LANCASTER, Pa. – Thirty-four teams are ready to hit the mats for the 13th Annual David H. Lehman '68 Franklin & Marshall Open. Seven of the eight Division I conferences will be represented at this tournament, including each of the 11 members of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA). Bellarmine will make its first-ever appearance at the Lehman Open, marking the 51st Division I program to appear at this tournament since its inception.

Action at the Lehman Open gets underway Friday at 9 a.m. across 14 different mats and will conclude with the medal round featuring the top six place winners at weight class. Harvard and Princeton are currently tied for the most individual champions in this event's history with nine. Seven different wrestlers have won this tournament on multiple occasions. Princeton also has the most finalists (18) and place winners (43) all-time at this tournament. Last year's champions included Ben Davino (Ohio State), Luke Stanich (Lehigh), Jackson Arrington (NC State), Max Brignola (Lehigh), and Rocco Welsh (Army).

Below is a weight-by-weight look at the top contenders to take home the 2026 Lehman Open Championship.

About Dave Lehman
David H. Lehman, Ph.D. '68, P'01 is a dedicated alumnus, volunteer and supporter of Franklin & Marshall College. Through decades of service, Lehman has served as a model for philanthropic leadership and has helped foster enduring relationships with F&M for thousands of the College's alumni.

As a student, Lehman wrestled for the great W. Roy Phillips '34. He is a 2007 recipient of the Alumni Medal for distinguished service to the College, and in 2023 he was inducted into the Franklin & Marshall Athletic Hall of Fame. He was inducted as an Outstanding American in the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018 and will be inducted into the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Hall of Fame in 2026.

Widely celebrated as one of the greatest champions of F&M Wrestling that the College has ever known, Lehman's historic 2014 gift to the wrestling program endowed it in perpetuity. The David H. Lehman F&M Open is held annually in recognition of his commitment to Franklin & Marshall, Diplomat Athletics and the College's historic wrestling program. Lehman has been instrumental in building support for the F&M Wrestling Scholarship Endowment, the first athletic scholarships at F&M in more than 65 years.

Pre-Seeds and Weight-by-Weight Preview

125 lb. Pre-Seeds
1. Davis Motyka (Penn)
2. Charlie Farmer (Army)
3. Sulayman Bah (Columbia)
4. James Garcia (F&M)
5. Tucker Owens (Air Force)
6. Carson Wagner (Binghamton)
7. Jack Bergmann (Navy)
8. Dale O'Blia (Princeton)
9. Nick Treaster (Navy)
10. Teague Strobel (Hofstra)

The Diplomats are searching for their first Lehman Open individual champion and F&M's James Garcia and Penn's Davis Motyka will both be looking to make a splash this weekend and jump back into the national rankings. Motyka is 8-2 on the season, while Garcia is 9-7 this year. Motyka placed third at this tournament a season ago when he represented the Penn RTC. Army's Charlie Farmer is another returning place winner at the weight after taking fourth last season. Sulayman Bah of Columbia is 9-9 on the season but has plenty of experience in the Lions' lineup where he and Davis will be top contenders for the Ivy title later this year. Air Force's Tucker Owens was a national qualifier during the 2023 season as a true freshman and is currently 12-5 on the year. Carson Wagner (Binghamton) and Navy's Jack Bergmann and Nick Treaster are a few more wrestlers to keep an eye on while Cadell Lee is 8-2 on the season while representing Army Prep.

133 lbs.
1. Aaron Seidel (Virginia Tech)
2. #9 Ethan Berginc (Army)
3. Matty Lopes (Lehigh)
4. 20 Max Leete (American)
5. Max Gallagher (PRTC)
6. Gavin Caprella (Air Force)
7. Mason Leiphart (F&M)
8. Ethan Rivera (Princeton)
9. Evin Gursoy (Columbia)
10. Danny Jones (Princeton)

Army's Ethan Berginc (a runner-up at last year's tournament) is ranked No. 9 by FloWrestling entering the tournament and is already a three-time national qualifier. Lehigh's Matty Lopes is 9-1 on the year while redshirting for the Mountain Hawks and will look to be a strong contender for the title. Max Gallagher was a two-time national qualifier at Penn is taking this year to wrestle with PRTC. The deep weight continues with redshirt freshman and local product Aaron Seidel teching/pinning his way to a Midlands Championship during his collegiate debut for Virginia Tech. Max Leete (third at the Lehman Open last year) was a national qualifier for American in 2024. He is 9-3 after a redshirt season last year, while Columbia's Evin Gursoy is 11-8 during his rookie campaign. Representing the Spartan Combat RTC before he enrolls at Cornell next year, Isaiah Cortez is 20-4 this season. For the home team, keep an eye on senior Mason Leiphart who was sixth at this tournament during the 2024 season and is one of the most proficient wrestlers from the top position, highlighted by him breaking the College's technical fall record and leading all DI wrestlers in tech falls as a true freshman.

