good final here between #5 Josh Stahl & #10 Tucker Seidel here at 197 lbs. Stahl is currently 19-0 on the year & Seidel is 26-4.
 |
| HWT |
285 looks like it is going to resemble 165 lbs. #6 Logan Flynn an NCAA D3 R12'er last season is currently 15-0 on the year. A likely favorite to win an MAC title this weekend. The story here will be who meets him in the finals? Owen Reber or Aiden Hidlay? A likely semi-final that should come down to the last seconds. The last the two met, Reber squeaked by with a 3-2 decision.
No comments:
Post a Comment