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Wrestling MSU Athletics Communications

Morgan State Wrestling Ready to Rumble in The Golden State

BALTIMORE, Md. (Jan. 30, 2026) - The Morgan State wrestling team heads west this weekend for a pair of non-conference matchups, traveling to Riverside, California, to face California Baptist University on Saturday, Jan. 31, followed by a matchup with Cal Poly on Sunday, Feb. 1, in San Luis Obispo, California.

The Bears will trade the chilly Northeast winter for the warmer Southern California climate as they make one of their longest road trips of the season. The trip provides Morgan State with a strong test against a CBU squad that competes in the Big 12 Conference and a Cal Poly team that competes in the Pac-12 Conference, as the Bears continue sharpening their lineup for the stretch run of the schedule.

"We're looking forward to getting back on the mat," said head coach Kenny Monday. "The team is getting healthier and starting to get more focused heading into the most important time of the season. It's going to be great getting a break from the cold weather and getting to California to compete with Cal Baptist and Cal Poly. We need to compete well."
 

SCOUTING CALIFORNIA BAPTIST

Probable Lineups
  Morgan State    Weight    California Baptist 
  Julian Dawson / Jimmie Jones   125  Cooper Shore / Mitchell Neiner 
  Javaan Yarbrough  133  Remy Murillo
  Shawn Ryncarz  141  Jesse Vasquez 
  Eugene Harney   149  Paul Kelly
  Yannis Charles / Eric Tecson "EJ"   157  Drayden Morton
  Joshua Greenwood   165  Gabe Schumm / Timothy Cowan 
  Cortilius Vann  174  Mason Espinoza
  Bryce Phillips  184  David Alonso
  Eric Washington Jr.  197  Eli Sheeren
  --   HWT  Tristan Kemp / Caeden Olin

• California Baptist is coming off a 31–7 loss to South Dakota State last Sunday in Fargo. The Lancers (1–9, 0–6 Big 12) won two of 10 bouts, with victories from Remy Murillo (decision at 141 pounds) and Gabe Schumm (major decision at 165).

• Derek Moore, a former NCAA Division I standout and California Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, joined California Baptist University wrestling's coaching staff as an assistant in May 2017. He was named the Lancers' Interim Head Coach in May 2022 and the full-time Head Coach in September of 2022.
In 2024-25, Coach Moore led the Lancers to six dual wins. The program earned three ranked wins against #13 West Virginia, #20 Cal Poly, and #24 CSU Bakersfield. Hunter Leake became the first 2x NCAA Qualifier and BIG 12 Placer in program history and the second Lancer to earn a win at the NCAA's after pinning Luke Wertanen of Michigan in the pigtail round at 133lbs.

SCOUTING CAL POLY

Probable Lineups
  Morgan State    Weight    Cal Poly 
  Julian Dawson / Jimmie Jones   125  No. 18/21 Koda Holeman / Christian Garcia 
  Javaan Yarbrough  133  Anthony Lucio / Leo Macias
  Shawn Ryncarz  141  Alek VanBebber
  Eugene Harney   149  No. 27/32 Andre Gonzales / Gavin Fernandez 
  Yannis Charles / Eric Tecson "EJ"    157  Jagger French / Anthony Berg
  Joshua Greenwood   165  Luke Gayer
  Cortilius Vann  174  Cash Stewart / Ryan Clink
  Bryce Phillips  184  No. 17/27 Ceasar Garza / Mark Ayala
  Eric Washington Jr.  197  Cole Jackson / Levi Bussey / Wesley Wilson 
  --   HWT  --
*InterMat/FloWrestling rankings (as of Jan. 26, 2026)

• In the latest InterMat and FloWrestling rankings, Cal Poly features seven nationally ranked wrestlers. Koda Holeman (125) is ranked No. 18 by InterMat and No. 21 by FloWrestling, while Zeth Romney (141) comes in at No. 15 in InterMat and No. 23 in FloWrestling. Andre Gonzales (149) holds spots at No. 27 (InterMat) and No. 32 (FloWrestling). At 184 pounds, Ceasar Garza is ranked No. 17 by InterMat and No. 27 by FloWrestling, and heavyweight Trevor Tiner (285) checks in at No. 22 in both polls.

• Entering his 10th season as head coach of Cal Poly wrestling in 2025-26, Jon Sioredas has led one of the most impressive transformations in all of Division I wrestling. When Sioredas took over the program before the 2016-17 season, the Mustangs had no NCAA qualifiers at the time. Today, Cal Poly has produced six All-Americans in the past six seasons, earned a national Top 25 ranking five straight years, broke into the top 10 for the first time in 39 years in 2022, and achieved a Top 15 InterMat Team Tournament ranking in 2024-25.

