Ewing N.J. (February 28, 2026) - Alvernia University's Chance Babb and Owen Reber both tallied top three finishes at the NCAA DIII Region III Men's Wrestling Championships Saturday at The College of New Jersey to book their tickets to the NCAA DIII National Championships. 

Chance Babb is heading back to the national tournament for a third time in his Alvernia career at 149 pounds and did so with a second place finish. Babb's second place finish is also the best finish at the regional championships in his career. 

Owen Reber also booked a ticket to Cedar Rapids, Iowa with a third place finish in the 285 pound bracket after ripping off three wins on day two of the championships. Reber will head to the National Championships for the first time in his Alvernia career. 

Hayden McLellan and Quinn Tobin both recorded fifth place finishes for the Golden Wolves at the regional championships and both results are career bests for Tobin and McLellan. 

How it Happened 

• Chance Babb punched his ticket back to the NCAA National Championships for a third time in his career thanks to a second place finish in the 149 pound bracket. Babb started his day with a semifinal sudden victory over Gettysburg's Jake Mitchell by a score of 8-5 to head to the title bout. Babb would fall to the #2 ranked 149 pounder in the country, Thomas Monn from McDaniel by decision, 5-2, to take second at 149 pounds. The second place finish is the best regional finish for Babb and it is the third time in his career that he will be heading to the National Championships in the 149 pound bracket. 
• Owen Reber also punched his ticket to the NCAA DIII National Championships with a third place finish in the 285 pound bracket. Reber posted a 2-1 sudden victory over Simon Taylor from Gettysburg to advance to the consolation semifinals against Ksawery Niewadomy from Elizabethtown. Reber then pinned Niewadomy in 4:15 to head to the third place match with a chance to go to Nationals on the line. Reber then answered in a big way with a 10-4 decision over Aiden Hidlay from Misericordia to punch his ticket to nationals for the first time in his career. 
• Hayden McLellan faced off against #8 ranked Justin Mayes from NYU in the 184 pound semifinal to start his day but fell to Mayes by major decision, 13-1, to fall to the consolation semifinals. McLellan then took on James Lledo from Arcadia in the consi-semis and fell to Lledo by fall to drop into the fifth place match. McLellan bounced back with a pin over Luke Theis from TCNJ to secure fifth place honors, his best finish at the regional championships. McLellan finished his impressive sophomore campaign with a 42-6 overall record and is only the second Alvernia Wrestler to record 40 or more wins in a season. McLellan joins national champion Matthew Lackman as the only Golden Wolves to post 40 wins in a season. 
• Quinn Tobin rounded out the Golden Wolves at the Regional Championships and recorded a fifth place finish. Tobin started his second day off with a 6-3 decision over Gettysburg's Brendan Callahan to advance to the consolation semifinals. Tobin then fell in the consi-semis to Ryan Mansueto from Eastern to fall to the fifth place match in the 141 pound bracket. Tobin then capped his Alvernia career with a 12-2 major decision over Messiah's Jacob Cunningham to secure fifth place honors at 141 pounds. Tobin ended his regional championships with a 4-2 record and ended his Alvernia career with an 85-36 overall record. Tobin's fifth place finish is also his career best finish at the regional championships. 

Up Next 

• Alvernia is back in action in two weeks when Babb and Reber travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa for the NCAA DIII National Championships. Babb and Reber mark the sixth time in Alvernia's young program history that they have sent at least one wrestler to the National Championships. 

Full Saturday Results:

Chance Babb (149 lbs.)

• Semifinal: Babb over Jake Mitchell (Gettysburg) by SUDDEN VICTORY, 8-5
• Finals: #2 Thomas Monn (McDaniel) over Babb by DECISION, 5-2

Owen Reber (285 lbs.)

• Consi. Round 5: Reber over Simon Taylor (Gettysburg) by SUDDEN VICTORY, 2-1
• Consi. Semifinals: Reber over Ksawery Niewadomy (Elizabethtown) by FALL, 4:15
• 3rd Place: Reber over Aiden Hidlay (Misericordia) by DECISION, 10-4

Quinn Tobin (141 lbs.)

• Consi. Round 5: Tobin over Brendan Callahan (Gettysburg) by DECISION, 6-3
• Consi. Semifinals: Ryan Mansueto (Eastern) over Tobin by FALL, 1:00 
• 5th Place: Tobin over Jacob Cunningham (Messiah) by MAJOR DECISION, 12-2

Hayden McLellan (184 lbs.) 

• Semifinal: #8 Justin Mayes (NYU) over McLellan by MAJOR DECISION, 13-1
• Consi. Semifinals: James Lledo (Arcadia) over McLellan by FALL, 0:53
• 5th Place: McLellan over Luke Theis (TCNJ) by FALL, 1:30