WASHINGTON - Ten wrestlers from American University are set to compete at the 121st Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships on Friday and Saturday, March 7-8 at Stabler Arena on the campus of Lehigh University. The two-day competition determines who will earn
allocated spots at each weight class for the NCAA Championships.
Championships Information
- Stabler Arena on Lehigh's campus is the site of this year's tournament, which begins with Session 1 on Friday, March 7 at 10:00 a.m.
- The second session on Friday begins at 4:00 p.m., and Saturday's action begins again at 10:00 a.m.
- The EIWA field consists of 12 Division I institutions in the northeast, separated into the Patriot League division and Independent division. This will be the first tournament without inclusion of the Ivy League, as the six Ivy League programs separated from the EIWA to form their own postseason tournament for the first time this year.
- Lehigh had a stretch of four straight EIWA team titles from 2018 to 2021, but Cornell has won the last three team championships. With the Ivy League no longer a part of the EIWA, there will be a new team champion this year.
- The EIWA is the oldest collegiate athletic conference in the nation.
American Notes
- The Eagles went 11-10 in dual meets this season, and 2-4 against EIWA opponents. The 11 wins are the most in the program since 2011, and the third-most since 2005. Head Coach Jason Borrelli has now led AU to three straight seasons with at least eight victories, turning the program around since the team went 1-12 in his first season at the helm in 2021.
- Graduate senior Will Jarrell (HWT) comes into the tournament as AU's only ranked wrestler in the latest NCAA Coaches' poll, earning the #32 spot at heavyweight. He leads American's 10 starters in wins this season with 20, and 67 in his career. Junior Raymond Lopez (133) follows with 19, and redshirt sophomore Caleb Campos (174) has 18 wins.
- Four Eagles are returning to the EIWA Championships after competing in the tournament a year ago, including Jarrell, who finished ninth in 2024 and earned a spot as a first alternate for the NCAA Tournament. Maximillian Leete finished fifth and was AU's only automatic NCAA Tournament qualifier, but the senior has taken a redshirt year and will not be competing in this year's tournament.
- Lopez has had a breakout season, winning a career-high 19 bouts and earning a team-leading 59 dual points. He comes into the tournament having won his last three matches.
- Jarrell's 18 career pins put him at 11th on AU's all-time list, while Lopez's eight pins this season have brought his career total up to 14 and placed him at 13th on the all-time leader board.
- Campos was 33rd on the first NCAA Coaches' poll at 174, but did not appear on the second poll. He is ranked in the RPI at 29th.
- Campos pulled off AU's biggest upset of the season, pinning #4 Lennox Wolak at the Southern Scuffle in January. This will be his second career appearance in the conference tournament.
- Redshirt senior Jack Nies (157) returns to the EIWA Championships for the fourth time in his career. He finished sixth in 2023, the highest prior finish of any of AU's wrestlers in this year's lineup.
- Senior Lucas White (184) will be making his third appearance at EIWAs, while fellow seniors Elijah White (141) and Carsten Rawls (197) will be making their tournament debuts.
- AU has three redshirt freshmen starting at EIWAs: Coen Bainey (125), Gage Owen (149), and Kaden Milheim (165).
- Jarrell, Nies, Lopez, and Leete are American's captains this season.
Starters for American / Seed
NCAA Championships
- Each weight class has an allocation of spots from the NCAA, and a wrestler who finishes among that group earns a berth to the Nationals, to be held March 20-22 in Philadelphia, Pa.
- Once the automatic-qualifying spots have been determined over each conference tournament nationally this weekend, the NCAA will announce at-large invitations and final brackets early next week.
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