Three wrestlers carried the remainder of the Virginia season, defined by conference losses and travel woes. The three were given the opportunity to redefine all of that — and that responsibility was entrusted to sophomore Gable Porter, graduate student Colton Washleski and freshman Brenan Morgan.
The NCAA Championships began March 19 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, with 330 total wrestlers representing schools across the country. While Washleski was making his second appearance — his last coming in 2024 — Porter and Morgan were making their first career appearances.
Collectively, there was not a considerable amount of experience among the three. In nearly every bout the Cavalier (9-8, 1-5 ACC) wrestlers were at a seeding disadvantage.
With unfavorable matchups and limited experience, a rough outcome seemed possible in the first round. That foreshadowing proved true, as all three wrestlers lost in the first round of the tournament.
At 141 pounds, No. 27-seed Porter faced No. 6-seed senior Vince Cornella of Cornell. In his first NCAA Championship appearance, Porter was unable to score, losing by major decision 8-0.
Washleski at 157 pounds had much of the same result when he matched up against No. 11-seed sophomore Ty Watters of West Virginia. His match ended in a pin within the first 2:30 of the bout.
At heavyweight, Morgan had the opportunity to wrestle NC State's No. 2-seed sixth-year Isaac Trumble for the third time this season, but his bout also ended in a pin, pushing his record to 0-3 against Trumble. Trumble would go on to assert his dominance throughout the tournament, eventually winning the heavyweight title.
Even with the first-round losses, the dream was still alive. The consolation bracket remained open, and a podium finish or All-American honors were still within reach. There was no time to sulk — at 7 p.m. that same day, the consolation bracket got underway, and Virginia would need to show its best wrestling.
Porter answered that call, securing a closely contested 5-4 decision win in the third period over No. 22 junior Lorenzo Frezza of Columbia.
Unfortunately, Washleski and Morgan were not able to rally in the same way as Porter, with both of their seasons ending in losses in the first round of the consolation bracket.
"It was an honor to coach Colton Washleski this year. He was such a blessing to this team and I'm going to miss him," Coach Steve Garland said. "Brenan Morgan has a bright future ahead. Obviously, this time it didn't go the way he planned, but he's only a redshirt freshman and has a long career ahead of him."
And so what was once three wrestlers carrying the load of redefining Virginia's season fell squarely onto the shoulders of Porter.
Porter would rest and return the next day for Day Two of the NCAA Championships.
He would face Oklahoma's No. 21 junior Tyler Wells — the third time Porter had been matched up against a higher-seeded opponent. It seemed Porter understood what this matchup meant for the rest of Virginia's season, competing hard from start to finish. He opened the bout with the lead but watched it slip away in the final seconds, ultimately falling by decision 6-5.
"That one hurt bad — more than most,” Garland said. “Gable wrestled so hard and so well … We are proud of him. He competed and represented this program so well. He has so much to build on."
His final matchup capped off a breakout season for Porter — one he should have no shame in.
The 2026 season did not end the way Virginia had hoped, but it was not without its merit. Porter's gritty run through the consolation bracket and Morgan's first taste of the national stage are the kinds of experiences that shape careers. Washleski leaves the program having given everything in his final season — his impact will not be forgotten.
Virginia left Cleveland without hardware but with something to build on. That is often where a new and better chapter begins.
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