141 lbs.
1. #6 CJ Composto (Penn)
2. Elijah Cortez (Spartan Combat RTC)
3. Connor Collins (Army)
4. AJ Rallo (Bellarmine)
5. Carter Nogle (Air Force)
6. Drew Gorman (Virginia Tech)
7. Bryce Kresho (F&M)
8. Matthew Martino (Princeton)
9. Tahir Perkins (Rutgers)
10. Jacob Mann (Princeton)

Penn's CJ Composto is a two-time All-American (placing fourth in 2025) and enters the Lehman Open with a 5-1 record while ranking sixth in the nation according to the FloWrestling. Air Force's Carter Nogle is just outside the national rankings with an 11-4 record this season, while Virginia Tech freshman Drew Gorman is off to an impressive 10-4 start to his college career. Bellarmine's sophomore AJ Rallo is 10-5 after qualifying for the NCAA Tournament during his freshman season in 2025. Franklin & Marshall's Bryce Kresho is the only returning place winner at this weight from a season ago as he placed fifth at the Lehman Open on his way to leading all Division I wrestlers in victories during the regular season. Another Spartan Combat RTC wrestler to keep an eye on will be Elijah Cortez who is 23-1 this season where his only loss came against two-time NCAA qualifier Tom Crook of Virginia Tech who is currently ranked 13th in Division I this season. Don't be fooled by Conor Collin's (Army) 9-9 record as he is certainly battled tested entering the weekend.

149 lbs.
1. Kelly Dunnigan (Penn)
2. Richard Fedalen (Columbia)
3. Nate Roth (Kent State)
4. Frank Antonelli (Navy)
5. Sam Ewing (Buffalo)
6. Pat Phillips (F&M)
7. Silas Stits (Kent State)
8. Jayce Paridon              (Virginia)
9. Bryce Shelton (Air Force)

With no clear front runner, there will be plenty of competition for the medal rounds. Kent State freshman Silas Stits (14-6) and Penn's Kelly Dunnigan (10-7) have certainly compiled impressive starts to their seasons. Dunnigan was a runner-up at the 2024 Lehman Open. Columbia's Richard Fedalen placed second at the weight last year during his run to qualifying for the NCAA Tournament. Pat Phillips placed sixth at 141 lbs. during the 2024 Lehman Open before the multi-year team captain returned from redshirt this season. Kent State's Nate Roth (6-5) and Buffalo's Sam Ewing (9-9) have challenged themselves early in the season while Binghamton's Caleb Sweet has quietly compiled a 10-4 record. Army Prep's Easton Broxterman will be a force in the bracket as he is 16-4 while getting ready to join Army next season. The PRTC's Donny Almeyda is 4-1 this season before he will join the Quakers in the fall of 2026.

157 lbs.
1. #13 DJ McGee (George Mason)
2. Kai Owen (Columbia)
3. Nick Stampoulas (Lock Haven)
4. Fin Nadeau (Binghamton)
5. Tyler McKnight (Davidson)
6. Dom Frontino (Brown)
7. Frank Volpe (Hofstra)
8. Gavin Hawk (Princeton)
9. Vince Bouzakis (Pittsburgh)
10. Josh Hillard (F&M)

George Mason's DJ McGee is 9-1 on the season after back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a round of 16 finish to his 2025 season. McGee is currently ranked 13th in the country by FloWrestling to enter as the favorite in this weight. Columbia's Kai Owen (5-2) and Lock Haven's Nick Stampoulos (11-7) have also made trips to the national tournament previously. The only non-Division I team in the tournament, local Division II foe Millersville, will have one of its best chances to place at this weight where sophomore Richie DeFulvio is 5-2 on the season. Braydon Roberts (9-5) is having a strong campaign for LIU while Princeton's Tyler Vasquez looks to make his season debut for Princeton after going 10-4 last year while competing with the New Jersey RTC. Binghamton's Fin Nadeau is a returning place winner at the weight, taking sixth at the 2024 Lehman Open. Josh Hillard has also returned to the lineup for the Diplomats in a highly-contested weight class that also features Nick Alvarez and Luke Bender.

165 lbs.
1. #17 Ryan Burton (Virginia Tech)
2. #28 Cesar Alvan (Columbia)
3. Jake Slotnick (Hofstra)
4. Nick Kunstek (Lock Haven)
5. Marco Albanese (Binghamton)
6. Josh Palmucci (F&M)
7. Kelin Laffey (Buffalo)
8. Chris Earnest (Campbell)
9. Ben Weader (Virginia Tech)
10. Ousmane Duncanson (Lock Haven)

Another member of Virginia Tech's impressive freshman class is Ryan Burton who is 13-5 on the year after going 5-1 at the Midlands Tournament.  Burton is currently ranked 17th nationally by FloWrestling to enter as the favorite. A two-time national qualifier for Columbia, Cesar Alvin is 12-7 on the year and finds himself ranked 28th by FloWrestling. Alvan was a runner-up at the 2025 Lehman Open. Kent State's Chris Earnest (6-2) and another Virginia Tech freshman Ben Weader (8-7) have also put together strong seasons. Lock Haven's Nick Kunstek (8-7) and Buffalo's Kelin Laffey (9-6) both having winning records, while Franklin & Marshall's Josh Palmucci (7-5) is also having the strongest season of his career with the Diplomats. Hofstra's Jake Slotnick (13-10) and Binghamton's Marco Albanese (10-9) each bring double-digit win totals into the tournament.

