MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — The 24th-ranked Washington and Lee University wrestling team turned in a dominant performance at the Messiah Invitational on Saturday to start off the season.
The Generals finished second of 10 teams with 140.0 points, just six shy of the host Falcons. The Generals crowned three individual champions, advanced six wrestlers to finals, and recorded the highest winning percentage in the field at .669 (81–40).
W&L combined scoring depth and bonus-point efficiency across all weight classes, producing 17 pins, nine technical falls, and 685 total match points — the third-most in the tournament. Carter Stack (285) led all competitors with a tournament-best 24.5 team points, including two pins, a tech fall, and a major decision en route to the heavyweight title. At 157, Liam Flanagan cruised to a 5–2 victory in the championship after earning a tech fall and two close decisions, while John Santowski (197) completed the title trio with a 4–0 run highlighted by a first-round pin and three decisions.
W&L placed wrestlers in seven weight classes overall, including runner-up finishes from Vincent Ziccardi (133), Evan Lindner (149) and Mark Troni (165). Jax Obe (149) and Jacob Wright (174) each finished third, with Obe recording the fastest fall of the day for W&L (1:39) and the team's highest single-match point total (21). Noah Danforth (157) added a fourth-place finish and led the Generals with 66 total match points.
View the complete results for the tournament here: FloSports Arena
Up Next:
Select members of the Generals will return to the mat on Sunday, Nov. 9, at the Cougar Open hosted by Averett University in Danville, Va. Competition begins at 9 a.m.
W&L Champions
- 157 | Liam Flanagan — 1st
- Champ. Round 1 - Bye
- Champ. Round 2 - Flanagan won by tech fall over Nicolas Rehfuss (Ursinus) (TF 16-1)
- Quarterfinal - Flanagan won by decision over Noah Rice (Messiah) (Dec 4-2)
- Semifinal - Flanagan won in sudden victory - 1 over Tyler Rossini (Brockport, No. 2 in Region 2, No. 6 Nationally) (SV-1 4-1)
- 1st Place Match - Flanagan won by decision over Clay Gainer (Messiah, No. 3 in Region 3) (Dec 5-2)
- 197 | John Santowski — 1st
- Champ. Round 1 - Santowski won by fall over Charles Dunn (Johns Hopkins) (Fall 2:40)
- Quarterfinal - Santowski won by decision over Jacob Kraker (Wheaton) (Dec 11-4)
- Semifinal - Santowski won by decision over Tucker Seidel (Messiah) (Dec 1-0)
- 1st Place Match - Santowski won by decision over Will Davis (Elizabethtown, No. 2 in Region 3, No. 3 Nationally) (Dec 7-2)
- 285 | Carter Stack — 1st
- Champ. Round 1 - Stack won by fall over Joseph Kruse (Wheaton) (Fall 1:55)
- Champ. Round 2 - Stack won by fall over Mike Welsh (Brockport) (Fall 4:38)
- Quarterfinal - Stack won by tech fall over Braden Ewing (Liberty) (TF 16-1)
- Semifinal - Stack won by major decision over Kaden Bryan (McDaniel) (Maj 17-5)
- 1st Place Match - Stack won by medical forfeit over Logan Flynn (Arcadia) (Medical Forfeit)
W&L Finalists (Runner-Up)
- 133 | Vincent Ziccardi — 2nd
- 1st Place Match - Jacob Blair (Arcadia, No. 2 in Region 3) won by decision over Ziccardi (Dec 8-1)
- 149 | Evan Lindner — 2nd
- 1st Place Match - Thomas Monn (McDaniel, No. 1 in Region 3, No. 3 Nationally) won by decision over Lindner (Dec 7-0)
- 165 | Mark Troni — 2nd
- 1st Place Match - Keegan Demarest (Messiah, No. 2 in Region 3, No. 12 Nationally) won by decision over Troni (Dec 4-2)
Additional W&L Placers
Team Standings
- Messiah — 146.0
- Washington and Lee — 140.0
- Brockport — 130.5
- Elizabethtown — 116.0
- McDaniel — 105.5
- Ursinus — 101.0
- Johns Hopkins — 77.0
- Arcadia — 67.5
- Liberty — 50.0
- Wheaton — 27.5
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
