DODEA-Europe enters the 2025-2026 wrestling season with a pair of dynasties – and the budding of perhaps another.

Ramstein has collected the last three Division I titles. Despite losing a successful senior class, the Royals don’t expect a drop off when they hit the mats this season. Not that they will be handed the top spot, with teams such as Stuttgart nipping at their heels.

Naples has been on a similar run in Division II with three championships on the bounce, and the Wildcats will be looking for more against the likes of Vicenza.

Last year, Alconbury ascended to the Division III throne in convincing fashion, ending AFNORTH’s reign. And the Dragons look even stronger this season as they seek a repeat.

Individually, six champions from 14 weight classes from last year return, but they will face tough tests in the quests to take their brackets during the European championships at the Wiesbaden Sports and Fitness Center on Feb. 5-7.

Here’s a team-by-team breakdown based off responses from coaches around Europe:

Alconbury

The Dragons had a banner year in 2024-2025, with five wrestlers placing in their respective weight classes en route to a European crown.

This winter, third-year coach Edison Vega foresees a repeat.

Leading the Dragons is the younger Edison Vega. The junior went 16-0 last campaign and won the 113-pound bracket. After two years at 113, Vega jumps up to 126 this season.

Senior Jacob Stuhler has qualified for Euros his first three years with two Top 5 finishes – third place at 132 as a sophomore and fifth at 138 as a junior. He moves up to 144 this season.

Junior Daniel Scavola was runner-up at 106 in his first year with a 12-7 record, and he will look to take the next step up the podium. The other returning Euros qualifier is junior Andrew Barbee (fifth, 120).

Juniors Thomas Flynn (175) and Danial Schmollinger (165) also have back for Alconbury.

Sophomores Evan Houser (286) and Darian Payton (150) enter their first season wrestling, while freshman Leonardo Vega steps into the slot at 106 with a season of middle-school experience under his belt.

AFNORTH

Coach Donte Barco is banking on the leadership skills and experience of a few upperclassmen to set the tone for a promising freshman class.

Senior Logan Conrad just won the boys individual cross country championship and is hoping to carry over that success onto the mats. He went 13-3 last year.

Juniors Sladen Hager and Sawyer Findley are the team’s other two veterans.

New Lions grappling this winter are Kristoffer Normand and freshmen Jose Santiago-Rivera, Christopher Herrera, Jonathan Herrera, Joseph Stevens, Logan Ranger and Caleb Boudreau.

Ansbach

The Ansbach program continues to grow heading into Year 2 of its rebirth.

Coach Justin Ernest said the team has a similar makeup to last winter with a bunch of wrestling rookies. He said the Cougars overcome that lack of experience with grit and determination.

Some wrestlers won’t be going through their first rodeos, though. Senior Nathan Arreguin went 15-8 and placed sixth at 165 in Wiesbaden last year. Junior Ethan Albritton and sophomores Max Bacilio and Shawn Romero are hoping to join him this year.

Senior Sam Hansen and freshmen Fox Everett, Kai Arbolado and Aleksandr Weimar are new to the sport.

Aviano

Three placers – Andre Sunia (third at 165), Cruz Cottingham (fifth at 190) and Tyler Mellon (fifth at 215) – return for the Saints this season.

Others back for Aviano are Bayron Cerron, Noe Corral-Galvan, Alejandro Gonzalez, Brayden Lancaster, Gordon Lauzon and Ethan Marks.

New to the team are Roman Esser, Elijah Jackson-Moore, Levi Jennings, Adrian Perez, Vincent Power, Koen Reyes and Zane Tayler.

Baumholder

Coach Mark Dube faces a completely new roster this winter, and he’s looking forward to seeing the Buccaneers grow throughout the season.

Hitting the mats are junior Caiden Brech, sophomore Ashton Walker and freshmen Ian Bagley, Al Gustav Hector Baldo, Myles Crespo, Ezekial Davenport, Gabriel Laureano and Adriel Rivera.

Black Forest Academy

The BFA wrestling program is hoping to take a step up in its second year back in DODEA competition.

Five Falcons – Cody Salley, Eli Cooke, Nate Narvesen, Rogan Ivey and Mark Ndifuna – return, while Jonah Decoursey, Elijah Benicourt, Ethan Darnell, Jack Thomas and Matthew Cardoso join them this winter.

Hohenfels

The Tigers could make their presence felt in the Division III race, with a good mix of seasoned veterans and young potential.

Five wrestlers are back after posting winning records in 2024-2025.

