On January 17, Stevens wrestling competed at the 2026 Middle Atlantic Conference Championships hosted by Messiah University. Going up against nine other schools ( including Messiah, Misericordia, Alvernia, Arcadia, Albright, York, Eastern University, Delaware Valley, and King’s), the Ducks placed second overall with 129.5 points, right behind Messiah with 140 points.
The day ended with five top-three finishers and eight top-five finishers for the Ducks. Graduate student Cole Handlovic and senior Nico Diaz both walked away with conference championship wins. At 149 pounds, Handlovic dominated the weight class with wins against Albright and Messiah, and a loss against Eastern. This drove him right to the finals, where he faced an 18-3 win against Misericordia. Diaz (141) also finished first in his weight class, coming out with three wins before taking the title in the finals at 12-6 against Eastern.
Alongside Handlovic and Diaz, junior Ian Flanagan (174) started the day with four victories in two rounds, alongside a 7-6 loss, which led him to the third-place match. There, Flanagan got three takedowns with an 11-9 decision win. Sophomore Tyler Roe (165) started the day with two wins, the first one with a pin in 2:47 and the second with a 9-7 decision win against Alvernia. Roe fell in the semifinals, won a 7-2 decision, and then fell again in the third-place match. First-years Terrence Thomas (197) and Charles Piccione (125) were the last of the Ducks. Thomas got two wins, two losses, and then three first-period takedowns in the fifth-place match. Piccione started his day with a loss, but then landed three straight wins in the consolation draw. After losing the match to be put in the third-place match, he instead went to the fifth-place match, where he got a 4-1 decision win.
The Ducks will compete again in an away match at Ithaca, NY, against Nassau Community College on January 31 at noon.
