READING, Pa. - The Bethany College men's wrestling team opened the 2025-26 season at the Tonee Ellis Invitational hosted by Alvernia (Pa.) University marking the team's first meet since the reinstatement of the men's wrestling program at the Tom and Helen Flynn Plex.

Going up against some National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II schools and some NCAA DIII powerhouses, the Bison competed in their first meet for the program's 2025-26 return where the squad scored 48 points and went on to beat Penn College, Camden County (N.J.) College, Rowan (N.J.) College, and the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. Kutztown (Pa.) University took the top spot in the Invitational with a team score of 241.5

Leading the way for the Green and White was junior 174-pounder Jonathan Braun (Kenilworth, N.J./David Brearly) who went 4-2 on the day to earn him a sixth place finish. Braun took the lead in his first match before getting caught in the third period and pinned. After that, he went on a 4-match win streak before falling in the 5^th place match. Braun scored 12.5 team points for Bethany.

In his first match of the day, sophomore 125-pounder Angelo Di Pol (Paulsboro, N.J.) secured the first win in a Bison singlet since the program was disbanded in 1975 with his 7-6 decision over freshman Jaiden Woodrum of Albright (Pa.) College. Di Pol was another Bison wrestler with a winning record on the day going 3-2, but a deep bracket saw him fall in the blood round.

Graduate heavyweight Zach Kuneff (Martins Ferry, Ohio/Bridgeport) placed seventh in his first tournament as a Bison and was also the first Bison to pick up a bonus-point victory. In first match of the day, Kuneff showcased dominance with a 10-0 major decision, even showcasing a rare heavyweight tilt.

Freshman 197-pounder Christopher Dreher (Lexington, N.C./Lexington Senior) placed in his first ever collegiate competition, taking seventh. The highlight of his day came via first period fall in the blood-round. 

Five other Bison earned their first victories as members of the Bison including 141-pounder James Bialo (Duncansville, Pa/Hollidaysburg), 149-pounder Jeremiah Stalling (Buckeye, Ariz./Buckeye Union), 157-pounder Romeo Aviles (Pennsauken, N.J.), 165-pounder Cameron Mockbee (Conover, Ohio), and 165-pounder Malaki Smith (Bloomington, Ill./Normal).

Bialo, Stalling, and Aviles each won in the second round of their respective consolation brackets and each finished with a 1-2 record on the day while Smith also finished 1-2 after winning by fall in his first match. Mockbee finished with a record of 2-2 on the day with a major decision and a tech fall before falling in the consolation quarterfinals.

The Bison are back in action on Saturday, November 8 as they travel to McHenry, Maryland to compete in the Defend the Lake Open hosted by Garrett (Md.) College at 10 a.m. in CARC Gymnasium.