Season ends for Bridgeport men at Super Regional

Junior Matt Ryan leads the way for Purple Knights in first varsity season since 1960s

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The University of Bridgeport's men's wrestling team competed at the NCAA Super Regional I on Saturday in East Stroudsburg, Pa., a Division II qualification tournament. Junior Matt Ryan of Trumbull led the way for the Purple Knights with a fifth-place finish at 157 lbs. Bridgeport went 3-8 in its first varsity season since the 1960s under first-year head coach Mario Morgan.

Why it matters

This was Bridgeport's first varsity wrestling season in decades, marking a return to the sport for the university. While the team struggled, junior Matt Ryan's strong individual performance shows promise for the program's future development.

The details

Ryan put together a 3-2 record at the Super Regional, highlighted by a major decision (15-2) against Austin High (Fairmont State) and a decision (8-4) over Gavin Reynolds (East Stroudsburg). Ryan had a season-high 16 wins this year for Bridgeport with a 16-8 record, going 7-3 against Division II opponents.

  • The NCAA Super Regional I tournament took place on Saturday, February 29, 2026 in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
  • Bridgeport's first varsity wrestling season since the 1960s was in the 2025-2026 academic year.

The players

Matt Ryan

A junior wrestler for the University of Bridgeport who finished fifth in the 157 lb weight class at the NCAA Super Regional I tournament.

Mario Morgan

The first-year head coach of the University of Bridgeport men's wrestling team.

University of Bridgeport

A university located in Bridgeport, Connecticut that fielded a men's wrestling team for the first time in decades during the 2025-2026 academic year.

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What’s next

The top three wrestlers in each of the 10 weight classes at the Super Regional advance to the NCAA Division II national championships in South Dakota in two weeks.

The takeaway

Bridgeport's return to varsity wrestling after decades away shows the program is taking steps to rebuild, with junior Matt Ryan's strong individual performance providing a bright spot in an otherwise challenging first season back.