MCMINNVILLE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon Men's Wrestling team began 2026 at the Linfield Tournament on Sunday. Several Mountaineers showcased their skill, with three grapplers earning podium finishes, including two runner-ups. 

Eric Larwin delivered an impressive performance in the 149-pound division, ultimately finishing as the runner-up. After a first-round bye, Larwin stormed through his first few matches, securing a dominant 21-4 technical fall over Lucas Higginbotham. He followed up with a pin in 2:32 over Emmanuel Plascencia from Fresno State, and then a hard-fought 11-7 decision over Andre Dargani from San Francisco State. In the final, Larwin faced a tough battle against Corban's Jr Downing, but ultimately fell 4-1, earning 2nd place.

Wylee Lindeen had a strong day, finishing 2nd in the 174-pound division. Lindeen opened with a dominant 19-4 tech fall over Mason Marshall and a 20-4 technical fall over Illia Borshchenko from San Francisco State. He continued his momentum with a 16-6 major decision win over Corban's Armando Nicacio. In the final, Lindeen faced Kydyn Lima from San Francisco State but couldn't overcome the challenge, falling by an 18-2 technical fall to finish 2nd overall.

Carlos Valdez showed grit and resilience in the 157-pound bracket, finishing 4th after a 4-2 record. Valdez opened strong with a 12-0 major decision over Hassan Abdi from Evergreen State. However, he suffered a setback with a tough 17-2 tech fall loss to #11 Dylan Straley from Southern Oregon University. Valdez bounced back with a 7-2 decision victory over Kellen Kolka from Umpqua Community College and a 55 second fall over Pacific University's Marcelas Curtis. After a medical forfeit win against Logan Struthers, Valdez faced SFS's Xander Erolin,     but lost by major decision (15-4) in his final match, securing 4th place.

The team now turns its focus to their next home dual, where they will host The Evergreen State College on Sunday, January 11 at 4 PM in Quinn Coliseum.