Wrestling Adds Eight for 2026-27
May 15, 2026 09:00 AM | Wrestling
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University wrestling team signed eight wrestlers ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Five additions are transfers with Michigan State's Max Vanadia leading the group at heavyweight. Vanadia qualified for the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships for the Spartans and placed eighth at the Big Ten Championships that year as well.
Max Vanadia | HWT | Brecksville, Ohio | Brecksville-Broadview Heights HS | Michigan State
Five additions are transfers with Michigan State's Max Vanadia leading the group at heavyweight. Vanadia qualified for the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships for the Spartans and placed eighth at the Big Ten Championships that year as well.
- 3x Ohio State Championships placer
- Placed eighth at the 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championships
- 2025 NCAA Championships qualifier
- 2x NJCAA All-American (6th in 2025, 2nd in 2026)
- 72-13 NJCAA overall record
- Western Wyoming all-time wins leader
- 4x Utah State Championships placer
- Champion as a senior
- Runner-up as a junior
- Fargo Cadet Greco-Roman All-American
- 4x Pennsylvania State Championships placer
- Runner-up as a senior
- No. 147 overall recruit in the class of 2025 by MatScouts
- 3rd place at the 2025 Southeast Open
- 2x West Virginia state champion
- 4x West Virginia State Championships finalist
- Fargo Cadet Freestyle All-American
- 2026 ACC Championships starter (157)
- Father, Danny, was WVU assistant wrestling coach (2015-18)
- Danny was an All-American at Arizona State and 2009 USA Wrestling World Team member
- 3x Tennessee State Championships placer
- Champion as a junior
- Runner-up as a senior
- Super 32 All-American
- Fargo Cadet Greco-Roman All-American
- Beast of the East placer
- 3x Pennsylvania State Championships qualifier
- 2x Pennsylvania State Championships third-place finisher
- 129-30 career record
- 3x Illinois State Championships placer
- Runner-up as a senior
- No. 229 overall recruit in the class of 2026 by MatScouts
- Part of back-to-back Illinois State Championships at Marmion Academy
- Marmion Academy ranked No. 24 in MatScouts National High School Team Rankings
- 3x Pennsylvania State Championships qualifier
- Runner-up in 2026
- Ranked No. 25 at 215 pounds by MatScouts
- No. 187 overall recruit in the class of 2026 by MatScouts
- 135-38 career record
You Can Never Have Too Many Headlocks
Wednesday, April 01
WRES: NCAA Championships Hype Video
Wednesday, March 18
2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships Hype
Thursday, March 05
WRES: 2026 Senior Recognition Ceremony
Tuesday, February 10
