PHILADELPHIA – Six grapplers from the University of Pennsylvania wrestling team are set to compete at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships hosted at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, starting on Thursday, March 19, at noon.
 
2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships
Thursday, March 19 | First match at noon
Friday, March 20 | First match at noon
Saturday, March 21 | First match at 11 a.m.
Cleveland, Ohio | Rocket Arena
Watch on ESPN+ | Live Results
 
Last Time on the Big Stage
*Penn co-hosted the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships at the Wells Fargo Center last season, with seven grapplers competing in Philadelphia. CJ Composto led the charge for the Red and Blue, earning All-America honors off a fourth-place finish at 141.
 
*As a team, the Quakers finished 16th at the championships, the highest placement since 2006.
 
Quaker Notemeal
*Sophomore Cross Wasilewski leads the charge for Penn at the championships, earning the #3 seed at 149. Jude Swisher followed Wasilewski with #6 at 157, while senior Composto earned the #11 seed at 141, and junior Evan Mougalian earned #12 at 133 to even out the Red and Blue with top-15 seeds.
 
*Two other Quakers received bids to NCAAs, with Davis Motyka earning #22 at 125 and Sean Seefeldt grabbing #24 at 165.
*Junior Swisher shone at the 2026 Ivy League Championships, winning the 157 crown for the first time in his career. Swisher took down first-seeded Meyer Shapiro (Cornell) by decision, 8-3, to win Penn's sole title and Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.
 
*Nine other Quakers earned podium spots, helping the Red and Blue earn third place as a team with 116.5 points.
 
*Freshman Motyka (125), junior Mougalian (133), Composto (141), and sophomore Wasilewski (149) all earned runners-up at their weights, while junior Seefeldt (165), Liam Carlin (184, and Martin Cosgrove (197) placed third, John Pardo (285) took fourth place, and Caden Bellis won the 174 fifth place bout to round out the Quakers on the podium.
 
*Motyka, Mougalian, Composto, Wasilewski, Swisher, and Seefeldt all earned automatic bids to the Big Dance off their finishes at Ivies.
 
Penn's First Round Matchups
125: #22 Davis Motyka vs. #11 Tyler Klinsky (Rider)
133: #12 Evan Mougalian vs. #21 Sean Spidle (Northwestern)
141: #11 CJ Composto vs. #22 Lorenzo Frezza (Columbia)
149: #3 Cross Wasilewski vs. #30 Dylan Layton (Rider)
157: #6 Jude Swisher vs #27 Dylan Evans (Pitt)
165: #24 Sean Seefeldt vs. #9 Bryce Hepner (North Carolina)