CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia wrestling team opened the 2026-27 season on Sunday (Nov. 1) in split action with wrestlers competing at the Navy Classic in Annapolis, Md., and the Southeast Open in Salem, Va.
The Cavaliers had three place winners at the Southeast Open while eight Cavaliers went undefeated in pool competition at the Navy Classic.
NOTING THE CAVALIERS
- Three Cavaliers placed at the Southeast Open with Preston Wagner (285) taking fourth, Will Etu (197) taking fifth and Jack Myers (149) taking sixth in their respective weight classes. Etu and Wagner were competing in the freshman/sophomore bracket, while Myers competed in the open bracket.
- It was the first collegiate action for both Etu and Wagner who are both first years for the Cavaliers.
- It marks the second time Myers has placed at a tournament for the Cavaliers after also taking fourth at the Sheridan Invitational (12/20/24) as a first year.
- Seven wrestlers went 3-0 at the Navy Classic: Rocco Hayes (125), Ethan Timar (125), Jayce Paridon (141), Adam Butler (149), Jimmy Harrington (157), Michael Murphy (174) and Dylan Newsome (184). Nate Consigli (174) went 4-0 in his pool.
- Jimmy Harrington, who is ranked No. 20 at 157 pounds, defeated a pair of nationally-ranked opponents in his pool with wins over No. 27 John Ley (Navy) and No. 29 Vince Bouzakis (Pitt).
- Virginia wrestlers posted 10 wins by fall across the two tournaments and 21total bonus-point victories on the afternoon.
NAVY CLASSIC RESULTS
125 | Rocco Hayes
R1: Bye
R2: Hayes dec. Nikos Filipos (Navy), 10-3
R3: Hayes pinned Garrett Beane (Morgan State), 1:01
Third Place Match: Hayes dec. Damion Ryan (Bellarmine), 4-3
125 | Ethan Timar
R1: Timar major dec. Carmine Sipper (Navy), 17-9
R2: Timar major dec. Damion Ryan (Bellarmine), 9-0
R3: Bye
First Place Match: Timar pinned Nikos Filipos (Navy), 4:02
133 | Nicholas Salamone
R1: Sean Garretson (Navy) major dec. Salamone, 22-9
R2: Salamone dec. Chris Noto (Lock Haven), 8-5 (sv-1)
R3: Salamone dec. Caleb Carter (Navy), 5-1
141 | Jayce Paridon
R1: Paridon major dec. Nico Fanella (Pitt), 9-0
R2: Paridon over Connor Heckman (Lock Haven) by forfeit
R3: Paridon pinned Collier Hartman (Navy), 4:28
149 | Adam Butler
R1: Butler major dec. Myrin Nixon (Morgan State), 9-1
R2: Butler dec. Tyler Hood (Navy), 10-8
R3: Butler dec. David Mayora (Bellarmine), 4-1
157 | No. 20 Jimmy Harrington
R1: Harrington dec. Chase Burke (Lock Haven), 6-0
R2: Harrington dec. No. 27 John Ley (Navy), 2-1
R3: Harrington dec. No. 29 Vince Bouzakis (Pitt), 4-1
157 | Nathan Rickards - DONE
R1: Rickards vs. Nick Sanko (UVA), no contest
R2: No. 33 Anthony Berg (Cal Poly) major dec. Rickards, 9-0
R3: Bye
R4: Peyton Park (Navy) over Rickards by injury default
R5: Rickards over Nick Kunstek (Lock Haven) by medical forfeit
157 | Nick Sanko
R1: Sanko vs. Nathan Rickards (UVA), no contest
R2: Sanko pinned Peyton Park (Navy), 2:18
R3: Sanko pinned Nick Kunstek (Lock Haven), 1:21
R4: Bye
R5: No. 33 Anthony Berkg(Cal Poly) dec. Sanko, 16-13
165 | Nate Consigli
R1: Consigli dec. Evan Petrovich (Pitt), 8-2
R2: Consigli major dec. Gage Owen (American), 13-5
R3: Consigli over Davis Park (Navy) by injury default
First Place Match: Consigli dec. McKaden Speece (Navy), 8-6
165 | No. 24 Nick Hamilton
R1: Nick Stampoulos (Lock Haven) dec. Hamilton, 7-2
R2: No. 31 Dylan Elmore (Navy) dec. Hamilton, 5-1
R3: Hamilton dec. No. 28 Jared Kesler (Pitt), 5-3
174 | Michael Murphy
R1: Murphy major dec. Liam Kilrain (Navy), 15-3
R2: Murphy dec. Liam Packer (American), 4-0
R3: Murphy dec. Ousmane Duncanson (Lock Haven), 4-3
184 | Dylan Newsome
R1: Newsome pinned Michael Taheny (Navy), 2:29
R2: Newsome pinned Gabe Moore (Morgan State), 1:17
R3: Bye
First Place Match: Newsome dec. Tristan Steldt (Pitt), 7-6
197 | Steven Burrell
R1: Bryce Phillips (Morgan State) pinned Burrell, 4:45
R2: Bye
R3: Burrell tech fall Teage Calvin (American), 16-1 (6:02)
First Place Match: Burrell dec. Andrew Liber (Bellarmine), 8-3
197 | Jack Lesher
R1: Bye
R2: Lesher tech fall Anthony Bruscino (Navy), 17-1 (3:16)
R3: Andrew Liber (Bellarmine) dec. Lesher, 2-0
Third-Place Match: Bryce Phillips (Morgan State) over Lesher by medical forfeit
SOUTHEAST OPEN RESULTS
149 | Jack Myers – Sixth Place Finish
R32: No. 31 Anderson Heap (Davidson) dec. Myers, 6-0
Conso. Rd16-2: Myers tech fall Q’veli Quintanilla (Campbell), 17-2 (5:55)
Conso. Rd8-1: Myers dec. William Anderson (Chattanooga), 6-1
Conso. Rd8-2: Myers pinned Michael Pizzuto (Maryland), 2:18
Conso. Rd4: Myers dec. Nathaniel Askew (UNC), 5-0
Fifth-Place Match: Braden Fahrbach (App. State) major dec. Myers, 10-0
165 | Macon Ayers
R16: Tavian Camper (Chattanooga) dec. Ayers, 4-2
Conso. Rd8-1: Ayers dec. Cole Evans (WVU), 5-4
Conso. Rd8-2: Max Hermes (Ohio) dec. Ayers, 8-2
174 | Lincoln Shulaw
R32: Michael Baldwin (WVU) pinned Shulaw, 4:43
Conso. Rd16-2: Shulaw major dec. Andrew Barford (VMI), 12-2
Conso. Rd8-1: Shulaw pinned Wyatt Goff (Mount Olive), 1:13
Conso. Rd8-2: Nate Moore (GMU) tech fall Shulaw, 16-1 (7:00)
197 | Will Etu – Fifth Place Finish
R16: Paxton Hunt (WVU) dec. Etu, 5-2
Conso. Rd8-2: Etu dec. Luke Fugazzatto (GMU), 11-6
Conso. R4: Etu pinned Landon Hamper (Maryland), 1:40
Fifth Place Match: Etu major dec. Brock Sullivan (Noke Wrestling RTC), 11-3
285 | Preston Wagner – Fourth Place Finish
R16: Wagner dec. Avery Rhymer (App. State), 7-4
QF: Wagner dec. Brock Kehler (WVU), 3-2
SF: Everest Ouellette (NC State) dec. Wagner, 7-3
Third Place Match: Kai Calcutt (NC State) major dec. Wagner, 14-4