Buffalo, New York, here we come! It is time for the Mid-American Conference (MAC) championships! Each weight class has x amount of allocations & most of them have more than the number going, eligible to take a spot. Let's take a look at our 10 weights.
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| 125 |
Despite all three of these guys being ranked in the top 33, only two of them will be making the trip to Cleveland, Ohio when it is all said & done. Tyler Klinsky our *1 seed, a 2024 NCAA DI qualifier has 15 wins on the season, including a 9-3 decision over Trevor Clawson.
West, 17-5 on the year is a three-time MAC place-winner with finishes of 3rd-2nd-1st thus far. A 13-2 major over Clawson, he has yet to face Klinsky this season but does own three victories over him overall.
Clawson is 22-5 on the year.
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| 133 |
5 worthy candidates & only four spots available. Who will be the odd man out?
Markel Baker 23-3 on the year, is looking for his first trip to the NCAA DI tournament. 4th in the MAC last year, he's also our *1 seed. Owns a close 4-2 decision over Marcel Lopez, who ironically enough is also looking for his first trip to the NCAA DI championships. 19-5 on the year, he owns a tiebreaker win over Will Betancourt.
Sometimes it's an advantage, sometimes it's a disadvantage, but Betancourt at 20-7 on the season, hasn't faced any of the other top candidates here in the MAC yet.
21-8 on the year & a two-time MAC champion, I find it hard to believe that Gable Strickland won't at least live up to his *4 seed. Wouldn't be surprised at all to see him exceed it.
On paper Joey Fischer is our odd man out. 2nd-5th-6th in the MAC thus far, every season he's shown glimpses of promise. 19-8 currently, the glimpse of '25-'26 was an 8-2 decision over Strickland. The guy has had the talent & the tools to be an NCAA DI qualifier every year. This is his final shot to make the dance.
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| 141 |
The MAC finalists get to go to the NCAA DI tournament & I'm 99.99% positive these are our finalists. One of California Baptist's first NCAA DI qualifiers, Eli Griffin is having a very good season for the Broncos with a 22-6 record. Two of those wins are over Wyatt Henson by a 12-2 major decision & a much closer 4-3 decision. Henson 21-5 on the year, is a two-time MAC champion.
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| 149 |
My first time of really diving in and studying the MAC was all the way back in 2002. Weird to think about, but some of my readers weren't even born yet!! I like that I can pass for a lot younger than what I actually am! While which schools are a part of the conference & which schools aren't has changed over the years, there's one factor that remains consistent. Weird stuff happens in the MAC. When qualification is on the line, it effects guys in different ways. There are four allocations on the line here & seeds say one thing. We'll see if on the mat says the same, or something different.
Caleb Tyus has been one of the biggest surprises of the year. Here's a guy that is a two-time national qualifier, but at the beginning of the season, I don't think many were considering him a top 8 wrestler. I know for a fact none of the wrestling media was looking at him as a possible NCAA DI finalist. And now look where we are. He's 19-1 with a #2 ranking. Our *2 seed, Lucas Kapusta is 21-4 on the year.
3rd in the MAC championships last year, Kaiden Cassidy is slotted to once again finish in 3rd place this tournament. 15-2 on the year, while they haven't met in '25-'26, it should be noted that he does own two wins over Kapusta.
If Cleveland State had any brains in its head or hearts in its chest, Dylan Layton would still be representing the Vikings. No doubt about it, the Broncos are happy to have him as a rep. He is 22-8 on the year.
Per paper the odd men out are Ryan Michaels & Jimmy Nugent, but trust me, you don't want to overlook either of these qualifier candidates. Michaels is 20-7 on the year & he's given both Kapusta & Cassidy very close matches this year. Nugent has 18 wins on the year & he actually defeated Cassidy 7-5 in recent dual action.
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| 157 |
Here's where shits gonna hit the fan. Four allocation spots & I'll be extremely shocked if seeds hold up *1-*2-*3-*4 in order. I predict some crazy things are going to happen this MAC championship, and if you want a good place to start, I'd pick 157.
