Princeton University Athletics
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Wrestling to Send Five to NCAAs in Cleveland as Brackets Released
March 11, 2026 | Wrestling
PRINCETON, N.J. – The Princeton wrestling team will send five Tigers to the 2026 NCAA Championships in Cleveland, Ohio next weekend, as the NCAA released the full tournament brackets on Wednesday night.
Five Tigers qualified in No. 10 Marc-Anthony McGowan (125), No. 32 Matthew Martino (141), No. 22 Eligh Rivera (149), No. 20 Ty Whalen (165) and No. 28 Holden Garcia (174).
It is the ninth time in program history that Princeton has sent five or more to the big dance.
It is also the second-consecutive year that Princeton has sent five to nationals, with McGowan, Rivera and Whalen returning members of last year's 2025 squad.
McGowan and Whalen earned automatic bids to nationals at Sunday's Ivy League Tournament as both made the finals at their respective weights.
McGowan claimed his second-consecutive Ivy Championship title, while Whalen claimed silver after a sudden-victory loss to Cesar Alvan.
Martino, Rivera and Garcia earned at-large bids to the tournament, as decided by the committee on Tuesday.
During Wednesday's selection show, the committee revealed the full brackets for the tournament.
McGowan, seeded 10th, is highest amongst the Tigers and faces a first round match against no. 23 Nicolar Rivera of Wisconsin. It will be McGowan's second trip to NCAAs after clinching a no. 13 seed last year.
Next up in weight is 141lb freshman Martino, who will make his nationals debut this year. Martino, seeded 32nd, will first take on the no. 33 seed, Aldo Hernandez of Appalachian State, before moving further into the bracket.
At 149, Eligh Rivera will make his second trip to nationals as the no. 22 seed. His first match will be a rematch with no. 11 Lachlan McNeil of Michigan, who Rivera downed at Cliff Keen Las Vegas in December. In 2025, Rivera was a 26-seed at 141.
Whalen is seeded 20th at 165, facing no. 13 Andrew Sparks of Minnesota in the first round. Cleveland will mark Whalen's second trip to NCAAs as he was the no. 15 seed at 149 in 2025.
The fifth Tiger making the trip to nationals is Garcia, who sits at 28th in the 174 bracket. Making his NCAA debut, Garcia will take on no. 5 Patrick Kennedy of Iowa in the first round.
The tournament will be held at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on March 19-21.
Five Tigers qualified in No. 10 Marc-Anthony McGowan (125), No. 32 Matthew Martino (141), No. 22 Eligh Rivera (149), No. 20 Ty Whalen (165) and No. 28 Holden Garcia (174).
It is the ninth time in program history that Princeton has sent five or more to the big dance.
It is also the second-consecutive year that Princeton has sent five to nationals, with McGowan, Rivera and Whalen returning members of last year's 2025 squad.
McGowan and Whalen earned automatic bids to nationals at Sunday's Ivy League Tournament as both made the finals at their respective weights.
McGowan claimed his second-consecutive Ivy Championship title, while Whalen claimed silver after a sudden-victory loss to Cesar Alvan.
Martino, Rivera and Garcia earned at-large bids to the tournament, as decided by the committee on Tuesday.
During Wednesday's selection show, the committee revealed the full brackets for the tournament.
McGowan, seeded 10th, is highest amongst the Tigers and faces a first round match against no. 23 Nicolar Rivera of Wisconsin. It will be McGowan's second trip to NCAAs after clinching a no. 13 seed last year.
Next up in weight is 141lb freshman Martino, who will make his nationals debut this year. Martino, seeded 32nd, will first take on the no. 33 seed, Aldo Hernandez of Appalachian State, before moving further into the bracket.
At 149, Eligh Rivera will make his second trip to nationals as the no. 22 seed. His first match will be a rematch with no. 11 Lachlan McNeil of Michigan, who Rivera downed at Cliff Keen Las Vegas in December. In 2025, Rivera was a 26-seed at 141.
Whalen is seeded 20th at 165, facing no. 13 Andrew Sparks of Minnesota in the first round. Cleveland will mark Whalen's second trip to NCAAs as he was the no. 15 seed at 149 in 2025.
The fifth Tiger making the trip to nationals is Garcia, who sits at 28th in the 174 bracket. Making his NCAA debut, Garcia will take on no. 5 Patrick Kennedy of Iowa in the first round.
The tournament will be held at Rocket Arena in Cleveland on March 19-21.
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