March in Bethlehem just feels different. The air has that crisp, biting Pennsylvania edge, and if you’re anywhere near Lehigh University’s campus, you can practically smell the mat tape and singlet sweat. This past year, the 121st edition of the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association tournament hit Stabler Arena, and honestly, it was a bit of a fever dream for anyone following the eiwa wrestling championships 2025 brackets.
We saw a changing of the guard, or maybe just a return to the old ways. With the Ivy League schools—most notably the heavy hitters from Cornell—departing to form their own tournament, the landscape of the EIWA was blown wide open. It wasn't just about who won; it was about who survived the chaos of a bracket that suddenly lacked its perennial Goliath.
The Home Mat Heroics and the Team Race
Lehigh didn’t just host; they dominated. It’s kinda poetic, right? You get your home fans in the stands, the familiar smell of your own gym, and then you go out and put up 143.5 points to take the team title. It was their 39th title overall, but their first since 2021. Pat Santoro’s squad looked like they were on a mission from the opening whistle on Friday morning.
Drexel gave them a real scare, though. People don’t usually talk about the Dragons as a title threat, but they finished second with 122.5 points—their highest finish ever. They put all ten of their guys in the top eight. That is insane consistency. Behind them, it was a literal dead heat for third, with Army West Point and Navy both finishing at 116.5.
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Weight Class by Weight Class: The Final Results
If you were tracking the eiwa wrestling championships 2025 brackets on your phone, you know the finals were a mix of tactical grinds and absolute explosions.
- 125 lbs: Sheldon Seymour (Lehigh) took care of business against Army's Charlie Farmer with a 6-0 decision. Seymour just didn't let him breathe.
- 133 lbs: This was the Kurt Phipps show. The Bucknell senior managed to outlast Drexel's Kyle Waterman 7-5. It was one of those "clutch" moments you'll remember if you were there.
- 141 lbs: Josh Koderhandt from Navy is a monster. He pinned Bucknell’s Dylan Chappell in under two minutes. Just like that. Lights out.
- 149 lbs: Trae McDaniel (Army) reversed an earlier season loss to beat Lehigh's Malyke Hines 7-5.
- 157 lbs: Logan Rozynski (Lehigh) basically secured the team title for the Mountain Hawks here, beating Luke Nichter of Drexel 10-2.
- 174 lbs: Brevin Cassella (Binghamton) and Danny Wask (Navy) went to the absolute limit. Cassella took it 4-1 in a second tiebreaker. He ended up sharing the Outstanding Wrestler award with Lehigh's Michael Beard.
The Drama You Might Have Missed
The brackets are one thing, but the "blood round"—that consolation semifinal where you either qualify for the NCAA tournament or go home—is where the real tears happen.
Take the 133-pound consolation semi between Ethan Berginc (Army) and Raymond Lopez (American). That match lasted over ten minutes. Multiple challenges. Scrambles that looked like a human pretzel. The fans were losing it. Berginc eventually got the win, but it took everything he had.
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And then there’s the story of Brady Colbert at 285. He wasn't even supposed to be the guy. He was a last-minute addition to the bracket for Army. He loses in the semifinals on Friday, but then claws his way back on Saturday to beat Morgan State’s Xavier Doolin for third place. Just like that, the "reserve" is going to the NCAA tournament in Philadelphia. That’s why we watch this sport.
Qualifying for the "Big Show"
The EIWA only had a certain number of "automatic" spots for the NCAA Championships this year. If you didn't finish high enough in the eiwa wrestling championships 2025 brackets, you were praying for an at-large bid.
174 lbs was the deepest group, sending four guys automatically: Wask, Cassella, Harkins, and Queen. Meanwhile, at 133 and 157, it was "win or stay home," with only one automatic spot available. That kind of pressure is suffocating. You could see the relief on Kurt Phipps’ face when he realized he’d actually booked his ticket.
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Why the 2025 Brackets Looked So Different
Basically, the big elephant in the room was the Ivy League departure. For decades, Cornell, Penn, Princeton, and the rest were the backbone of the EIWA. Without them, the tournament felt "smaller" but also more competitive for the schools that remained.
For a program like Hofstra, it was a breakthrough year. They crowned two champions in the same year for the first time ever—Kyle Mosher at 165 and Ross McFarland at 184. Usually, the "big guys" from the Ivies would swallow up those podium spots. In 2025, the parity was real.
Honestly, the eiwa wrestling championships 2025 brackets showed that the conference is still plenty tough. You’ve still got the service academies (Army and Navy) who never stop coming at you, and Lehigh remains a national powerhouse.
Actionable Next Steps for Wrestling Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the fallout of the 2025 tournament or prepare for the next season, here’s what you should do:
- Review the full match films: Go to FloWrestling and look up the 174-pound tiebreaker final. It’s a masterclass in hand fighting and late-match composure.
- Watch the At-Large list: Compare the final EIWA placements with the NCAA at-large selections. It helps you understand how the committee values the "new" EIWA without the Ivy League schools.
- Track the freshman: Keep an eye on guys like Dillon Bechtold (Bucknell) and Logan Rozynski (Lehigh). Their performances as underclassmen in the 2025 brackets suggest they’ll be the ones to beat for the next three years.
- Plan for the 2026 venue: Start looking at the 2026 schedule early. The tournament vibe changes depending on the host city, and getting tickets before the February rush is a pro move.
The 2025 championships proved that even with major membership changes, the EIWA's "oldest conference" status still carries weight. The brackets were a wild ride, and Lehigh's return to the top of the mountain feels like the start of a new era in Bethlehem.