21-7 on the year Mason Shrader was the MAC runner-up last season. He owns an 11-7 decision over Derek Raike & a 4-2 decision over D.J. McGee.
Raike is 16-5 on the year, owns a 7-3 decision over Kaleb Burgess.
McGee, 2nd & 1st thus far in the MAC, is 21-3 on the year. Owns an 8-5 s.v. over Burgess.
Burgess 15-5 this season, owns an 11-3 major over Shrader. So you get an idea of what I'm talking about, but I'm not done yet.
Let's throw Nick Stampoulos into the mix. No big wins on the year for the Bald Eagle, but he gave Shrader a 4-3 match & he took McGee into sudden victory before dropping an 8-5 decision.
Some might be rolling their eyes at JT1wreste for including 7-12 Landon Johnson in the discussion. That's fine, you go ahead and roll your eyes. Johnson is exactly the type of wrestler I was referring to when I said, "Some are different when qualification is on the line." This weird mixture of Adam Duritz, Bob Marley & Weird Al Yankovic all rolled into one, was 3rd in the MAC last year. Gave both Burgess & Stampoulos close matches earlier this season.
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| 165 |
The top 2 allocated here at 165 & like 141, you can pretty much put it writing. Brock Woodcock & Ryan Burgos are only separated by one spot in the rankings, but Woodcock proved they're much further apart on the mat by tech'ing Burgos 18-0 earlier this year. Woodcock is 22-8 on the year & Burgos an NCAA DI qualifier in 2023 is 20-5.
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| 174 |
Three allocations here at 174 lbs.
3rd in the MAC last season, Avery Bassett at 21-6 takes the *1 seed.
Garrett Thompson 11-2 on the year & a 6-1 decision over Logan Messer. Thus far the Bobcat has been 2nd & 1st in the MAC.
Messer, 22-6 on the year owns a 4-1 decision over Bassett.
Enrique Mungia? Well, considering he was the MAC champ a year ago, I think it's only appropriate to include him. Now the thing about Munguia is that he could come into this tournament, go 0-2 & not even place. He could also, just as easily not only win the bracket, but walk away with MAC outstanding wrestler of the tournament!! He wrestled Bassett to a 9-6 loss & he wrestled Messer to a 4-1 loss. He's sorta like the weather we get here in the Midwest, so bring sunblock & a jacket.
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| 184 |
Three allocations here at 174 & I believe these will be the three that are going.
A two-time NCAA DI qualifier in 2022 & 2023, I think Sal Perrine really surprised himself by not qualifying for the championships in 2024. Taking 2025 to redshirt, he's not only back, but back with a vengeance, seeded *1 looking to win an MAC title.
Here to challenge him will be Jared McGill of Edinboro, 14-2 on the season & an MAC runner-up last season, as well as Malachi Duvall who was 3rd in last year's MAC championships, with a 22-4 record. McGill & Duvall should prove to be an excellent semi-final, as McGill edged Duvall 6-3 s.v. recently.
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| 197 |
Only the finalist are headed to the NCAA DI championships from the MAC this season.
Brock Zurawski an NCAA DI qualifier last year, is 18-4 on the year.
Zayne Lehman, much like teammate Sal Perrine, really surprised himself by not qualifying for the NCAA DI championships in 2024, after having qualified in 2023. He too took 2025 off & is currently carrying a 16-2 record looking to challenge for the MAC title.
If there be anyone in the bracket to spoil the plans of either Zurawski or Lehman, that someone is Tucker Hogan. He lost a 6-1 match earlier this year to Zurawski, but has 18 wins on the year.
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| HWT |
The finalist of the MAC are packing up for Cleveland, Ohio & like 141 & 165, you can pretty much bet on these two.
Devon Dawson, another of the many former Pratt NJCAA stars strutting their stuff in higher divisions, is 26-5 on the season. Bryan Caves is 18-10. Dawson owns 15-7 & 7-6 decisions over Caves.
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