174 lbs.
1. #27 Logan Messer (George Mason)
2. Nick Fine (Columbia)
3. Grant O'Dell (Bellarmine)
4. Ethan Barr (Kent State)
5. Rafael Knapp (Buffalo)
6. Nick Fea (North Carolina)
7. Dom Federici (Lehigh)
8. Dakota Morris (Army)
9. Liam Carlin (Penn)

Another weight class that is seemingly wide open for the taking is 174 lbs. where Columbia's Nick Fine (11-6), George Mason's Logan Messer (14-5), Army's Andrew Christie (10-7), Penn's Liam Carlin (11-5), and Bellarmine's Grant O'Dell (10-4) all have double digit win totals. Messer enters the tournament as the nationally-ranked wrestler in the field. Messer has won at least 20 matches during each of his first three seasons in the starting lineup at George Mason. Fine was a national qualifier for the Lions during his junior season in 2025 and will look to return to the national stage this March. Another name to watch for is Kent State's Ethan Barr (9-5) who is having the strongest season of his collegiate career.

184 lbs.
1. #7 James Conway (F&M)
2. #27 Malachi Duvall (George Mason)
3. Joe Curtis (Columbia)
4. Marcus Petite (Buffalo)
5. Brian Burburja (Air Force)
6. Trent Thomas (Kent State)
7. Dylan Newsome (Virginia)
8. Jack Lesher (Virginia)
9. Anthony D'Alesio (LIU)
10. Jake Gilfoil (Army)

Franklin & Marshall's James Conway is the wrestler to watch at 184 lbs. as the Diplomats look for their first-ever tournament title. Conway is favored to do so as he enters the tournament with a 19-1 record and No. 7 national ranking. Conway has placed second at the Lehman Open during each of the past two seasons, but has a history of making program firsts with his individual titles at the Keystone Classic and Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. No. 27 Malachi Duvall is a two-time national qualifier for George Mason where he is 17-2 on the season. Conway and Duvall have wrestled three times in their collegiate careers, with Conway owning the last two victories although they haven't met since 2022. Columbia's Joe Curtis is currently 14-2 on the season but is behind his teammate Aaron Ayzerov who is No. 16 in the country. He placed third up at 197 lbs. at the 2025 Lehman Open. Another NCAA qualifier at the weight is LIU's Anthony D'Alesio who is looking to get his season back on track for the Sharks. Army's Jake Gilfoil is another returning Lehman Open place winner as he was fourth at this tournament last season.

197 lbs.
1. #27 Karson Tompkins (Air Force)
2. #33Wolfgang Frable (Army)
3. Blake Schaffer (Kent State)
4. Jack Wehmeyer (Columbia)
5. Mikey Squires (Binghamton)
6. Will Conlon (Hofstra)
7. Cason Howle (NC State)
8. PJ Casale (Rutgers)

Air Force's freshman Karson Tompkins (12-6) owns the No. 27 national ranking according to FloWrestling and enters the tournament as the favorite. After graduating from Princeton, Mikey Squires is up at 197 lbs. for Binghamton where he is a perfect 4-0 on the year. Army's Wolfgang Frable will also provide a strong challenge as he was a national qualifier last season and is ranked No. 33 by FloWrestling this week. Kent State's Blake Schaffer placed fourth at this tournament and owns a 12-3 record this season. Hofstra's Will Conlon placed fifth at this weight during the 2025 Lehman Open. Columbia's Jack Wehmeyer is 5-5 on the season but looking to pick up the momentum in the second half of the year and get back to the national stage where he was an NCAA qualifier during the 2023 season.

285 lbs.
1. Vincent Mueller (Columbia)
2. Rocco Dellagata (Spartan Combat RTC)
3. Parker Ferrell (Virginia Tech)
4. Lucas Stoddard (Army)
5. Sebastian Garibaldi (Princeton)
6. Austin Kohlhofer (Army)

Columbia's Vincent Mueller took third at this weight last season and is the highest returning place winner at the heavyweight division. He brings a 12-4 record into Friday's action for Columbia. Army's Brady Colbert took home the individual title this year, but if the Black Knights want to repeat it will fall on the shoulders of two strong challengers in Lucas Stoddard (4-3) and Brenton Russell (6-4). Stoddard was a national qualifier during the his freshman campaign in 2024. In a weight class full of Black Knight depth, senior Austin Kohlhofer is 5-1 this year with his only defeat coming to his teammate, Colbert. Virginia Tech's Parker Ferrell is 12-5 on the season. All wrestlers at this weight will all be tested by Spartan Combat's Rocco Dellagatta who is 18-6 while preparing to enroll at Cornell next season. Binghamton has a pair of heavyweights with winning records in Charlie Tibbitts (7-4) and Trent Sibble (8-5). Franklin & Marshall's own Brody Kline has also reached double digits in wins anchoring the Diplomats' lineup for the second straight season.