Thunderwolves finish runners-up at NJCAA Division III National Duals

SUNY Niagara placed second out of eight teams at the NJCAA Division III National Duals Saturday in Sanborn. This was the first time the program hosted the event since it began competition in the 1973-74 season. 

The Thunderwolves went 2-1 in Pool B action with victories against Union County College (53-6) and Northland Community & Technical College (48-11) but lost to Harper College (22-21). SUNY Niagara defeated Rochester Community & Tech in the cross-over round, 32-21, but lost in a rematch with the Hawks, 34-15, in the first-place match. 

The Thunderwolves went 3-2 overall during the national duals and 7-3 this season. 

Final Results:

1. Harper College (IL)

2. SUNY Niagara

3. Nassau CC

4. Rochester Tech (MN)

5. Onondaga CC

6. Union County College (NJ)

7. Camden CC (NJ)

8. Northland CC (MN)

SUNY Niagara's Aidan Gillings competes against Rochester Tech's Benito Diaz in the 149-pound cross-over round of the 2026 NJCAA Division III National Duals in Sanborn.

(SUNY Niagara Athletics)

Round 1: SUNY Niagara 53, Union County College 6

In their first match of the event, the Thunderwolves recorded pins in four of their first five bouts thanks to Jaron Barrientos in the 125-pound weight class, followed by Trevor Copes (141) Aidan Gillings (149) and Matthew Leehan (157) for a 24-6 lead. 

The Thunderwolves won three of their final five matches via forfeit. Aiden Poe recorded a 15-0 technical fall win over Vito Giannetta at 174 and Bobby Ranger pinned Devyn Edmondson at 184 down the stretch. 

Round 2: SUNY Niagara 48, Northland CC 11 

In his lone match of the day, J.J. Lucinski pinned the Pioneers’ Ayden Floyd to start the match. A forfeit win at 133 was awarded to SUNY Niagara before Copes (141) and Cam Ingram (149) and Nick Pawlak (157) recorded back-to-back-to-back pins, which gave the blue-and-gold a 30-0 lead.

Poe pinned Jaxon Newton at 174 and Hamza Merrick pinned Avant Jackson at 285 and moved the Thunderwolves to 2-0 in Pool B action.

Round 3: Harper College 22, SUNY Niagara 21 

A decision and a technical fall at 125 and 133 caused the Thunderwolves to start in an 8-0 deficit. But Copes’ 6-4 decision against Lennon Steinkuehler at 141 and Gillings’ 13-11 decision over Michael Galloway cut the deficit to two points (8-6).

Leehan continued the momentum with a 4-1 decision over Maguire Hoeksema at 157 to give the Thunderwolves a 9-8 lead after five bouts. Poe recorded a pin at 174 and Jacob Stephenson recorded a pin at 197 for a 22-16 SUNY Niagara lead before Harper’s Joshua King pinned Merrick at 285 for the Hawks’ win. 

SUNY Niagara's Joe Cicco faces Harper College's Alden Cohen at 165 during Pool B of the 2026 NJCAA Division III National Duals Saturday in Sanborn.

(SUNY Niagara Athletics)

Cross-Over Round: SUNY Niagara 32, Rochester Tech 21

SUNY Niagara bounced back and won five of its first match-ups against the Yellowjackets. Barrientos won by major decision at 125, Copes and Gillings won consecutive matches by technical fall at 141 and 149 and Leehan and Joe Cicco’s pins added up to a 26-6 lead. 

The Yellowjackets won three of the final four matchups, but Poe moved up to 184 and pinned Deangelo Sardina in only 24 seconds, which helped the host Thunderwolves advance to the championship round. 

Championship Match: Harper College 34, SUNY Niagara 15 

The Hawks won the first six bouts in the rematch with the Thunderwolves and brought home the championship to Illinois. The stretch included two wins by major decision, a technical fall, a decision, a fall and a forfeit for SUNY Niagara’s 28-0 deficit. 

Poe and later Howatt recorded pins at 174 and 197. Merrick completed SUNY Niagara’s day with an 8-6 decision over Jesse Saaverda at 285.

SUNY Niagara's Aiden Poe takes down Harper College's Noah Brockie at 174 during Pool B of the 2026 NJCAA Division III National Duals in Sanborn.

(SUNY Niagara Athletics)

NOTES: 

• SUNY Niagara is 7-3 in duals this season. The Thunderwolves were 6-4 last season and are four wins away from recording their 500th in program history. Since 1973-74, SUNY Niagara is 496-266-8 all-time in duals and crossed double-digit wins 24 times, 19 of which came in the Eric Knuutila era (1973-74 to 2010-11).

• Thirteen of SUNY Niagara’s 14 wrestlers recorded at least one win during the NJCAA Division III National Duals. 

• Poe became the only SUNY Niagara wrestler to go unbeaten during the national duals with a 5-0 record and tallied three of his five total pins this season. Poe is 17-5 this season. 

• With the four wins Saturday, Copes has won each of his last 15 matches at 141 since a loss in the consolation round of the state collegiate championships on Nov. 22 in Syracuse.  This was the third straight time Copes won multiple bouts during the same event after going 3-0 at the Thunderwolves Open on Dec. 6 and 5-0 at the Nassau Open on Dec. 14. A two-time NJCAA Region III Athlete of the Week, Copes leads SUNY Niagara with a 26-2 record and is tied for the team lead in pins (10). 

• With the three wins, Gillings went unbeaten at an event for the first time since his 3-0 day at the Defend the Lake Open at Garrett College on Nov. 8. Gillings is tied with Copes for the team lead in pins (10) and is now 15-2 in his first year with the Thunderwolves. 

• Barrientos joined Copes and Cicco as the only 20-win grapplers for SUNY Niagara this season, following his victories against Union and Rochester Tech. Competing in the 125-pound division, Barrientos is now 20-4 this season and became the program’s sixth all-time champion at the state collegiate championships on Nov. 22 in Syracuse. 

• Following the 2-2 performance, Cicco has won 10 of his 12 matches, dating back to a victory against Garrett College at the Thunderwolves Open on Dec. 5. The NJCAA Region III Athlete of the Week in wrestling for Dec. 10, Cicco is now 25-8 this season and 49-21 in his career.

SUNY Niagara continues its season at the SUNY Brockport Duals Jan. 17. The Thunderwolves went 1-1 in the event last season.