Sophomore Liam Flanagan Named ODAC's Wrestler of the Year

LEXINGTON, Va. — Washington and Lee sophomore Liam Flanagan has been named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Wrestler of the Year for the 2025-26 season following a dominant campaign at 157 pounds.

A native of Harrisburg, Pa., and a graduate of Central Dauphin High School, Flanagan compiled a 30-3 overall record, capturing both the ODAC Championship and the NCAA Region IV title while earning First Team All-ODAC honors. He capped his season with a sixth-place finish and All-America honors at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships, becoming just the ninth All-American in program history.

At the national championships, Flanagan advanced to the championship semifinals after a perfect opening day that included a 4–1 decision over Thomas DiResta (Johnson & Wales) and a 3–2 tiebreaker victory over Eric Kinkaid (Loras) in the quarterfinals. He ultimately placed sixth in a deep 157-pound bracket, highlighted by a semifinal appearance against eventual national champion Peter Kane of Williams.

Flanagan totaled 118.5 team points and 296 match points on the season, recording 16 bonus-point victories (7 falls, 7 technical falls, 2 major decisions) and 56 takedowns. He posted multiple undefeated tournament performances, including titles at the Messiah Invitational (4-0) and the New Standard Corporation Invitational (5-0).

At the NCAA Region IV Championships, Flanagan went 4-0 to claim the title and secure his national berth, closing the tournament with a 10–4 decision over Londen Murphy (Ohio Northern) in the championship bout.

A two-time ODAC Wrestler of the Week (Nov. 3; Dec. 8), Flanagan also excelled in the classroom as an NWCA Scholar All-American with a 3.95 GPA in Health Professions and is a three-time Washington and Lee Scholar-Athlete.

In addition to this season's special awards, the conference formally announces the All-ODAC Wrestling Teams. All-ODAC status was achieved by competition at the conference championships at Shenandoah University in February. Any wrestler that won a weight class title earned All-ODAC First Team recognition. Second and third place finishers garnered All-ODAC Second and Third Team honors, respectively. Washington and Lee placed five wrestlers on the All-ODAC First Team, including Vincent Ziccardi (133), Skyler Hickman (141), Evan Lindner (149), Liam Flanagan (157) and Carter Stack (285), while Mark Troni (165), Jacob Wright (174) and John Santowski (197) earned Second Team All-ODAC recognition. The Generals' eight total honorees highlight the program's depth and continued success across multiple weight classes during the 2025-26 season with five national qualifiers in Ziccardi, Hickman, Flanagan and Stack finishing in the top-3 at the NCAA Regional Championships.

Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.