WVU Wrestling
WVU Wrestling Announces New Additions for 2026-27 Season
The WVU 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
- 3x Ohio State Championships placer
- Placed eighth at the 2025 Big Ten Wrestling Championships
- 2025 NCAA Championships qualifier
Banks Love | 184 | South Jordan, Utah | Bingham HS | Western Wyoming Community College
- 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
Luke Sipes | 165 | Altoona, Pa. | Altoona HS | North Carolina
- 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
Luca Felix | 149 | Morgantown, W.Va. | University HS | NC State
- 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
Jake Stacey | 197 | Mount Juliet, Tenn. | Green Hill HS | Arkansas Little Rock
- 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
Aiden Bliss | Port Allegany, Pa. | Port Allegany HS
- 3x Pennsylvania State Championships qualifier
- 2x Pennsylvania State Championships third-place finisher
- 129-30 career record
Ashton Hobson | North Aurora, Ill. | Marmion Academy
- 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
Paxton Hunt | Glen Mills, Pa. | Garnet Valley HS
- 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
This story originated as a press release.
Find more coverage of WVU wrestling at WV Sports Now.
