MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (March 1, 2025) – The Western New England men's wrestling team will see four of their own continue on at the NCAA Northeast Regional event on Sunday afternoon for a shot at making it to the NCAA Championships. The four remaining have earned All-Region honors while Cameron Hines (174 lbs.)  will look to earn an auto bid into the championship round with one victory tomorrow. 

How it Happened:

In the 149 lb. weight class, James Linder would come up with a quick fall victory for Western New England over Utica University's Matt Bonato to continue in the championship bracket. Linder's next match would come against Johnson & Wales University's Hayden Brown. Brown would come out on top over Linder on a fall decision in 3:48, sending the WNE first year to a must-win match to continue on at the event. With no fear, Linder earned a 7-2 decision victory over WPI's Mason Basara, earning all-region honors and will continue to wrestle on day two of the event tomorrow, looking to get into the third-place match for a shot at advancing to the NCAA Championships. 

At 174, WNE's Cameron Hines came up with two victories on the afternoon to advance to tomorrow's all-important semifinal round match. A victory puts Hines automatically into the NCAA Championships. Hines opened the round with a fall victory in 5:26 over Maine Maritime Academy's Kyle Stickel to move on. Hines would then defeat Henry Forte on a close 7-6 decision, placing the WNE senior into the semifinal round match on Sunday. Hines is also an all-region placer with the win in the quarterfinal round. Hines will face Caden Stout of the United States Coast Guard Academy tomorrow. The winner will automatically receive a spot in the NCAA Championships. 

In the 184 lb. weight class, Jaylen Hawkins received all-region honors for going 2-1 on the afternoon. Hawkins opened with a technical fall victory, 16-0 in 2:19 over Maine Maritime Academy's Gregory Brunk to get into the quarterfinals of the weight class. Hawkins would fall just short on a 6-1 decision in the quarterfinal round to Castleton's Sampson Wilkins. Needing a win to advance to tomorrow's session, Hawkins would come up with another technical fall win, this time an 18-2 victory in 3:10 to earn all-region honors and advance to tomorrow's session, needing two wins to come up with an NCAA Championship bid, 

Charles Maloy also secured all-region honors for Western New England in the 197 lb. weight class, coming up with a 2-1 record on Saturday. Maloy opened with a 10-5 decision victory over Springfield College's Olivier Parker to advance to the quarterfinals. Maloy would then drop the next match on a fall in 4:43 to Johnson & Wales University's Dylan Harr. Maloy got the victory he needed in his last match of the first day of the event to stay alive, picking up a 10-5 decision win over WPI Nicholas LeSieur, advancing to tomorrow's important day two of the NCAA Northeast Regionals. Maloy will also need two wins tomorrow to advance to the NCAA Championships.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• Linder, Hines, Hawkins, and Maloy will all battle for a shot to the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Providence, Rhode Island in two weeks. The four will wrestle tomorrow beginning at 10:00 AM.