NOTABLES
• Leading the return of NCAA Division I, Varsity-level men's wrestling to Maryland's largest Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Morgan State University announced the hiring of Kenny Monday as the Athletics Department's new men's wrestling coach, effective Aug. 24, 2022. Monday, the first Black wrestler in history to win an Olympic gold medal, is a National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, three-time Olympian, and former NCAA All-American standout, who brings a championship-level coaching pedigree and an expansive yet impressive resume to a Bears' wrestling program looking to restart after a 25-year hiatus. Monday joined Morgan after serving as the director of wrestling and head wrestling coach at Spire Academy since 2021.
 
• In October 2021, the University announced its plans to revive the men's wrestling program at Morgan State with the support of a $2.7-million gift from HBCU Wrestling (HBCUW), a new initiative reestablishing wrestling programs on HBCU campuses. The gift, which is among the largest received from a private donor to the University, provides funding for the program and supports up to nine full scholarships annually.
 
• The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) announced a realignment of its dual meet divisions to create balance across the conference. As part of the update, Morgan State will now compete in the newly formed Liberty Division, alongside American, Army, Bucknell, Lehigh, and Navy. The conference will now recognize EIWA Dual Meet Champions in both the Liberty Division and the Independence Division, which includes Binghamton, Drexel, F&M, Hofstra, LIU, and Sacred Heart.
 
• Standout Eugene Harney opened the calendar year with a seventh-place finish in the 149-pound bracket at the Southern Scuffle. Harney finished the weekend 5–2 at the Southern Scuffle and currently stands at 19–4 on the season, continuing to solidify his place among the nation's top contenders at 149 pounds.

• Morgan State head coach Kenny Monday has added five new student-athletes to the Bears' 2025-26 roster, bolstering the program's depth and competitiveness. The incoming class features four freshmen and one transfer, highlighted by Campbell transfer Eugene Harney. The freshman additions include Antoine Glasgow (Lilburn, Ga.), Marwan Mohammed Nazeer (Spånga, Stockholm), Rohan Bucknor (White Plains, Md.), and Bence Veress (Budapest, Hungary). "We are fired up about the new young men we added to our roster," said Monday. "Each one brings a unique skill set that adds depth and excitement to our team," signaling a promising outlook for the reinforced squad.

• The Black Wrestlers Association (BWA) announced the recipients of its second annual scholarship awards, with Morgan State University wrestling freshman Marwan Nazeer named among this year's honorees. A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Nazeer shared his thoughts on the meaning of the honor and what it symbolizes for both himself and others with similar backgrounds.


FOLLOW MORGAN STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE 
There are many ways to keep up with MSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official website of Bears athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios, and more. 
• Follow us on social media:
 Facebook: /MorganStateBears
 Twitter: @MorganStBears
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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

Shawn Ryncarz

Shawn Ryncarz

133 lbs
5' 10"
Freshman
Eric Tecson

Eric Tecson

157 lbs
5' 9"
Freshman
Yannis Charles

Yannis Charles

149 lbs
5' 9"
Freshman
Julian Dawson

Julian Dawson

125 lbs
5' 7"
Freshman
Joshua Greenwood

Joshua Greenwood

149 lbs
5' 8"
Freshman
Eric Washington Jr.

Eric Washington Jr.

184 lbs
6' 4"
Sophomore
Jimmie Jones

Jimmie Jones

125 lbs
5' 3"
Junior
Bryce Phillips

Bryce Phillips

184 lbs
6' 2"
Sophomore
Javaan Yarbrough

Javaan Yarbrough

125/133 lbs
5' 8"
Sophomore
Rohan Bucknor

Rohan Bucknor

141 lbs
5' 6"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Shawn Ryncarz

Shawn Ryncarz

5' 10"
Freshman
133 lbs
Eric Tecson

Eric Tecson

5' 9"
Freshman
157 lbs
Yannis Charles

Yannis Charles

5' 9"
Freshman
149 lbs
Julian Dawson

Julian Dawson

5' 7"
Freshman
125 lbs
Joshua Greenwood

Joshua Greenwood

5' 8"
Freshman
149 lbs
Eric Washington Jr.

Eric Washington Jr.

6' 4"
Sophomore
184 lbs
Jimmie Jones

Jimmie Jones

5' 3"
Junior
125 lbs
Bryce Phillips

Bryce Phillips

6' 2"
Sophomore
184 lbs
Javaan Yarbrough

Javaan Yarbrough

5' 8"
Sophomore
125/133 lbs
Rohan Bucknor

Rohan Bucknor

5' 6"
Freshman
141 lbs