Jacob Strausbaugh national champion
Dan Doherty

Wrestling Chris Cody, UMary Athletics Communications

Strausbaugh claims 133-pound title at 2026 NCAA Championships

SIOUX FALLS, SD - Jacob Strausbaugh put himself in the history books as the true freshman became the second University of Mary wrestler to win an NCAA Division II National Championship in the 133-pound weight class. Strasbaugh joins assistant wrestling coach Reece Barnhardt, who also won a national championship at 133 pounds last year, as the only two NCAA champions in Marauder history.

The UMary wrestling team finished in 8th place with 52 team points, the most points in program history, beating out last year's score of 51. Lane Ewing earned a third-place finish at 165 pounds, and Sean Solis took fourth at 141 pounds.

Jacob Strausbaugh opened with an emphatic victory in the semifinals, pinning Central Oklahoma's #3 Jason Henschel after 3:45 of action. The true freshman from Soldotna, AK, would earn glory when he defeated Lander's #5 James Joplin by a 5-3 decision. Strausbaugh trailed 3-1 going into the third period. He would get an early escape and then scored a takedown with 33 seconds left in the match. Strausbaugh would ride out Joplin for the rest of the period to become a national champion.

Lane Ewing took third place in the 165-pound weight class to earn All-American status for the first time in his career. Ewing started with an impressive 11-6 decision over Ashland's Nate Barrett. He would then advance to the third-place match after Tiffin's #1 Nolan Gessler medically forfeited. The sophomore from Gillette, WY, earned bronze when he defeated McKendree's Sam Richardson by a 5-1 decision.

Sean Solis placed fourth at 141 pounds to become a two-time All-American. Solis kicked things off with an exciting 10-9 decision over Glenville State's #8 Ethan Hardy. The Junior from Long Beach, CA, then avenged a loss from earlier in the season when he took down Nebraska Kearney's Joseph Airola by a 4-1 decision in sudden victory. Solis fell by a 6-4 decision to Minnesota State's Colton Hush in the third-place match.

#marauders#

 
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Players Mentioned

Lane Ewing

Lane Ewing

157
Redshirt Sophomore
Sean Solis

Sean Solis

141
Redshirt Junior
Jacob  Strausbaugh

Jacob Strausbaugh

133
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Lane Ewing

Lane Ewing

Redshirt Sophomore
157
Sean Solis

Sean Solis

Redshirt Junior
141
Jacob  Strausbaugh

Jacob Strausbaugh

Freshman
133