Men's Wrestling | 1/26/2026 10:30:00 AM

Strong performances on the mat highlighted this week's Gannon Athletes of the Week honors as redshirt junior Jake Niffenegger (Mason, Ohio/La Salle) (Mason, Ohio/La Salle) from the men's wrestling team and senior Lili Ujfalvi (Kecskemet-heteny, Hungary/Bolyai Janos Secondary School) from the women's wrestling program turned in dominant efforts in competition.

Niffenegger went 2–0 at 141 pounds in Gannon's home tri-meet as the No. 7 Golden Knights improved to 9–1 overall and remained perfect at 3–0 in PSAC duals. Gannon currently sits seventh in the Division II dual rankings according to The Open Mat.

He opened the night with a fall in 2:49 over East Stroudsburg's Benjamin Makaritis during Gannon's 50–0 shutout victory. In the featured matchup of the evening, the fifth-ranked Niffenegger controlled the bout throughout to earn a 4–1 decision over West Liberty's Khyvon Grace, the 2025 NCAA Division II National Runner-Up at 141 pounds and the nation's No. 10 ranked wrestler. The pivotal win helped seal Gannon's 21–13 team victory.

With the pair of wins, Niffenegger improved to 19–2 overall this season and remained undefeated at 9–0 in dual competition.

Ujfalvi delivered two dominant technical fall victories while competing at the Journeyman Women's Duals in Albany, New York marking the first time in program history Gannon competed in the prestigious event.

Wrestling at 138 pounds, Ujfalvi earned a 10–0 technical fall in 1:43 over Elmira's Gabby Bradigan before following with a 13–2 technical fall against Seton Hill's Maddie Canales.

Now 20–10 on the season, Ujfalvi has totaled three falls and ten technical falls this year. Earlier this season, she surpassed the program's previous career wins record of 90 and currently sits at 96 career victories, just four wins shy of becoming the first women's wrestler in program history to reach the 100-win milestone.

2025-26 Gannon University Athlete of the Week Previous Recipients

Week 1 (9/8/2025) 
Alexis Abbett (Women's Cross Country)
Victor Volant (Men's Water Polo)

Week 2 (9/15/2025)
Abbey Williams (Chicago, Ill./Mother Mcauley Liberal Arts) (Volleyball)
Jack Kenyon (Men's Soccer)

Week 3 (9/22/2025)
Emily Bowers (Women's Cross Country)
Alexandros Kotskar (Men's Water Polo)

Week 4 (9/29/2025) 
Nehir Yazicioglu (Ankara, Turkey) (Volleyball)
Nikiforos Liantziris (Men's Water Polo)
 
Week 5 (10/6/2025) 
Brooklyn Respecki (Women's Soccer)
Damario Moore (Football)
 
Week 6 (10/13/2025) 
Cloe Mateo (Women's Golf)
Ty Hurst (Football)
 
Week 7 (10/20/2025) 
Sydney Wake (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) (Volleyball)
Frederik Paulsen (Men's Soccer)
 
Week 8 (10/27/2025) 
Kasey Smith (Meadville, Pa./Villa Maria) (Volleyball)
Sverre Orten (Men's Soccer)
 
Week 9 (11/3/2025) 
Bengisu Arslan (Ankara, Turkey/Private Çankaya Doga Anatolian) (Volleyball)
Rafa Hyde (Men's Soccer)
 
Week 10 (11/10/2025) 
Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) (Women's Swimming)
Patrick Jackson (Harpers Ferry, WV/Spring Mills High) (Men's Wrestling)
 
Week 11 (11/17/2025) 
Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) (Women's Basketball)
Kasper Alfei Saebo (Men's Soccer)
 
Week 12 (11/24/2025) 
Mariia Melnyk (Kyiv, Ukraine/Education Center Optima) (Women's Swimming)
Bator Mohacsi (Men's Water Polo)
 
Week 13 (12/1/2025) 
Maddy Wheatley (Canberra, Australia/UCSSC Lake Ginninderra) (Women's Basketball)
Enzo Rekka (Men's Soccer)
 
Week 14 (12/8/2025) 
Lauren Atwell (Mars, Pa./Mars Area) (Volleyball)
Lucas Morgan (Sydney, Australia/Marist Catholic College North Shore) (Men's Basketball)

Week 15 (12/15/2025) 
Jerry Echevarria (Long Beach, N.Y./Long Beach) (Men's Wrestling)
Jaylene Martinez (Whittier, Cal./Whittier) (Women's Wrestling)

Week 16 (1/5/2026)
Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) (Women's Basketball)
Lucas Sekasi (Men's Basketball)

Week 17 (1/12/2026)
Jordan Popyk (Novi, Mich./Novi) (Women's Basketball)
Dillon Walker (Mason, Ohio/Mason) (Men's Wrestling)

Week 18 (1/19/2026)
Elisa Moliner (Zaragoza, Spain/IES Francisco de Goya) (Women's Swimming)
Kuba Loboda (Lublin, Poland) (Men's Swimming)

Week 19 (1/26/26)
Jake Niffenegger (Mason, Ohio/La Salle) (Mason, Ohio/La Salle) (Men's Wrestling)
Lili Ujfalvi (Kecskemet-heteny, Hungary/Bolyai Janos Secondary School) (Women's Wrestling)