Liberty's returning and incoming men's wrestlers have shown tremendous growth through the preseason heading into Saturday's Messiah (Pa.) Invitational. (Photos by Matt Reynolds)
Flames wrestlers renew commitment to program as they prepare to launch season at Messiah
11/6/2026 3:21:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
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Liberty’s returning wrestlers are being challenged by a room full of talented recruits and transfers who have helped raise the intensity level in practices.
Liberty University's men's wrestling team experienced a less-than-satisfying end to its 2025-26 season, placing fifth in a stacked NCWA Grand National Championships field near Shreveport, La. That marked the lowest finish for the five-time national champion Flames since transitioning from the NCAA Division I ranks in 2012, and the first time they did not have a single championship finalist.
"We all definitely had a lot more to show (at nationals)," said Liberty 165-pound junior Drake Bowers, a defending Mid-Atlantic Conference champion. "We've got it this year. We're going (into the 2026-27 season) with the best people, hoping to find the best competition. It's going to be fun."
Liberty will open its fall schedule Saturday at the Messiah (Pa.) University Invitational hosted by the alma mater of second-year Head Coach Chris Williamson.
With a strong influx of freshmen and solid nucleus of returning wrestlers, including five All-Americans, Williamson said the Flames have turned up the heat in practices this preseason and have a renewed passion to defend their MAC Tournament title before contending for individual medals and a team trophy at the NCWA Grand Nationals in Bossier City, La., from March 18-20.
"We have 15-17 new guys, and it's been really great to see them set a high standard for themselves this early in the year," he said. "The team is looking a little bit better than I was expecting so far. I am pleasantly surprised with where they are right now. They are building their own intensity in the room, and it is encouraging to see that."
"The team's got a lot of heart this year and I love to see that," Bowers added. "We've got a great attitude. You can tell everyone really wants to get better. We're a super young team, so I think we'll be really good for the next couple of years at least."
Williamson set a high bar for the entire team in their offseason conditioning and practice routines.
"We are definitely requiring more of them this year, and they are showing a little more willingness to be there," he said. "Getting the buy-in last year was tough. Guys struggled. We're getting it this year. It feels very different in the room."
He said the change is taking place across the board, starting with the recruiting class which could rank among the best the Flames have brought in in years.
"The younger guys are doing a great job of living the lifestyle of a wrestler," Williamson said. "Wrestlers don't get to live a normal life. They have to live a different way, and guys are starting to show that they're more and more willing to do that."
"We are starting to really see a lot of promise with our guys, with a rededication to the program," he added. "As coaches, we talk every day, and we have seen a change of mentality. Guys are wrestling a lot more physically this year than we are used to seeing. That is something we've been harping on a lot."
He said the Flames are fired up for their first competition of the season.
"Our guys are excited to get on the mat with some foreign competition," Williamson said. "We will use every event as a glorified practice, gathering data and getting them good reps, to see what we need to work on and where we need to be. We'll see how it goes. We are excited for some of our freshmen to make a splash. Some of our returners left last season unsatisfied. This year, they are looking to right that wrong and to put themselves on a different trajectory."
"We are flourishing as we get into our first tournament," 141-pound junior Jahleel Armstrong added. "I'm really excited to see how everybody can put their personal goals to the test to see if we can get where we all want to go as a team."
After going 33-7 as a freshman at 133 pounds in 2023-24, Armstrong return with renewed determination and focus after taking the past two seasons off to improve his academics.
"I'm coming back with great expectations and a strong purpose, looking to get the most out of this season," Armstrong said. "I've been working and training hard, and now we're ready to see what happens. We're on a mission to seek out the best, find the best, and wrestle the best."
While many of the starters at various weight classes have yet to be determined, a few are all but set, including junior and 2025 national champion Matox Allen at 157 pounds, Bowers at 165, and junior Ron Black at 197.
"Ron Black will do a tremendous job this year," Williamson said, noting he lost his fifth-place final at last season's national tournament due in part to some questionable officiating. "That was a disappointing finish by Ron's standards. He expects a lot out of himself (and) this year will be a different story. He is certainly on a different trajectory." Liberty wrestlers (from left) Brodie Altman (a sophomore at 133 pounds), juniors Drake Bowers (165), Ron Black (197), and Matox Allen (157), and graduate Chase Arnestad (133) are the Flames' returning NCWA Grand National All-Americans.
Allen, who helps set the standard with his work ethic in the wrestling room, will be pushed by sophomore Justin Root, who spent the last part of his summer on a wrestling trip to Azerbaijan led by Assistant Coach Josh McIlhenny.
Junior Wayshaun Hicks (125), sophomore Brodie Altman (133), graduate captain Chase Arnestad (133) — an All-American as a sophomore in 2023 — and juniors Armstrong (141), Christian Knuckles (149), and Paul Moore (184) may be the frontrunners but are being severely tested for starting spots at their respective weight classes.
Moore and Arnestad will serve as the team's Disciple Makers.
"It's great to have Wayshaun (Hicks) and Chase Arnestad down there (among the lightweights) to start us off for dual matches," Williamson said. "(Arnestad) is highly skilled, knows his stuff, and is a super hard worker."
The 235-pound and heavyweight positions will likely be filled by freshmen, including Brandon Romero and Jackson Bowden or Anthony Brown, a sophomore transfer from NCAA Division I Presbyterian (S.C.) College. Freshman Karl Dean and sophomore Diego Rivera are battling at 165 and Crew Farrell, a sophomore transfer from Taylor (Ind.) University, is challenging Moore at 184.
"We're going to be freshman- and underclass-heavy at a lot of our weights," Williamson said. "We are going to need freshmen class to step up in a big way this year if we're going to be competitive."
"We've got a good culture here," Armstrong added. "We've got a lot of people that are very ready to wrestle. The freshmen are good. They're hungry. They want to compete, and that makes it better for the older people here, too, because it keeps us on our toes and makes us work harder every day."
Liberty, which will open its dual meet season on Wednesday at Greensboro (N.C.) College before ending the semester with another dual match Dec. 6 at NCAA Division I Morgan State University in Baltimore, Md., will travel to the Rocky Top Duals in Gatlinburg, Tenn., on Dec. 12 and compete in the Virginia Duals in Hampton Coliseum on Jan. 8-9 before hosting the NCWA National Duals from Feb. 12-13, tentatively in the Liberty Multipurpose Center.
"I'm ready for the duals, to see what the team can put together and how much we can shine as a team," Armstrong said. "I am very excited for that dual against Morgan State. That will be great preparation for when it comes to the NCWA National Duals. With home-mat advantage, we'll see what we can do with it."
While maintaining their daily focus on challenging and improving themselves in practice and competition, Armstrong and many of his teammates are eager to peak at the NCWA Grand Nationals.
"That's the goal at the end of the year, and we've got to go day by day and get better each day (but) it gives us a lot of incentive, something to work for," Armstrong said. "We put the work in here (in the practice room), we put all our chips into the bank, and cash-out day is nationals. It's payday."
Joe Chiappazzi, who wrestled at NCAA Division I West Virginia University, is a new graduate assistant coach, complementing Assistant Coach Michael Gowen and Strength Coach Eddie Folkerts.
By Ted Allen/Staff Writer; Video edited by Kylee Wright/Club Sports Video & Media Staff
