Navy Wrestling Shines at Journeymen Collegiate Classic as Four Midshipmen Finish Undefeated
By Brian Hradsky
November 11, 2026 | Maryland Sports Blog | Navy Midshipmen Wrestling
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Navy Midshipmen wrestling team delivered several impressive individual performances Sunday, Nov. 8, as four wrestlers completed undefeated 3-0 performances at the 2026 Journeymen Collegiate Classic at Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Freshman Oliver Phillips highlighted Navy’s showing with three bonus-point victories in his collegiate debut, while Collier Hartman, Cole Householder and Nicholas Vafiadis also swept their competition. The event featured a competitive field of college wrestling programs from across the country and provided valuable early-season experience for head coach Cary Kolat’s squad.
Oliver Phillips Dominates in Collegiate Debut
Phillips produced one of Navy’s strongest individual performances of the weekend, finishing 3-0 in the 165-pound division. The freshman recorded two pins and a major decision, establishing himself as a promising addition to the Midshipmen lineup. His ability to finish matches and generate bonus points immediately demonstrated the offensive potential he brings to the program.
Phillips opened his tournament by pinning Sacred Heart’s Nicholas Mackland-Rivera before securing another fall against Franklin & Marshall’s Billy Templeton. He completed his undefeated afternoon with a commanding 15-1 major decision over Columbia’s Jeremy Pitcock. His three victories represented an encouraging beginning to his collegiate wrestling career.
Collier Hartman Completes Perfect Afternoon at 141 Pounds
Hartman joined Navy’s undefeated performers with three victories in the 141-pound division. He began the tournament with a dominant 9-0 major decision against Hofstra’s Lauden Henery, controlling the match and preventing his opponent from scoring. The performance established an early foundation for his successful afternoon.
Hartman followed with a 13-8 decision against Duke’s Hunter Berger before closing the tournament with an 8-6 victory over Long Island University’s Branden Rozanski. His final two matches required him to navigate closer competition while maintaining his offensive effectiveness. Finishing undefeated against three different opponents gave Hartman valuable momentum as Navy continued its opening stretch of the season.
Cole Householder and Nicholas Vafiadis Sweep 149-Pound Competition
Navy enjoyed particularly strong results in the 149-pound division, where Householder and Vafiadis both finished 3-0. Householder relied on consistent performances in three closely contested decisions, beginning with a 4-1 victory over Bloomsburg’s Jay Chase. He followed with a 5-2 win against Franklin & Marshall’s CJ Ferree before defeating Lock Haven’s Jacob McVige by the same score.
Vafiadis delivered another impressive undefeated performance, combining competitive decisions with a decisive pin. He opened with a narrow 6-5 victory against Cornell’s Ryder Yoshitake before defeating NC State’s George Jones 12-8. Vafiadis finished his tournament by pinning Sacred Heart’s Joe Tornambe in the second period, completing a strong afternoon for Navy’s 149-pound representatives.
The combined 6-0 record of Householder and Vafiadis highlighted Navy’s depth at the weight class. Both wrestlers demonstrated the ability to win competitive matches, while Vafiadis added a bonus-point victory to close his appearance. Their performances should give Navy’s coaching staff additional options as the team evaluates its lineup for upcoming dual meets.
Three Additional Midshipmen Finish With Winning Records
Navy also received productive performances from Nikos Filipos, McKaden Speece and heavyweight Ben Farabaugh, who each completed the tournament with 2-1 records. Filipos competed at 125 pounds and opened with a 5-3 decision over Cornell’s Ernie Perry. He followed with a 5-0 shutout of Lock Haven’s Matt Gould, demonstrating strong defensive wrestling during his first two matches.
Speece competed at 165 pounds and began his afternoon with a 9-1 major decision over Columbia’s Ziko Majidov. After suffering a 12-6 defeat against Maryland’s Latrell Schafer, he responded with a hard-fought 2-0 decision over Lehigh’s Griffin Gonzalez. His ability to rebound from a loss and secure a shutout victory provided another encouraging result for the Midshipmen.
Farabaugh also demonstrated resilience in the heavyweight division after dropping his opening match against NC State’s Everest Ouellette. He responded with a 10-7 sudden-victory decision over Illinois’ Pete Marinopoulos before pinning Long Island University’s Whitehead Melvin at the 6:24 mark. His comeback performance gave Navy another wrestler with multiple victories against a competitive tournament field.
Navy Builds Momentum After Opening Weekend of Dual Competition
The Journeymen Collegiate Classic concluded a busy weekend for Navy, which had competed in the Journeymen WrangleMania dual-meet event Saturday, Nov. 7. The Midshipmen opened that competition with a dominant 43-0 shutout victory over Duke before suffering a 24-12 defeat against No. 19 Rutgers. Navy finished its first dual-meet weekend with a 1-1 record, while Sunday’s individual competition provided additional opportunities to evaluate its roster.
The team’s opening schedule has already featured several challenging opponents, giving Navy an early indication of where it stands against established Division I wrestling programs. The combination of dual competition and individual tournaments allows wrestlers to gain experience in different competitive environments. For Kolat and his coaching staff, the weekend provided both successful performances to build upon and areas that require improvement before the next phase of the season.
Strong Early Results Follow Navy Classic Success
Navy entered the Journeymen weekend following a successful season-opening Navy Classic on Nov. 1 at Wesley Brown Field House in Annapolis. Danny Wask and Caedyn Ricciardi captured individual titles in their respective divisions, each finishing undefeated with 3-0 records. Their victories marked the first time since 2023 that Navy had produced multiple champions at its home tournament.
Those performances, combined with the four undefeated records at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic, illustrate the team’s encouraging early-season individual results. Navy has received contributions from established competitors and younger wrestlers, including Phillips, whose collegiate debut stood out Sunday. Maintaining that production against increasingly difficult competition will be an important challenge as the season progresses.
Navy Faces No. 15 NC State Next
The Midshipmen will return to dual-meet competition Thursday, Nov. 12, when they travel to Raleigh, North Carolina, to face No. 15 NC State. The matchup is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. and will provide another significant early-season test for Navy against a nationally ranked opponent.
Navy will then travel to College Park to face Maryland on Nov. 16 before returning home for a Nov. 20 dual against Bloomsburg. These matchups will give the Midshipmen additional opportunities to develop their lineup and build consistency before the demanding winter portion of the wrestling schedule. The team’s recent individual success should provide confidence heading into those competitions.
Maryland Sports Blog Take
Navy’s performance at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic demonstrated encouraging depth throughout several weight classes, particularly at 149 and 165 pounds. Phillips deserves special recognition for producing three bonus-point victories in his collegiate debut, an accomplishment that immediately makes him an intriguing wrestler to follow. Hartman, Householder and Vafiadis also deserve credit for finishing undefeated against competitive opponents.
What stands out most is Navy’s ability to receive contributions from several different wrestlers rather than relying exclusively on its established stars. Kolat has built a program that emphasizes aggressive wrestling, conditioning and development, and the results from Bethlehem suggest that multiple Midshipmen could play important roles this season. The upcoming dual against NC State will provide a much tougher team-wide examination, but Navy has reasons to feel encouraged about its opening performances.
The Midshipmen still have significant work ahead as they pursue success in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association and position themselves for postseason competition. However, four undefeated performances and several additional winning records represent a productive conclusion to a challenging weekend. Navy will look to translate those individual accomplishments into stronger dual-meet results as the season continues.
