CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced its wrestling team and 10 individual weight-class preseason rankings on Friday ahead of the 2026-27 season. SIUE was tabbed No. 1 in the team poll with 116 points, after claiming its first MAC West Division Title last season and a third-place finish at the 2026 MAC Championship.
 
SIUE’s Caleb Tyus (149 lbs.) and Byson Buhk (285 lbs.) each finished runner-up in their respective weight classes at last year’s conference championship. Lock Haven (115) was ranked behind the Cougars, followed by Edinboro (101) in third, Kent State (74) in fourth, and Central Michigan (67) to round out the top five.
 
In addition to the team rankings, the 10 eight classes ranked the top 8 wrestlers from the league’s 11 teams. The weight class leaders include Chris Vargo (Edinboro), who finished runner-up in last year’s 125 lbs. championship match, while teammate Jacob Brennaman tops the 141 lbs. class. Andrew Austin (CMU) leads the 133 lbs. class. Lock Haven leads the 149 lbs. and 184 lbs. classes with Lucas Kapusta and Sammy Gautreau, respectively. MAC Champions Derek Raike (Ohio, 157 lbs.), Chris Earnest (Kent State, 165 lbs.), and Brock Zurawski (Rider, 197 lbs.) all return for another year on the mat. Evan Maag from George Mason returns to the lineup and tops the 174 lbs. class, while Mason Rebuck is the first-ranked wrestler from Bloomsburg to start the season.
 
SIUE will be the host for the 2027 MAC Wrestling Championship at its First Community Arena in Edwardsville, Ill., on March 5-6, 2027.
 
Provided by WrestleStat, the team and individual rankings will also continue throughout the season.
 
For more MAC Wrestling news throughout the season, visit www.GetSomeMaction.com and follow @MACSports on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
 
2026-27 MAC Wrestling Preseason Rankings
Team (Points)
1. SIUE (116)
2. Lock Haven (115)
3. Edinboro (101)
4. Kent State (74)
5. Central Michigan (67)
6. Ohio (59)
7. Rider (54)
8. George Mason (52)
9. Bloomsburg (48)
10. Buffalo (46)
11. Clarion (28)
 
125 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Chris Vargo, Edinboro
2. Archer Anderson, Central Michigan
3. Drew Davis, SIUE
4. Noah Michaels, Rider
5. Brayden Teunissen, Ohio
6. Malachi Stratton, George Mason
7. Justin Jones, Bloomsburg
8. Zac Belverio, Buffalo
 
133 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Andrew Austin, Central Michigan
2. Marcel Lopez, SIUE
3. Nick Molchak, Kent State
4. Patrick O'Keefe, Lock Haven
5. Austin Pollard, Bloomsburg
6. Ryan Meek, Ohio
7. Landon Bainey, Edinboro
8. Gianni Silvestri, Buffalo
 
141 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Jacob Brenneman, Edinboro
2. Ben Lunn, SIUE
3. Tate Hisey, George Mason
4. Hunter Gould, Lock Haven
5. Tyler Roark, Buffalo
6. Scott Johnson, Bloomsburg
7. Keagan Oler, Clarion
8. Tyler Adams, Kent State
 
149 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Lucas Kapusta, Lock Haven
2. Dylan Layton, Rider
3. Sam Ewing, Buffalo
4. Jimmy Nugent, Central Michigan
5. Anthony Ferraro, Edinboro
6. Nate Roth, Kent State
7. Hayden Whidden, SIUE
8. Oliver Fairchild, Clarion
 
157 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Derek Raike, Ohio
2. DJ McGee, George Mason
3. Garrett McChesney, Edinboro
4. Nick Kunstek, Lock Haven
5. JT Chance, Kent State
6. Wesley Barnes, Clarion
7. Max Nevlin, Buffalo
8. PJ Murphy, SIUE
 
165 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Chris Earnest, Kent State
2. Brock Woodcock, SIUE
3. Nick Stampoulos, Lock Haven
4. Alejandro Herrera-Rondon, Clarion
5. Leo Contino, Central Michigan
6. Max Kirby, Edinboro
7. Kendrick Hodge, Rider
8. Max Hermes, Ohio
 
174 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Evan Maag, George Mason
2. Dominic Lopez, SIUE
3. Tate Geiser, Edinboro
4. Ethan Barr, Kent State
5. Rafael Knapp, Buffalo
6. Connor Wetzel, Lock Haven
7. Wyatt Ferguson, Central Michigan
8. Gabe Lilly, Clarion
 
184 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Sammy Gautreau, Lock Haven
2. Jeremy Olszko, Ohio
3. Caleb Neal, SIUE
4. Braidon Woodward, Bloomsburg
5. Shay Addison, Rider
6. Joey Arnold, Edinboro
7. Adrian Gacek, Clarion
8. Holden Martin, Kent State
 
197 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Brock Zurawski, Rider
2. Tucker Hogan, Lock Haven
3. Luke Cochran, Central Michigan
4. Nick Nosler, SIUE
5. Brody Evans, Edinboro
6. Evan Wingrove, Ohio
7. Trent Thomas, Kent State
8. Wyatt Bush, Bloomsburg
 
285 Pounds
Rank     Name, School
1. Mason Rebuck, Bloomsburg
2. Bryson Buhk, SIUE
3. Kade Sottolano, Lock Haven
4. Brentan Simmerman, Kent State
5. Magnus Bibla, Buffalo
6. Aden Roe, Edinboro
7. Andrew Blackburn-Forst, Clarion
8. Wyatt Schmitt, Ohio