COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. - In their first tournament competition of 2026, Emmanuel men's wrestling had a breakthrough performance, scoring 88.5 points to finish in seventh place, highlighted by the podium finishes of Justin Hood, Luke Driscoll, and Zachary Brzoska at the Will Abele Tournament, hosted at Ursinus College.

Hood earned the individual championship at 165 pounds on Saturday afternoon, in his best performance of the season. The junior made his run to the finals with three consecutive, first-round pinfalls, winning in the round of 16 in 1:31, the quarterfinals in 2:07, and the semifinals in 2:39. 

In the championship at 165 against regionally-ranked wrestler, Teghan McConnell, from Western New England, Hood used a takedown and nearfall to race out to a 7-0 lead in the first period. Hood maintained that margin throughout the bout, even expanding his advantage in the second with another takedown. Hood added further to his lead in the third period, as he scored a major decision, 13-3, in his win at 165 pounds.

Driscoll scored one of his best finishes of the year, scoring a second place spot at 184 pounds. Like his fellow Saint wrestler Hood, Driscoll used a trio of pinfalls in the round of 16, quarterfinals, and semifinals to race to the championship bout. Going up against Jonathan Hoffman of Norwich, the Cadet took down Driscoll three times in the match, earning a major decision win over the Saints rookie.

The final podium finish on Saturday came from Brzoska at 133 pounds, as he took home third place at the event. In the semifinals, Brzoska was defeated by Western New England's Antonio Intintoli, moving the Emmanuel first-year into the consolation match. In the battle for third place, Brzoska scored two takedowns and one nearfall in the opening period, as he held a 10-2 edge. Another takedown in the second period increased Brzoska's lead, as he cruised to a major decision win, 13-3.

The Saints take their momentum into the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Duals Championships on Sunday, Jan. 25, hosted at Johnson & Wales and starting at 9:30 a.m.