BALTIMORE, Md. (April 6, 2026) -- Morgan State redshirt freshman Eugene Harney continues to make history for the Bears, as the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) announced Monday that he has been named the EIWA Freshman Wrestler of the Year.

Harney becomes the first Morgan State wrestler to earn the honor, capping a remarkable debut season that also saw him become the program's first-ever EIWA champion and secure an automatic bid to the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

"I'm incredibly proud of Eugene Harney for being recognized by the EIWA head coaches as Freshman of the Year," said head coach Kenny Monday. "To lead the country in wins at the 149-pound weight class as a freshman speaks to his discipline, consistency, and hard work. Winning the EIWA and earning his way to the NCAA Championships is a significant accomplishment, and gaining experience on that stage will only inspire him for next season. This is only the beginning, and we're excited for the future of Morgan State Wrestling."

Competing at 149 pounds, the Cincinnati, Ohio native made history at the EIWA Championships by capturing the title with a hard-fought 6-5 victory over No. 2 seed Riley Bower of Bucknell in the championship bout.

Harney opened the tournament with a 5-0 decision over No. 8 seed Pat Phillips of Franklin & Marshall, scoring a single-leg takedown with just 10 seconds remaining in the opening period before controlling the rest of the match behind strong riding time.

He carried that momentum into the semifinals, where he delivered one of the tournament's most dominant performances, earning an 18-3 technical fall over No. 4 seed Kaeman Smith of Navy. After surrendering a late first-period escape, Harney reeled off 11 unanswered points to secure the commanding victory and punch his ticket to the finals.

Following his conference title run, Harney added another first to his historic season by becoming one of the few Bears to advance to day two of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland.

Seeded No. 18 nationally, Harney went 1-1 on the opening day of competition. After dropping an 11-2 major decision to No. 15 Ryder Block of Iowa in his first bout, he bounced back with a gritty 9-7 decision over No. 31 Ryan Michaels of Edinboro to move into the consolation round of 16.

On Friday, Harney returned to the mat for another tightly contested matchup against No. 16 Jacob Frost of Iowa State, battling to the final whistle before falling 4-2, bringing his impressive postseason run to a close.

Harney concluded an outstanding redshirt freshman campaign with a 29-6 overall record, quickly establishing himself as one of the program's rising stars. He finished the season with a team-high 17 wins by decision, four pins, six major decisions, and two victories by forfeit.

His breakout season marks another major step forward for Morgan State wrestling as the program continues its rise on the national stage.