Harkless Named SUNYAC Men's Wrestling Scholar Athlete of the Year
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SUNYAC honors RIT's Josh Harkless as its 2026 Men's Wrestling Scholar Athlete of the Year. This award is nominated and voted on by the member sports information directors. Recipients are at least a sophomore, hold a 3.30 GPA or higher and display academic and athletic excellence as a starter or significant reserve.
Harkless won the 285 lb. national championship at the 2026 NCAA Division III championships. This season he recorded a 46-3 record, including 32 wins via pinfall. A three-time All-American, Harkless finished with a 141-23 career record. During the 2025-26 season, he won individual titles at the RIT Invitational, SUNYAC championship and NCAA Region 2 championship where he was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. Harkless was also named the SUNYAC Wrestler of the Year. His 32 pins this season is the most in RIT program history. He is third in program history with 141 career wins and is third in program history with 83 career pins.
Harkless is a senior mechanical engineering major with a 3.86 overall GPA. He was a 2025 NWCA Scholar All-American, 2025 CSC Academic All-District selection and a three-time NWCA Scholar All-American. He was also named to the 2023-24 SUNYAC Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll.
