MANHEIM, Pa. – Glenville State Wrestling will open the 2026-27 season as the nation’s No. 1 team as the Pioneers took the top spot in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) preseason rankings.
GSU had another historic year last season, placing the highest in program history at Nationals (7th), having four All-Americans, winning a second consecutive NCAA DII Super Regional championship, finishing second at MECs and producing the league’s Athlete and Wrestler of the Year, Nick Johnson.
Head coach Dylan Cottrell won his fourth MEC Coach of the Year award in 2025-26, and the seventh-year leader has pieced together a championship roster for this season. The Pioneers totaled 70.0 points in the NWCA preseason poll, which was better than defending national champion, Nebraska-Kearney, who had 61.5. Cottrell has a roster that has nine nationally ranked wrestlers, eight of which are returning or former NCAA All-Americans and National Qualifiers.
Luke Acuna (Ashland), Rider Ludrosky (St. John Fisher), Malachi O’Leary (Ohio), Andrew Reed(Newberry), Cooper Shore (Cal Baptist), Max Shore (Tiffin), Bradley Spencer (Wheeling), Nico Taddy(West Liberty), Shawn Taylor (West Virginia) and Mannix Wasco (Wheeling) all made their way to Glenville to join returning All-Americans Zachary Parker and Nick Johnson. Jimmie Bailes and Leo Hess III, who also qualified for nationals, also returned for 2026-27.
NATIONALLY RANKED PIONEERS
125 – Max Shore (#10)
133 – Luke Acuna (#11)
141 – Zachary Parker (#5)
149 – Jimmie Bailes (#3)
157 – Nico Taddy (#3)
165 – Leo Hess III (#8)
184 – Andrew Reed (#12)
197 – Nick Johnson (#1)
285 – Max Borton (#15)
Glenville State opens the new season next Sunday (Nov. 1) in the Pioneer Open presented by GoMart.