It begins with the two Euro qualifiers – junior Emmitt Stewart and sophomore Benjamin Tocco. Stewart went 14-5, and his aggressive style could see him make the podium at 138. Tocco, meanwhile, posted an 11-6 record and is expected to take a step forward at 132.

Senior Sawyer Baxter (165) returns after going 9-6, fellow senior Markavious Scott (126) at 7-6 and junior Logan Mitchell (157) at 10-6.

Joining the Tigers are junior Logan Landry (150), sophomore Shawn Reyes (150) and freshmen Jason Burke (120), Brayden Mendez (215), Jameson Mueller (144), Joseph Pischieri (144) and Talleuy Trevyon (285).

Kaiserslautern

Coach Duke Allen raved about the turnout this season.

Leading the way are a pair of European qualifiers. Senior Joshua Kim lost just once all last season en route to a third-place finish at 132. Fellow senior Peyton Allen took fifth at 157.

Lakenheath

The Lancers may have double the number of newcomers (16) than veterans (eight), but coach Sharon Goodman said the squad has high hopes to qualify more athletes to Euros than last year.

Of the returners, five have Euros experience, including two placers. Senior Matthew Mihalyi took fourth last year and posted a 14-9 record, while junior Parker Grimm, who will compete at 165 this winter, finished sixth at 150 with a 12-11 mark.

Senior Wesson Roney steps up a class to 190 after going 14-3 at 175 and competing in Wiesbaden. Fellow senior Christian Dey (132) went 16-4 last winter and qualified for Euros the last two seasons but didn’t place.

Junior Eddie Conrad recovered from a broken leg suffered during the 2024 football season to make Euros last winter. He will hit the mats at 144 this season.

Also returning are senior Elliot Adam (144), junior Johnathan Mihalyi (285) and sophomore Andrew Luce (175).

Transfer Jessiah Cruz has the Lakenheath coaching staff excited. The senior wrestled at Mustang High School in Mustang, Okla., as a sophomore and produced a 17-3 season at Riverside High School in Leesburg, Va. at 190 pounds. He’ll compete at 215 this season.

Other newbies are senior Wesley Weinberg (165); juniors Kyle Forbes (132) and Landon Freeman (106); sophomores Noah Garcia (113) and Cael Trotter (175); and freshmen Graham Arthaud (138), Xavier Roy Bautista (138), Ian Bervig (165), Justin Duren (120), Zachary Fleming (126), Levi Green (138), Andrew Lameris (157), Cameron Parlier (175) and Jordan Thompson (175).

Ramstein

The three-time defending champions are ready to reload under the coaching tandem of Thomas Wright and Chad Horne.

Thirteen Royals have European experience. Including are three defending champions – sophomore Nate Greene (120) and seniors Camren Carlson (132) and Chris Farrington (190) – and four more placers – Thomas Barcroft in sixth (106), Ethan Holdren in fifth (113), Rhys Barlow in fourth (138) and Drew Varholy in fourth (150).

Other veteran Euros qualifiers include Chris Da La Torre, Julien Paucar, Ryan Parvin, Ryan Cassem, Xavier Schumacher and Alex Gonzalez.

A trio of freshmen – Levi Lesher, Ulyssess Sanner and Julius Kelly – are expected to make an impact this season.

Rota

Luke Spencer’s charges are young, with a possibility of eight freshmen filling in many of the weight classes.

Because of this, the Rota coach said the team anticipates going through growing pains this winter, but that could lead to dividends in the years to come.

Four returners will pace the Admirals, starting with Leo McFarland. As one of the last qualifiers in the 126 bracket in 2024-2025, the sophomore made some noise in pool play before missing out on the podium.

Other veterans include Shane Nowak, E.J. Koo and Ayden Taylor.

Among the freshmen are Inapu Terlaje, Matthew Iglesias Rodrigues, Leland Colangen, Logan Goff and Wyatt Beale.

SHAPE

The Spartans continue to grow with a roster of 27 athletes this season, with coach Bridget Clevinger saying all are motivated to push the program to the top of Division I.

SHAPE has 12 returners, including two Euro placers in juniors Liam Kennington (third at 175) and Howard Traylor (fourth at 190). A captain, Kennington went 16-7 last winter, while Traylor was 15-7.

Senior Tristan Herno and junior Michael McGlothin are the team’s other two captains. Also back are seniors Teddy Tintera and Eugy Zermeno; juniors D.J. Flenaugh, Levi Schaumburger, Arturs Skangalis and William Smith; and sophomores Daniel Hravosky and Miguel Palmero-Fabro.

