Wrestling 10/31/2026 8:00:00 AM MSU Athletics Communications

Wrestling Opens 2026-27 Season at 48th Annual Navy Classic

BALTIMORE, Md. (Oct. 31, 2026) – The Morgan State wrestling team opens its 2026-27 season Sunday at the 48th annual Navy Classic, hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy. The eight-team tournament begins at 10 a.m. at Wesley Brown Field House in Annapolis, Maryland.

Live results from the Navy Classic will be available for free on FloArena, with additional links provided at navysports.com.

Participating Teams
Morgan State, American, Bellarmine, Cal Poly, Lock Haven, Navy, Pittsburgh and Virginia.

Notables

Charles earns preseason national ranking: Morgan State standout Yannis Charles enters his redshirt junior season ranked No. 30 nationally at 157 pounds in the 2026-27 InterMat Preseason Rankings. The Clover, S.C., native comes off a breakthrough 2025-26 campaign, finishing runner-up at the EIWA Championships and qualifying for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.
Bears continue historic revival: Under head coach Kenny Monday, the first Black wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal, Morgan State continues to build its program following its return to competition after a 25-year hiatus. A three-time Olympian, NCAA All-American, and National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, Monday brings an accomplished wrestling background to the Bears.
Morgan joins the EIWA: Morgan State is the 12th member of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), the nation's oldest wrestling conference. The Bears compete in the newly formed Liberty Division alongside American, Army, Bucknell, Lehigh, and Navy.
HBCU Wrestling initiative: The University announced the revival of men's wrestling in October 2021 with support from a $2.7-million gift from HBCU Wrestling (HBCUW). The gift provides program funding and supports up to nine full scholarships annually.
Bears to host 2028 EIWA Championships: Morgan State will make history in 2028 when it hosts the 124th EIWA Wrestling Championships, scheduled for March 3-5 at Hill Field House on the University's Baltimore campus. Final competition dates and session formats will be announced at a later time.

Parking and Shuttle Information
Fans are reminded that the general public cannot drive vehicles onto the U.S. Naval Academy grounds. Parking is available for a fee at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, with shuttle service running from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Fans should enter Gate 5 off Taylor Avenue to access stadium parking.

Fans may also park downtown and enter through the Gate 1 Visitors Center (52 King George St., Annapolis, MD 21402) or Gate 8.

All visitors ages 18 and older must present a valid photo ID, such as a state-issued driver's license, student ID, or government-issued passport, whether arriving by shuttle or walking through a USNA gate. Visitors aged 17 and younger without a valid photo ID must be accompanied by an adult.

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 Bear 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 more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate, and certificate programs. 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

Yannis Charles: 149 lbs; 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Yannis Charles
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: 149 lbs