Sophomore Luke Stanich lost an overtime match in the national semifinals at 141 pounds, as Lehigh University’s men’s wrestling team faced a challenging Friday night at the NCAA Championships on March 20. Three other Mountain Hawks competed in the round of 12 for podium spots but were unsuccessful in their bouts.
Stanich will be Lehigh’s only All-American for the 2025-26 season, marking the fifth consecutive year and the 16th time in 18 seasons under head coach Pat Santoro that the program has produced at least one All-American. This achievement continues a longstanding tradition of success for Lehigh wrestling.
In his semifinal match, Stanich and top-seeded Jesse Mendez remained tied through regulation. Mendez secured an escape early in the second period, while Stanich matched it with an escape early in the third. The contest was decided when Mendez scored a takedown just 26 seconds into sudden victory to advance to his third straight finals appearance. Stanich is scheduled to face Carter Nogle from Air Force in Saturday morning’s consolation semifinals.
Graduate student Sheldon Seymour was defeated by Stanford’s Nico Provo with an 11-4 decision at 125 pounds after Provo took control with two first-period takedowns. Seymour concludes his career as a two-time EIWA Champion and a 2025 All-American, finishing this season with a record of 21-2 and an overall mark of 72-28.
Senior Max Brignola lost his third meeting against Arizona State’s Nicco Ruiz by an 8-2 decision at 165 pounds. Ruiz built his lead with takedowns in both the first and second periods, along with additional points from escapes and riding time. Brignola ends his collegiate career as a three-time NCAA qualifier and was crowned NCAA Champion for the current season.
Junior Rylan Rogers fell short against Wyoming’s Eddie Neitenbach at 184 pounds, losing by a score of 4-2 after Neitenbach scored the only takedown during the second period. Despite getting close to scoring late in the match, Rogers could not secure points before time expired.
Lehigh enters Saturday’s final day of competition ranked sixteenth overall with twenty-two points. Penn State leads Oklahoma State by more than forty points as both teams pursue their respective championship goals. Stanich will compete again Saturday morning beginning at eleven o’clock, with coverage available on ESPNU and ESPN+.