Via PCS, the Spartans picked up a pair of Kaiserslautern sophomores who should hit the mats running. Reilly Tobias claimed the 106 championship last winter, when he went 20-1. River Foulks placed fifth at 165 and finished with a 9-4 record.

Other newcomers are seniors Dovydas Andrulis and Rogan Mossop; juniors Lorenzo Alba, Dominick Byers, Antonio Ford, Floyd Garcia and Aiden Norton; sophomores Muhammed Agir, Russell Hickox, Aldas Pasvenskas and Caden Sieche; and freshmen Efe Alver, Domenico Antonuccio, Kleon Apostoli, Cameron Bell, Owen Green, Tommy Hickox, Alejandro Herrera, Michael Mahoney, Devin McGlothin, Batuhan Sener, Ian Smith and Benjamin Zermeno.

Sigonella

Coach Sam Werlinich anticipates an interesting season, with just one Jaguar – Caiden Roche – returning.

Transfer Manuel Tamayo brings wrestling experience with him. Kaleb James, Arron Harpel, Lucca Deshazer, Matthew Merritt and Aiden Mackey are new to the sport.

Stuttgart

The Panthers have a strong batch of returners across the weight classes who could help return the program back to the top of the team race, according to first-year coach Shannon Soto.

It starts with Kai Lewis. The junior handled every wrestler that came his way en route to a 19-0 record and the 157-pound individual crown after transferring from Virigina. Stars and Stripes’ 2024-2025 boys wrestling Athlete of the Year earned tournament MVP honors.

Rucell Phillip placed second at 138, Preston Schneiders took third at 126, Linus Soto finished fourth at 285, Sammy Johnson took fifth at 132 and Zach Patterson and Dominick Welsh ended their tournaments in sixth at 190 and 138, respectively.

Other Euro qualifiers returning are Westin Hawkes and Ryan Gilcrest (106), Floyd Lucero (113), Aslan Elmas (120) and Dane Westberry (157).

Rounding out the team’s veterans are Daniel Kim (113), Zavie O’Leary Searles (120), Gabriel Hujo (132), Gabriel Porrata (138), Eli Pope (144), Leif Moore (157), Jeremy Templeton and Holden Dunham (165), Ethan Long (175), Josiah Tovar and Jacob Leas Cruz.

New to the Panthers are junior Matthew Thompson and freshmen Taj Bart, Alex Maldonado-Santiago and Cole Jobi.

Vicenza

The Cougars are very young with just two seniors, but coach Kelly Stacy’s squad can bank on a pair of 2024-2025 runners-up who return this winter.

Kyler Mukai entered the 113 final undefeated before losing to Alconbury’s Vega. Sophomore Liam Dokos (14-6) led most of the 126 final against former teammate Mitchell Horrigan before succumbing in the closing seconds.

Also coming back are 132-pound Euro qualifier Jack Findlay (16-9), Arel Duron, Cooper McCann and Keith Davis.

Vilseck

Jerry Brown takes the reins of a Falcon program looking to build off its fifth-place finish in Division I.

Andrew Pickel leads the way. He placed fourth at 144 in February, positing a 14-7 record. Jayden Tyler Cruz also qualified for Euros at 120, and he finished the campaign at 12-8. Alexi Rivera (165) and Nyime Winecoff (157) went .500 last winter.

Cael Rowley transferred from Kansas and will grapple at 120. Joel Lane moved from North Carolina and will try to make some noise at 132, and Jack Tabacchi (160) is new from Pennsylvania.

Gabe Darnell at 157 is another new wrestler for Vilseck.

Wiesbaden

A strong cadre of returners has the Warriors believe they can compete with the best in Europe this season.

Dan Garin is hoping to pick up from where he left off last season, when he went 17-0 and claimed the heavyweight title. Wyatt Massey (12-3) fell in the 165 final, while A.J. Rios-Cuellar came in sixth at 126.

Others returning are Matthew Diech, Sage Kleisner and Matthew Dewey.

New Warriors this winter are seniors Nathaniel Griffis and Michael Vitale; juniors Danny Barefield, Damien Hernandez, Gavin Rosenkrans and Jesiah Wilson; sophomores Andrew Diaz-Lindsey, Ryley Halbrook, Andrew Rueda and Nicholas Shumate; and freshmen Chase Comer, Christopher Galvez, Nephi Phillips and Chris Turner.

K-town Sports

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