LANCASTER, Pa. – The Franklin & Marshall wrestling team celebrated a successful 2025-26 season on Sunday at the Cork Factory Ballroom. Getting together to celebrate the team's accomplishments that featured the most EIWA place winners and highest team score in program history, head coach Mike Rogers and his staff recognized several individual award winners.
Franklin & Marshall Wrestling Award recipients
James Conway was named the Charlie Mayser Outstanding Wrestler and received the team's Scholar Award. Conway capped his decorated career that included 108 career wins with a 35-4 record as a senior. He climbed to as high as No. 4 in the national rankings where he was seeded entering the NCAA Tournament. In becoming the 26th multiple time national qualifier in program history, Conway won the Southeast Open, Keystone Classic, Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, and David H. Lehman '68 F&M. He was already the first-ever Diplomat to win the Keystone Classic and continued to set new program standards with the program's first individual titles at CKLV and the Lehman Open. Conway finished in the round of 12 at the NCAA Championships following a runner-up finish at the EIWA Tournament during his third time placing at the conference championship.
Conway will be equally remembered for his success off the mat as he became the first student-athlete at Franklin & Marshall across any sport to receive the Elite 90 Award which is presented to a student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the championship event. Conway won that award during the 2024 season during the tournament where he defeated Cornell's returning All-American Chris Foca. Conway is a biochemistry and molecular biology major who also holds a minor in Spanish. He has additionally been a four-time NWCA Scholar All-American and four-time EIWA Scholar throughout his career.
After redshirting during his first season with the Diplomats, James Garcia took home Rookie of the Year honors after an 18-14 campaign. Garcia advanced to the semifinals of the EIWA Tournament and was one win away from qualifying to the national tournament before he finished in sixth place. Garcia's highlights during the regular season included beating eventual All-American Tyler Klinsky of Rider by a 15-13 score at CKLV where he also battled this year's national runner-up Marc-Anthony McGowan of Princeton to a 5-1 decision. Garcia also placed third at the Southeast Open and fourth at the Keystone Classic during his first year in the starting lineup.
Mason Leiphart and Jake Allred each received the Coach's Award. Leiphart finished his career as the school record holder in technical falls while compiling a 79-47 record as a four-year member of the starting lineup. Leiphart led all Division I wrestlers in technical falls when he arrived on campus as a first-year and finished his career as a two-time EIWA place winner. Allred wrestled multiple duals throughout the year as he filled in admirably at 197 lbs. The junior's persistence paid off during a 10-4 victory versus Cornell at the Patriot Last Chane Open. He wrested in the varsity lineup during the team's win at Presbyterian and against Drexel in EIWA action.
Josh Hillard received the team's Most Improved Award. Despite missing time early in the season, Hillard finished the year with a 16-12 record and placed eighth at the EIWA Championships. Hillard's podium performance marked the second consecutive season he placed at the conference tournament after he won a spot in the lineup this year at 157 lbs. The Lancaster, Pa. native and Manheim Township graduate will exercise his fifth year and return to the Diplomats' lineup for the 2026-27 season.
Brandon Sauter earned the Leadership Award from the coaching staff during his senior season. Despite being in one of the deepest parts of the lineup throughout his career, Sauter still managed to make a positive impact on his coaches and teammates although not in the lineup. When he did see action on the mat, Sauter won 27 career bouts, included at third-place finish at F&M's home invitational last season. As a senior, Sauter recorded pins against both Sacred Heart and Bloomsburg among his victories.
James Garcia, Brandon Carr, Brandon Sauter, and Leo Varga were each recognized as letter winners for the first time in their collegiate careers. A letter is only awarded to a wrestler once during his F&M career for any student-athlete who competed in at least three duals during the season or competed in the postseason. Seniors who have shown great leadership and made a positive impact on the team throughout their career are also eligible for that distinction.
After the awards were presented, the team had one final exciting announcement to make as Franklin & Marshall Trustee and Board Vice Chair Ken Mehlman '88 announced the establishment of the James Conway '26 Wrestling Scholarship. That scholarship was created to provide immediate financial assistance to high-achieving student-athletes on F&M's Division I Wrestling Team. Award(s) will be made to student-athletes who demonstrate strong academic performance and exemplary leadership – qualities that reflect the character, dedication, and impact.
Wrestling finished the season with a 7-3 overall record, including a 4-2 record in EIWA duals as the Diplomats defeated LIU, Sacred Heart, Hofstra, and Morgan State in conference action before placing a program-record seven individuals at the EIWA Championships where Conway qualified to the national tournament.
