Morgan State Wrestlers Make Historic NCAA Tournament Debut

Two student-athletes from the only HBCU with a Division I men's wrestling team compete in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 27 years.

Mar. 18, 2026 at 1:07am

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Morgan State University is sending two wrestlers, Yannis Charles and Eugene Harney, to compete in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 27 years. Morgan State is the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) with a Division I men's wrestling team. The wrestlers and their coach, gold medal-winning wrestler Kenny Monday, are excited for the opportunity and believe they have what it takes to bring home the national title.

Why it matters

Morgan State's wrestling program, built from the ground up by Coach Monday, represents a significant milestone for HBCUs in collegiate sports. The school's ability to field a competitive Division I wrestling team and send athletes to the prestigious NCAA Tournament showcases the growth and potential of athletic programs at HBCUs.

The details

Yannis Charles and Eugene Harney are the two Morgan State wrestlers competing in the NCAA Tournament. Charles says he is "excited for the opportunity to compete for Morgan" and is "ready to put us on the map." Harney is "surprised by the gratitude and support" he has received and is "trying to be the first to bring home the national title." Coach Monday believes both wrestlers have the confidence and abilities to succeed, with Charles being more explosive and Harney having a calm, poised style.

  • The NCAA Tournament runs from Thursday, March 18, 2026 through the weekend.
  • This is the first time in 27 years that Morgan State has sent wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament.

The players

Yannis Charles

A Morgan State wrestler competing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

Eugene Harney

A Morgan State wrestler competing in the NCAA Tournament for the first time.

Kenny Monday

The head coach of the Morgan State wrestling team, a gold medal-winning wrestler himself, who has built the program from the ground up.

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What they’re saying

“I'm excited for the opportunity to compete for Morgan. I'm ready to put us on the map.”

— Yannis Charles

“I wasn't expecting all of this, and it just makes me happy. It fuels me. It's just more fuel to bring to the tournament.”

— Eugene Harney

“Both of them are very confident. Gene, he's confident in his abilities and he just goes out and thinks he can beat anyone in the country, so he wrestles with a lot of confidence, a lot of poise. Yannis is different. His style is a little different, he's more explosive. We always tell him, 'You're dangerous out there, so stay dangerous, stay attacking people,' and he's a little more aggressive the way he wrestles.”

— Kenny Monday, Head Coach, Morgan State Wrestling

“I look at it more as an opportunity, a blessing, more than I do a chip on my shoulder.”

— Yannis Charles

“I'm trying to be the first to bring home the national title, so that's the goal.”

— Eugene Harney

What’s next

The wrestlers start competing in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 18, 2026, with the tournament running through the weekend.

The takeaway

Morgan State's historic achievement of sending wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 27 years represents a significant milestone for HBCUs in collegiate sports. The school's ability to build a competitive Division I wrestling program and produce talented student-athletes like Yannis Charles and Eugene Harney showcases the growth and potential of athletic programs at HBCUs.