CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA — Sophomore heavyweight Rory Nolan (Wadsworth, Ohio) closed out a breakthrough postseason for Norwich University men's wrestling this weekend, competing at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships after becoming the program's first national qualifier since Kyle Merritt '24 in 2022.

Nolan's national tournament berth was historic on multiple levels. He became the 25th Norwich men's wrestler in history to earn a spot at the NCAA Championships and the third national participant under head coach Alex Whitney.

"Rory made tremendous progress this year," said Whitney. "Just a season ago, he went 1–2 at regionals. This year, he battled his way through the bracket and earned a spot at the national tournament. Qualifying alone is a major accomplishment, but Rory didn't just show up. He competed hard and proved he belongs on the mat with the best wrestlers in the country. We are incredibly proud of the growth he has shown and the way he continues to raise the standard for himself and our program."

Competing at 285 pounds, Nolan opened his weekend, earning a pin over Owen Reber of Alvernia in 2:55 to secure the first NCAA Championship match victory of his career.

Nolan's second bout came against No. 2 seed Carl DiGiorgio of Coast Guard, in a rematch from regionals that saw DiGiorgio take a 7-4 decision. In this edition, DiGiorgio earned an 8-0 major decision. His second defeat came in a tightly contested bout against Nicholas Cook of Roanoke, falling in sudden victory, 4-1, ending his run. 

The appearance capped a standout season for Nolan, who put together his strongest postseason yet. This winter, the sophomore broke through at regionals and carried that momentum onto the national stage, helping the Norwich program continue its upward trajectory.

The Cadets finish their 2025-26 campaign with a 6-6 record in dual meets, including several young competitors making an impact on the regional and national scale.