ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst University men's wrestling team opened its 2026-27 season Sunday, Nov. 1, hosting the Hurst Invitational at Owen McCormick Court inside the Mercyhurst Athletic Center. Competing against a field featuring high-level Division I programs, the Lakers finished fourth overall in the four-team tournament.
Despite the challenging competition, Mercyhurst had several individual performances that highlighted the team's efforts in its season opener, including a runner-up finish from Cael Yanek at 133 pounds and multiple top-five finishes across the lineup.
Yanek led the Lakers at 133 pounds, advancing to the championship match after a strong tournament run. He opened competition with a 21-4 technical fall before recording another technical fall victory, 19-3. Yanek then earned an 8-6 decision in the third round to secure his place in the championship bout. In the final, Yanek fell by an 8-3 decision to finish as the runner-up.
At 157 pounds, Alias Raby also turned in a solid performance for Mercyhurst. Raby opened with a 10-4 decision before earning an 11-2 major decision. Raby advanced to the third-place match, where he narrowly fell by a 2-1 decision, finishing fourth in the weight class.
The Lakers also saw strong efforts in the placement rounds. Jordan Joslyn earned fifth place at 149 pounds with a 14-3 major decision victory over teammate Lane Snyder. At 141 pounds, Matthew Almedina secured seventh place after an 8-2 decision over teammate Gus Stedeford.
At 125 pounds, Brett Crawford closed out his tournament with a 14-3 major decision over teammate Cash Waymire in the seventh-place match. Keith Mincin also earned a seventh-place finish at 165 pounds, defeating teammate Jake Hill by a 9-4 decision.
At 184 pounds, Tre Driggett earned fifth place after a match forfeit victory over teammate Maxx Fesinger. Fesinger had previously recorded a 2-0 decision over teammate Hayden Myers. Myers later earned seventh place via match forfeit.
At heavyweight, Joey Baronick opened his tournament with a narrow 6-5 decision. Baronick went on to finish fifth at 285 pounds after a match forfeit victory.
The Hurst Invitational served as the first opportunity for Mercyhurst to put its season-long focus on development and match volume into action. Head coach Jimmy Overhiser emphasized that the Lakers will continue to prioritize improvement throughout the lineup while giving wrestlers opportunities to compete and develop.
"Our team is focused on development and volume this season. We plan to wrestle a ton of matches, and fans will see a variety of lineups throughout the year as we prioritize getting every athlete better from top to bottom," Overhiser said.
Overhiser also highlighted the significance of hosting the Hurst Invitational as the program continues to build momentum following a two-year hiatus from dual meet competition. With nine returning starters from last season and 39 newcomers joining the roster, Mercyhurst will look to use the opening tournament as a foundation for continued growth throughout the campaign.
The Lakers will return to action Saturday, Nov. 7, traveling to Morgantown, West Virginia, to compete against West Virginia University. The tournament will be streamed on Track Wrestling.
