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Wrestling MSU Athletics Communications

Morgan State Wrestling Celebrate Senior Day with 25–14 Triumph Over Sacred Heart

BALTIMORE, Md. (Feb. 14, 2026) — The Morgan State University wrestling team secured a 25-14 victory over Sacred Heart University on Saturday afternoon at Hill Field House in an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) dual.

The matchup marked Senior Day for Eric Washington Jr. and Alexander Newkirk, who were representing the Blue & Orange in their final home match on Valentine's Day.

The Bears opened the dual at 197 pounds with Eric Washington Jr., who battled through a scoreless first period in a tightly contested matchup. Washington broke the stalemate with an escape to take a 1-0 lead, and despite late shots from both wrestlers, neither could convert. With 1:05 of riding time secured in the third period, Washington sealed a 2-0 decision to give Morgan State an early 3-0 advantage.
 

At 285 pounds, freshman Bence Veress nearly electrified the crowd with an early pin attempt and built a 7-1 lead heading into the second period. The bout shifted dramatically as Brendan Gilchrist rallied to even the score at 8-8 entering the third. Gilchrist carried the momentum into the final frame and secured a pin with just 14 seconds remaining while leading 11-9, pushing Sacred Heart ahead 6-3.

Julian Dawson quickly swung the momentum back in Morgan's favor at 125, recording a pin at the 0:36 mark over Caden Smith to put the Bears back on top, 9-6.

The teams traded momentum at 133 and 141. John Sheehy notched a major decision over sophomore Treshaun Tecson to give Sacred Heart the edge, but Morgan answered as junior Shawn Ryncarz posted a gritty 2-0 decision over John Hildebrandt.

At 149, No. 28 Eugene Harney found himself in a battle against Dakota Asuncion. Trailing 7-6 after the first period, the sophomore surged ahead 8-7 entering the third before delivering late heroics — securing the fall and earning a 12-8 victory. The win improved Harney to 25-4 on the season and gave the Bears a 15-10 team lead.
 

Sacred Heart responded at 157 as Felix Lettini earned a major decision over junior Eric Tecson to tighten the score.

Morgan State closed strong, winning the final three bouts of the afternoon. Joshua Greenwood grinded out a 3-2 decision over AJ Falcone at 165. At 174, Cort Vann used a scramble to build a 3-0 lead and added a late escape to hold on for a 4-2 victory. Bryce Phillips capped the dual in dominant fashion, powering his way to a 12-4 major decision over Hunter Perez to secure the team triumph for the Bears.
 

Morgan State will look to fine-tune its preparations for the conference championships when it competes at the Patriot Last Chance Open, hosted by George Mason University, on Sunday, Feb. 22, in Fairfax, Va.

Morgan State 25, Sacred Heart 14
197: Eric Washington Jr. (Morgan State) dec. Chris DeLena (SHU); 2-0 (MSU 3-0)
285: Brendan Gilchrist (SHU) WBF Bence Veress (Morgan State); 6:46 (SHU 6-3)
125: Julian Dawson (Morgan State) WBF Caden Smith (SHU); 6-1, 2:24 (MSU 9-6)
133: John Sheehy (SHJ) MD Treshaun Tecson (Morgan State); 12-1 (SHU 10-9)
141: Shawn Ryncarz (Morgan State) dec. John Hildebrandt (SHU); 2-0 (MSU 12-10)
149: No. 28 Eugene Harney dec. Dakota Asunción (SHU); 12-8 (MSU 15-10)
157: Felix Lettini (SHU) MD by EJ Tecson; 11-2  (MSU 15-14)
165: Joshua Greenwood (Morgan State) dec. AJ Falcone (SHU); 3-2 (MSU 18-14)
174: Cort Vann (Morgan State) dec. Aidan Zarrella (SHU); 4-2 (MSU 21-14)
184: Bryce Phillips (Morgan State) dec. Hunter Perez (SHU); 12-4 (MSU 25-14)


NOTE THE QUOTE | COACH KENNY MONDAY

Post-match comments:
"I feel better. I really do. I thought the guys competed hard today and wanted to finish on a good note. We've had some tough matches and some tough losses this season, but we're starting to get healthy at the right time. It's always challenging to keep guys healthy throughout the year, but with the EIWA Championships coming up in a couple of weeks, we've got some time to heal up and focus on the areas where we need to improve. I feel good about where we are right now — we just have to keep getting better.

This win is big for us. It's our first win of the season, and at the Division I level, every match is tough. We compete against a challenging schedule, so to come away with a win means a lot. It lifts our spirits and gives us momentum heading into the EIWA Championships. Some guys are wrestling well right now, and we need to continue building on that and prepare to get someone to the NCAA Tournament.

I'm really excited for Eric Washington. He's been here since day one of the program, and to see him go out with a win in his final home dual means a lot. He also had a big win against this same team last year, so for him to do it again is special. It was a big moment for him, and I'm proud of the way he met the challenge."

ERIC WASHINGTON JR.
"It feels pretty good — it was a much-needed win for me. I started the match the right way and got everyone's energy up so we could build momentum, just like last year. It feels good to get another win under my belt.

To finish my final home match like this means a lot. This is the way I wanted to end this part of the season before heading to Regionals. It was a great battle to close things out at home, but I've still got more wrestling to do. I'm ready to keep it going, finish the season strong, and wrestle hard."

EUGENE HARNEY
"I think I could've done a lot better. I gave up an early six-point exchange, and that put me in a tough spot. But other than that, I felt like I wrestled well. I had three takedowns, and in the end, it was just a dogfight — and I finished it like I usually do.

Overall, I think I ended the regular season pretty strong at 25-4.

As far as my growth, it's been really good. At the beginning of the season, I wasn't as confident. I had only a few matches under my belt, and last year I went 2-3, so I didn't feel great about how that went. But this year, the biggest thing for me has been building confidence. That's really what changed everything. I think I've done pretty well."
 
 
 
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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
Julian Dawson

Julian Dawson

125 lbs
5' 7"
Freshman
Joshua Greenwood

Joshua Greenwood

149 lbs
5' 8"
Freshman
Alexander Newkirk

Alexander Newkirk

184 lbs
6' 0"
Sophomore
Cort Vann

Cort Vann

174 lbs
5' 10"
Freshman
Eric Washington Jr.

Eric Washington Jr.

184 lbs
6' 4"
Sophomore
Bryce Phillips

Bryce Phillips

184 lbs
6' 2"
Sophomore
Treshaun Tecson

Treshaun Tecson

133 lbs
5' 3"
Sophomore
Bence Veress

Bence Veress

197 lbs
6' 1"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Shawn Ryncarz

Shawn Ryncarz

5' 10"
Freshman
133 lbs
Eric Tecson

Eric Tecson

5' 9"
Freshman
157 lbs
Julian Dawson

Julian Dawson

5' 7"
Freshman
125 lbs
Joshua Greenwood

Joshua Greenwood

5' 8"
Freshman
149 lbs
Alexander Newkirk

Alexander Newkirk

6' 0"
Sophomore
184 lbs
Cort Vann

Cort Vann

5' 10"
Freshman
174 lbs
Eric Washington Jr.

Eric Washington Jr.

6' 4"
Sophomore
184 lbs
Bryce Phillips

Bryce Phillips

6' 2"
Sophomore
184 lbs
Treshaun Tecson

Treshaun Tecson

5' 3"
Sophomore
133 lbs
Bence Veress

Bence Veress

6' 1"
Freshman
197 lbs