The 2026 Greyhound Open, held in Indianapolis, Indiana, delivered a day packed with grit, skill, and plenty of surprises as wrestlers from SIUE and Wabash College put on a clinic of determination and technical prowess. While the tournament didn’t feature official team scoring, individual achievements took center stage, giving fans and coaches alike much to cheer about.
For SIUE, the spotlight shone brightest on Donavon Allen, who powered his way to the 149-pound championship. Allen’s journey through the bracket was nothing short of dominant. He opened with back-to-back technical falls over Juan Gutierrez of Mount St. Joseph (18-2) and Michael Tharpe of Indiana Tech (18-1), showcasing a relentless offensive attack. Allen didn’t let up, securing major decisions against Egidio Difazio (14-3) and Abe Hermes (11-2), before grinding out tight decisions over Antonio Alvarado (4-1) and, ultimately, Charlie Fifield (8-2) in the championship match. With two technical falls, two major decisions, and a pair of hard-fought victories, Allen’s performance was a masterclass in consistency and composure under pressure.
Allen’s triumph was just the tip of the iceberg for SIUE, as a remarkable twelve Cougars finished in the top eight of their weight classes. Davian Guanajuato claimed third at 125 pounds, rebounding from a tough semifinal loss to secure a medical forfeit victory in the third-place bout. Ben Lunn, competing at 141 pounds, also took third, notching a fall, two technical falls, and a decisive 8-3 win in the bronze-medal match after narrowly missing out in the semifinals. Alec Peralta added a sixth-place finish at the same weight, while PJ Murphy scrapped his way to seventh at 157 pounds, winning a tense sudden victory and tie-breaker along the way.
Gage Murphy’s third-place showing at 165 pounds was a highlight, as he bounced back from a quarterfinal defeat with a string of dominant performances, including a pin and a major decision. Landen Johnson battled through the bracket to finish eighth at 165, demonstrating resilience with a tech fall, a pin, and several decision victories before ultimately falling by no contest late in the tournament. The 174-pound division saw Hayden Trezek claim second after a series of pins and major decisions, only to be stopped in the final by a fall from Nebraska’s Tyler Eise. Caleb Neal took fourth at 174, his run punctuated by a fall, a technical fall, and a major decision before dropping the third-place match by no contest.
At 184 pounds, SIUE’s Amare Overton and Nico Ronchetti both reached the top four, with Ronchetti edging his teammate 5-2 in the third-place match after both posted strong wins in earlier rounds. Heavyweight Jake Fernandez rounded out the Cougars’ top performers with a seventh-place finish at 285 pounds, highlighted by a pin and a major decision in the opening rounds. SIUE’s depth was on full display, and the squad will look to carry this momentum into their upcoming Mid-American Conference dual at Buffalo on February 13, 2026.
Meanwhile, the Wabash Little Giants made their presence felt with seven top-eight finishes of their own. Senior James Day led the charge at 133 pounds, opening with a 17-0 technical fall over Logan Klinge of Grand Valley State and a pin of Ashton Gamboa in 3:54. Day’s semifinal run was halted by a 5-1 decision, but he bounced back in style, pinning Mason Feudale in 3:58 to secure third place. Junior Titus Waters matched Day’s podium finish at 285 pounds, stringing together a series of pins, including a 4-1 sudden-victory decision over SIUE’s Kevin Zimmer, before a medical forfeit win clinched his third-place spot.
Wabash’s depth showed in the middleweights as well. Senior Andrew Ross placed fifth at 157 pounds after a grueling consolation run. Ross registered pins over Tommy Reed and teammate Timothy Sebastian, added a 13-0 major decision, and advanced through several rounds by medical forfeit and no contest before falling in the consolation semifinals. Sophomore Cooper McCloy’s fifth-place finish at 165 pounds was fueled by a remarkable string of four consecutive pins, following a 16-0 technical fall and several no contest advances, culminating in a medical forfeit win for fifth.
Jaylen Young, a 174-pounder, showcased his own resilience, opening with a bye, then rolling to an 18-0 technical fall and a pin before suffering a narrow quarterfinal loss. He rebounded with a 7-2 decision and advanced by no contest, ultimately closing with a seventh-place finish. Freshman Isaac Ash impressed at 125 pounds, pinning Phoenix Sandifer in just 50 seconds and Diego Barajas in 1:51. Though he fell in the quarterfinals, Ash stormed back with another pin and capped his tournament with a 16-1 technical fall for seventh place. Fellow freshman Michael Taheny mirrored that success at 184 pounds, notching multiple pins and a sudden-victory decision before finishing with a pin in the seventh-place match.
Although the Greyhound Open didn’t feature official team scoring, the performances of both SIUE and Wabash wrestlers were a testament to their depth and development. For SIUE, the ability to place twelve athletes in the top eight across multiple weight classes speaks volumes about the program’s trajectory. Donavon Allen’s title run, in particular, sets a high bar as the team gears up for conference play. For Wabash, the strong showing across several divisions provides a confidence boost as they prepare for the season-defining Mid-States Wrestling Invitational at Alma College on February 15, followed by the 2026 NCAA DIII Central Region Tournament at John Carroll University later in the month.
Asked about his performance, Allen’s focus was clear throughout the day, and his results on the mat spoke for themselves. While no direct quotes were provided, Allen’s series of technical falls and major decisions reflected a wrestler in peak form, imposing his will on the field from start to finish. Meanwhile, Wabash’s James Day and Titus Waters demonstrated that experience and composure can carry the day in high-pressure situations, each rebounding from setbacks to claim spots on the podium.
With the regular season winding down and the postseason looming, both SIUE and Wabash have plenty of reasons for optimism. The Greyhound Open offered a glimpse of what’s possible when preparation meets opportunity, and if Sunday’s results are any indication, the coming weeks promise even more high-level wrestling action. Fans won’t want to miss a beat as these squads chase further glory on the mats.