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Wrestling MSU Athletics Communications

Bears Break into National Rankings Behind Harney & Yarbrough

NCAA D1 Rankings

BALTIMORE, Md. (Dec. 2, 2025) — Two members of the Morgan State wrestling team have broken into the national rankings this week, marking another historic moment for the program.

Leading the way are newcomers Eugene Harney, a Cincinnati, Ohio native, and Javaan Yarbrough, who hails from Akron, Ohio. Both have earned national recognition in their respective weight classes during their debut season with the Bears.

The achievement carries added significance for Morgan State, which reinstated its varsity wrestling program only recently after a decades-long hiatus. The national rankings earned by Harney and Yarbrough highlight the program's rapid ascent and its growing impact on the national wrestling landscape.

Harney enters the rankings at No. 33 at 149 lbs, boosted by his recent victory over No. 27–ranked Wynton Denkins. Although he suffered a setback against Kaden Cassidy last week and has previously lost to unranked opponents Layton Schneider and Kyle Schickel, Harney's strong 10-1 overall record keeps him firmly in the national conversation.

Yarbrough debuts at No. 31 at 133 lbs, holding a 4-2 record through the early stages of the season.

Head coach Kenny Monday praised the milestone.

"I'm very excited for Eugene and Javaan earning their way into the top-30 rankings. We believe this is just the beginning, and with hard work and consistency, they'll continue to climb. We also have some big matches ahead that will give them opportunities to compete against more ranked opponents."

The duo joins senior standout Xavier Doolin, who remains ranked at No. 28 even though he has yet to compete this season.

Morgan State wrestling returns to action on Sunday, Dec. 7, for matchups against No. 10 North Carolina State and Davidson at Willow Springs High School in Fuquay-Varina, N.C.


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• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official website of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios, and more. 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
 
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Players Mentioned

Xavier Doolin

Xavier Doolin

HWT
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Javaan Yarbrough

Javaan Yarbrough

125/133 lbs
5' 8"
Sophomore
Eugene Harney

Eugene Harney

149 lbs
5' 7"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Xavier Doolin

Xavier Doolin

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
HWT
Javaan Yarbrough

Javaan Yarbrough

5' 8"
Sophomore
125/133 lbs
Eugene Harney

Eugene Harney

5' 7"
Sophomore
149 lbs