SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (December 16, 2025) – The Western New England men's wrestling team saw six of its own ranked in the top eight of their respective weight classes in the final New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) rankings of 2025, while the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) ranked the same six Golden Bears in their latest rankings.
The 141 lb. weight class sees Western New England senior
Austin Monteiro sit seventh overall in the rankings. Monteiro is off to an impressive 6-2 start to the season this year, with wins in his last five matches overall. Monteiro recently competed in the 141 lb. weight class in the Golden Bear Duals with Hunter College and
Roger Williams University, defeating Hunter's Nacim Benzine on a fall in 1:53 while taking down RWU's Shaun McLaughlin on a 5-4 decision. Monteiro has picked up three decision wins on the season, three major decisions, a fall, and a sudden victory on the season.
At 149 lbs., WNE's
James Linder ranks eighth in the weight class, producing a 9-6 record in the early goings of the season thus far. Linder is riding a six-match win streak, with a pair of wins at the Golden Bear Duals, defeating Hunter College's Jayden Medina on a sudden victory, 4-1, and Roger Williams University's Nick Fatone on an 8-4 decision. Nine of Linder's matches this season have ended in decisions, taking five victories, the most on the team.
Western New England's
Matthew Rodriguez sits seventh overall in the 157 lb. weight class rankings. Rodriguez split his last weekend of action on the mat, taking a 17-12 decision victory over Marc Kleyman of Hunter College while falling to Jack Forte of Roger Williams University, who ranks a spot ahead of Rodriguez in the latest rankings. Rodriguez has claimed ten wins this season, the second most on the team, and holds four decision wins, three falls, two technical falls, and a major decision victory for the Blue and Gold.
Teghan McConnell has been a spark in the WNE starting lineup this season at 165 lbs., sitting eighth in the NEWA/NWCA rankings. McConnell has picked up wins in his last five matches overall, four of which came via fall. McConnell's last match was an impressive major decision victory over Rhode Island College's Scott
Lallas, a 12-1 win.
At 174 lbs., WNE's
Maxwell Bluhm sits fifth overall in the latest rankings. Bluhm leads the Golden Bears with 11 victories on the season, earning four major decisions, three falls, two decisions, and one technical fall on the year. Bluhm has won his last two matches, a fall victory over Hunter's Therrol Lafayette and a 3-1 decision against Roger Williams' Tyrell Newmann.
In the 184 lb. weight class, WNE graduate student
Jaylen Hawkins sits fifth in the NEWA/NWCA final rankings of 2025. Hawkins has earned wins in all but two matches this season for the Golden Bears, coming up with eight wins overall. Hawkins has wins in his last six matches overall, picking up a technical fall win, 19-3 in 6:02, in his last match against Roger Williams University's Joshua Nieroda. Hawkins leads the Blue and Gold with three technical fall wins overall on the season.
As a team, the Golden Bears are in eighth place in the NEWA Conference Team Tournament Rankings.
The WNE men's wrestling team will host their final match of the 2025 calendar year on Wednesday, December 17, at 12:00 PM, welcoming the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University to the Anthony S. Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center.
