LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Bellarmine University wrestling team made its 2026 home debut in grand fashion, earning two blowout wins over Sacred Heart and Presbyterian in a tri-meet on Sunday in Knights Hall.

In the first match against Sacred Heart, Bellarmine dominated the Pioneers, winning 40-3. Moving on to Presbyterian in the second match, the Knights carried their momentum over and rolled over the Blue Hose 50-3.

Bellarmine's 40 points in the opening dual was the most they had scored in a match this season, only to be topped by its 50-point performance immediately after.
With the two wins on the day, BU improved to 4-4 on the season and began its Southern Conference schedule 1-0 after the win over Presbyterian.

"It's exciting to kick off our SoCon competition as it's always full of competitive duals," head coach Ned Shuck said. "I'm proud of the guys and the way they wrestled today. We were aggressive and working to score points consistently. Excited to keep building!"

Shuck sent the same battle tested 10 men out for both duals with all 10 Knights coming away with at least one win on the day and eight claiming a win in both matches.
Of the eight Knights who won twice, six earned bonus points in both victories, led by the effort of junior Jeb Prechtel (157) who recorded a fall in both matches.

Behind him, grad student Daulton Mayer (285), redshirt junior Grant O'Dell (174) and redshirt sophomores Andrew Liber (197), AJ Rallo (141) and Noah Hall (165) all earned two bonus point wins. Mayer turned in a 10-0 major decision against Sacred Heart before recording his fourth fall of the season against Presbyterian. O'Dell registered wins by major decision in both matches. Liber and Rallo were both the benefactors of forfeits against Presbyterian, but the pair also recorded a fall and major decision win, respectively, over Sacred Heart to start the day. Hall rounded out the group with a major decision, followed by a tech fall.

The highlight of the meet came against Presbyterian when redshirt junior Trayce Eckman (133), Prechtel and redshirt senior Zac Cowan (149) turned in pins in back-to-back-to-back bouts (Rallo followed Eckman with a win by forfeit).

In total, Bellarmine wrestlers recorded six pins between the two duals.

Up next, the Knights will travel to Richmond, VA for its first SoCon road dual of the season, taking on VMI on January 23.

Bellarmine 40, Sacred Heart 3
174 – Grant O'Dell (BU) def. Aidan Zarrella (SHU) by MD, 13-3
184 – Gavin Ricketts (BU) def. Nick Franzen (SHU) by TF, 20-4
197 – Andrew Liber (BU) def. Chris DeLena (SHU) by Fall, 6:30
285 – Daulton Mayer (BU) def. Kevin Taylor (SHU) by MD, 10-0
125 – Damion Ryan (BU) def. Tyler Hildebrandt (SHU) by DEC, 8-2
133 – Trayce Eckman (BU) def. John Sheehy (SHU) by MD, 14-5
141 – AJ Rallo (BU) def. John Hildebrandt (SHU) by MD, 12-4
149 – Dakota Asuncion (SHU) def. Zac Cowan (BU) by DEC, 8-6
157 – Jeb Prechtel (BU) def. Danny Delusant (SHU) by Fall, 1:31
165 – Noah Hall (BU) def. AJ Falcone (SHU) by MD, 10-2

Bellarmine 50, Presbyterian 3
174 – Grant O'Dell (BU) def. Joshua Roe (PC) by MD, 14-4
184 – Reed Douglass (PC) def. Gavin Ricketts by DEC, 7-2
197 – Andrew Liber win by forfeit
285 – Daulton Mayer (BU) def. George Hopkins (PC) by Fall, 2:18
125 – Damion Ryan (BU) def. Ethan York (PC) by TF, 18-3
133 – Trayce Eckman (BU) def. Fernando Dominguez (PC) by Fall, 2:19
141 – AJ Rallo (BU) win by forfeit
149 – Zac Cowan (BU) def. Joseph Morris (PC) by Fall, 3:46
157 – Jeb Prechtel (BU) def. Rey Ortiz (PC) by Fall, 1:11
165 – Noah Hall (BU) def. Ryan Mann (PC) by TF, 21-6
 EXTRA – Cael Miller (BU) def. Christian Hale Anderson (PC) by Fall, 3:51

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